In
diplomacy, a ' (
Latin: "person not welcome",
plural: ') is a status applied by a host country to foreign diplomats to remove their protection of
diplomatic immunity from
arrest
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
and other types of prosecution.
Diplomacy
Under Article 9 of the
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a receiving state may "at any time and without having to explain its decision" declare any member of a diplomatic staff '.
A person so declared is considered unacceptable and is usually recalled to his or her home nation. If not recalled, the receiving state "may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a member of the mission". A person can be declared before that person even enters the country.
With the protection of mission staff from prosecution for violating civil and
criminal law
Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It prescribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and moral welfare of people inclusive of one's self. Most criminal law i ...
s, depending on rank, under Articles 41 and 42 of the Vienna Convention, they are bound to respect national laws and regulations. Breaches of these articles can lead to a declaration being used to punish erring staff. It is also used to expel diplomats suspected of
espionage, described as "activities incompatible with diplomatic status", or any overt criminal act such as
drug trafficking
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
. The declaration may also be a symbolic indication of displeasure.
So-called "
tit for tat" exchanges have occurred (whereby countries involved in a dispute each expel the ambassador of the other country), notably during the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
. A notable occurrence outside of the Cold War was an exchange between the
United States and
Ecuador in 2011: the Ecuadorian government expelled the United States ambassador, as a result of diplomatic cables leaking (
WikiLeaks); the United States responded by expelling the Ecuadorian ambassador.
Other usage
People other than diplomats can be declared ' by a country.
In non-diplomatic usage, referring to someone as ' is to say that the person is not popular or accepted by others.
In the Philippines, local legislatures of provinces, towns, and cities can declare certain people or groups, including non-diplomats and Filipino citizens, as ''
persona non grata
In diplomacy, a ' (Latin: "person not welcome", plural: ') is a status applied by a host country to foreign diplomats to remove their protection of diplomatic immunity from arrest and other types of prosecution.
Diplomacy
Under Article 9 of the ...
'' to express a negative sentiment toward the certain person through a
non-binding resolution. This could be in response to the person breaking local ordinance or laws. This has also happened in Spain.
See also
* '
*
Exile
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
*
Nonperson
*
Outlaw
An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...
*
Refugee
A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
*
List of people declared ''persona non grata''
References
External links
*
*
eDiplomat.com: Glossary of Diplomatic TermsText of the Vienna Convention – PDF
{{DEFAULTSORT:Persona Non Grata
Diplomacy
Latin legal terminology
Latin words and phrases
International law
Blacklisting