The Washington Times
November 6, 1993, Saturday, Final Edition
Diplomats' friend says Fairfax police ignored immunity
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BYLINE: Maria Koklanaris; THE WASHINGTON TIMES
SECTION: Part A; METROPOLITAN TIMES; Pg. A10
LENGTH: 538 words
An American friend of the South African diplomatic couple
arrested by Fairfax County police last month said yesterday that before they
were arrested the diplomats informed police that they had diplomatic
immunity.John R. Sodergreen, 31, of the 400 block of Warner Street SW in the
District, was also arrested in the Oct. 16 incident outside the diplomats'
Oakton home in the 2700 block of Sutton Woods Court. Mr. Sodergreen, an
American citizen, was there with other guests at a small indoor party, he
said.Mr. Sodergreen said the diplomats, 34-year-old Eckhart Piprek and his
wife, Gerda, 31, showed two police officers identification cards proclaiming
their status. Mr. Sodergreen said he also tried to persuade the officers not to
make the arrest.
Instead of listening to him, he said, they arrested him,
too. "Eckhart offered his [identification] card up," Mr. Sodergreen
said. "He told them, 'I'm a diplomat. You can't do this. I've got
immunity.' "Police charged the Pipreks and Mr. Sodergreen with public
drunkenness, a misdemeanor, and charges have not been dropped. All three deny
the charges.South African Ambassador Harry H. Schwarz formally complained to
the State Department this week about the arrests. Mr. Schwarz maintains the
charges are false and the arrests violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic
Relations, which protects diplomats from criminal prosecution in their host
countries.The embassy is also outraged that the Pipreks spent nearly four hours
in jail, a statement by Mr. Schwarz says.Fred DuVal, deputy chief of protocol
at the State Department, said this week his agency will help the Embassy of
South Africa in its quest to receive "a good-faith explanation" of
the events.Fairfax police yesterday again said they are conducting an internal
investigation of the two arresting officers' actions. They will likely be
disciplined if the department finds they acted improperly, said Officer Richard
Perez, a department spokesman.He could not say when police will conclude the
investigation.At issue is when the officers learned the Pipreks had diplomatic
immunity. Mr. Piprek is a first secretary at the embassy, and both he and his
wife are listed in the State Department's Diplomatic List, a booklet containing
the names of foreign officials with immunity from criminal prosecution.Police
came to the Piprek home about 11:30 p.m., after neighbors complained about
noise at an outdoor party. Mr. Sodergreen said they found Mrs. Piprek outside
because she was walking two guests to their car.Police said Mrs. Piprek became
"uncooperative" when they told her about the complaints. They said
she refused to go back into the house and that she smelled of alcohol.Police
said the same of Mr. Piprek, who intervened for his wife, and then of Mr.
Sodergreen, who came out to inform police his friends are diplomats.Police
arrested all three for public drunkenness and placed them in a police
cruiser.Mr. Sodergreen said he joked with Mr. Piprek on the way to jail,
telling him, "I thought this only happened in your country.