View source for Persona non grata

{{Short description|Foreign person whose entering or remaining in a particular country is prohibited by that country's government}}
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In [[diplomacy]], a '''''{{lang|la|persona non grata}}''''' ([[Latin]]: "person not welcome", [[plural]]: ''{{lang|la|personae non gratae}}'') is a status sometimes applied by a host country to foreign diplomats to remove their protection by [[diplomatic immunity]] from [[arrest]] and other normal kinds 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 ''{{lang|la|persona non grata}}''.<ref name="DW">{{cite news |last1=VanOpdorp |first1=Davis |title=What does it mean to be declared persona non grata? |url=https://www.dw.com/cda/en/what-does-it-mean-to-be-declared-persona-non-grata/a-47800884 |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=6 March 2019}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/treaties/diplomatic_relations.htm |title=Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations |at=Article 9 |website=eDiplomat |access-date=18 February 2014}}</ref>

A person can be declared a ''persona non grata'' before that person even enters the country.<ref name="DW"/>

With the protection of mission staff from prosecution for violating civil and [[criminal law]]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 ''{{lang|la|persona non grata}}'' declaration being used to punish erring staff. It is also used to expel diplomats suspected of [[espionage]], described as "activities incompatible with diplomatic status",<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eaton |first1=William J. |title=Soviets Oust 5 U.S. Diplomats as Spies : Shultz Promises Action in Response to Unprecedented Mass Expulsion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-20-mn-6499-story.html |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=20 October 1986 |quote=The Soviet Foreign Ministry accused the five Americans of engaging in "actions which are incompatible with their official status"--the normal diplomatic jargon for espionage.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Spain-Russia spy row leads to diplomats' expulsion |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12086186 |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=6 March 2012 |quote=The Spanish foreign ministry spokesman said the two Russians had been expelled "for activities incompatible with their status as diplomats" - the diplomatic term for spying.}}</ref> or any overt criminal act such as [[drug trafficking]]. The declaration may also be a symbolic indication of displeasure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cavell |first1=Anna |title='Persona non grata' in South Sudan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/blogs/africa/2012/11/47543.html |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=[[Al Jazeera]] |date=14 November 2012 |quote="Persona non grata" (PNG), is the most serious form of censure a government can take against a person with diplomatic immunity and often used by governments as symbolic expressions of displeasure.}}</ref>

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]]. 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=US expels Ecuadorian ambassador in diplomatic tit-for-tat |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20110407-ecuador-usa-ambassador-expulsion-over-wikileaks-cable-diplomacy |access-date=23 May 2019 |work=[[France 24]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=4 April 2011}}</ref>
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==Other usage==
People other than diplomats can be declared ''{{lang|la|persona non grata}}'' by a country.<ref name="DW"/>

In non-diplomatic usage, referring to someone as ''{{lang|la|persona non grata}}'' is to say that the person is not popular or accepted by others.<ref>{{cite web |title=Persona non grata definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/persona-non-grata |website=[[Cambridge Dictionary]] |access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref>

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 (Philippines)|persona non grata]]'' 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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dumlao |first1=Artemio |title=Fariñas declared persona non grata by his home province |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/06/28/1714407/farias-declared-persona-non-grata-his-home-province |access-date=December 13, 2020 |work=The Philippine Star |date=June 28, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Law}}
* [[Persona non grata (Philippines)|''Persona non grata'' (Philippines)]], the status in the non-diplomacy context in the Philippines.
* ''{{lang|la|[[Damnatio memoriae]]}}''
* [[Exile]]
* [[Nonperson]]
* [[Outlaw]]
* [[Refugee]]
* [[List of people declared persona non grata|List of people declared ''persona non grata'']]

==References==
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==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www.ediplomat.com/nd/glossary.htm eDiplomat.com: Glossary of Diplomatic Terms]
* [http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf Text of the Vienna Convention &ndash; PDF]
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[[Category:Diplomacy]]
[[Category:Latin legal terminology]]
[[Category:Latin words and phrases]]
[[Category:International law]]
[[Category:Blacklisting]]