Persona non grata

In the realm of diplomacy, persona non grata (Hindi: अग्राह्य व्यक्ति) (PNG) (Latin: "person not welcome", plural: personae non gratae), refers to a foreign diplomat who has been requested by the host nation to return to their home country. Should this individual fail to comply with the recall request, the host country may choose not to acknowledge them as part of the diplomatic mission, which can include revoking their diplomatic immunity. A host nation has the authority to declare any member of a diplomatic staff as persona non grata at any time and is not required to provide an explanation for this decision.

Diplomacy

According to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a host country has the right to declare any member of a diplomatic staff persona non grata "at any time and without needing to justify its decision." Once declared, the individual is deemed unacceptable and is typically expected to be recalled to their home country. If the individual is not recalled, the host state has the option to "refuse to recognise the person as a member of the mission." Interestingly, a persona non grata declaration can occur even before the individual arrives in the country.

While staff members of diplomatic missions are protected from prosecution for civil and criminal law violations based on their rank, as outlined in Articles 41 and 42 of the Vienna Convention, they are still required to adhere to the host nation’s laws and regulations. Violations of these provisions can lead to a persona non grata designation as a means of holding accountable those who err. This declaration is also used to expel diplomats suspected of engaging in espionage or involved in activities that contradict their diplomatic status, as well as those committing overt criminal offenses like drug trafficking. Additionally, declaring someone persona non grata may serve as a symbolic gesture of discontent by the host country.

"Tit for tat" exchanges, where countries embroiled in a dispute expel each other's ambassadors or diplomats, have been observed frequently, especially during the Cold War. One significant incident outside this period took place in 2011 between the United States and Ecuador. Following the leak of U.S. diplomatic cables, the Ecuadorian government expelled the U.S. ambassador. In retaliation, the United States then expelled the Ecuadorian ambassador from its territory.