Australia's attorney general Saturday rejected a bid by activist lawyers to prosecute Aung San Suu Kyi for crimes against humanity over the country's treatment of minority Rohingya Muslims.
The AG Christian Porter said the nobel laureate for peace has diplomatic immunity, according to a report on Reuters.
Porter said he would not allow the prosecution of Suu Kyi, who arrived in Sydney on Saturday for regional talks, because heads of state cannot be arrested, detained or served with court proceedings.
"Aung San Suu Kyi has complete immunity, including from being served with court documents, because under customary international law, heads of state, heads of government and ministers of foreign affairs are immune from foreign criminal proceedings and are inviolable," said.
The legal action in Australia coincided with the start of Association of Southeast Asian Nations meetings.
Australia is hosting the meetings, despite not being a member of the 10-nation bloc, as it seeks to tighten political and trade ties in the region amid China's rising influence.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi's invitation has sparked protests, which included about 100 activists gathering in Sydney's Hyde Park where they chanted "Aung San Suu Kyi, shame on you".
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Friday he would raise the issue of human rights abuses with Suu Kyi during her three-day visit.
