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14 

TURKIYE HALK BANKASI A. S. v. UNITED STATES 

Opinion of the Court 

foreign  states  and  their  instrumentalities.    Halkbank 
argues  that  those  state  prosecutions  would  raise  foreign
policy  concerns.  But  we  must  interpret  the  FSIA  as 
written.  And the statute simply does not grant immunity
to  foreign  states  and  their  instrumentalities  in  criminal 
matters. 

In  addition,  it  is  not  evident  that  the  premise  of
Halkbank’s consequentialist argument is correct.  To begin
with,  Halkbank  offers  no  history  of  state  prosecutors
subjecting  foreign  states  or  their  instrumentalities  to 
criminal jurisdiction.  And if such a state prosecution were 
brought,  the  United  States  could  file  a  suggestion  of
immunity.  A  decision  by  a  state  court  to  deny  foreign 
sovereign  immunity  might  be  reviewable  by  this  Court  (a 
question we do not here address).  Moreover, state criminal 
proceedings 
their 
instrumentalities  might  be  preempted  under  principles  of 
foreign affairs preemption (another question we do not here 
address).  Cf. American Ins. Assn. v. Garamendi, 539 U. S. 
396 (2003).  And if those principles do not apply or do not 
suffice to protect U. S. national security and foreign policy
interests, Congress and the President may always respond 
by enacting additional legislation.

involving 

foreign 

states 

or 

In short, Halkbank’s various FSIA arguments are infused 
with  the  notion  that  U. S.  criminal  proceedings  against 
instrumentalities of foreign states would negatively affect 
U. S. national security and foreign policy.  But it is not our 
role to rewrite the FSIA based on purported policy concerns 
that  Congress  and  the  President  have  not  seen  fit  to
recognize.  The  FSIA  does  not  provide  foreign  states  and 
their  instrumentalities  with  immunity  from  criminal
proceedings. 

Although  the  FSIA  does  not  immunize  Halkbank  from 
criminal prosecution, Halkbank advances one other plea for 

IV