ability ▁granted ▁to ▁char ities ▁in ▁many ▁countries ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century ▁to ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century ▁Diplom atic ▁imm unity , ▁agreement ▁between ▁so ver eign ▁govern ments ▁to ▁exclude ▁diplom ats ▁from ▁local ▁laws ▁Im m unity ▁from ▁pro sec ution ▁( intern ational ▁law ), ▁ex clusion ▁of ▁govern ments ▁or ▁their ▁officials ▁from ▁pro sec ution ▁under ▁international ▁law ▁Jud icial ▁imm unity , ▁imm unity ▁of ▁a ▁judge ▁or ▁magistr ate ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁their ▁official ▁duties ▁Parliament ary ▁imm unity , ▁imm unity ▁granted ▁to ▁elected ▁officials ▁during ▁their ▁ten ure ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁their ▁duties ▁Qual ified ▁imm unity , ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁imm unity ▁of ▁individuals ▁performing ▁tasks ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁government ' s ▁actions ▁S over eign ▁imm unity , ▁the ▁prevent ion ▁of ▁law su its ▁or ▁pro sec ution ▁against ▁r ul ers ▁or ▁govern ments ▁without ▁their ▁given ▁consent ▁S over eign ▁imm unity ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁the ▁legal ▁privile ge ▁by ▁which ▁the ▁American ▁federal , ▁state , ▁and ▁trib al ▁govern ments ▁cannot ▁be ▁su ed ▁Sp ous al ▁privile ge , ▁also ▁called ▁sp ous al ▁imm unity , ▁protect s ▁a ▁sp ouse ▁from ▁test ifying ▁against ▁the ▁def endant ▁State ▁imm unity , ▁principle ▁of ▁international ▁law ▁that ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁a ▁state ▁is ▁not ▁am enable ▁before ▁the ▁courts ▁of ▁another ▁state ▁Wit ness ▁imm unity , ▁imm unity ▁granted ▁to