Each state has the right to allow or deny entry to its territory to any foreign nationals. And the one whose stay in the country is prohibited, undesirable, is called "persona non grata." What this phrase means for diplomats and ordinary people, we will discuss in our article.
What does persona non grata mean according to the Vienna Convention
To resolve this issue, international rules were created, they were first applied mainly to representatives of the diplomatic corps. Thus, according to Article 9 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, any state may declare a diplomat persona non grata at any time, without explaining the reasons. A person who has learned about his new status is forced to leave the country within the specified time limits, otherwise the state will refuse to recognize him as an employee of the mission. And in case of violation of the departure time, it has the right to resort to declaring this diplomat a private person.
This punishment was devised as a means of influencing those suspected ofespionage, as a sign of protest against the state represented by this person, or disagreement with any diplomatic statements.
How does an ordinary citizen know that he is persona non grata
An ordinary visitor, by the way, usually finds out that this punishment has befallen him only after being in the country and passing through passport control, since the lists of people who fall under the status of "unwanted guest" are usually closed.
Most often, such measures are associated with public criticism of the government or state bodies of the visited country or disrespect for its customs and laws, in which this visitor was noticed.
How it looks like in Russia
Every now and then in the domestic press there are notes about how a foreign embassy employee is detained on charges of espionage or recruitment. But a ban on entry into Russia can also be announced to persons suspected of insulting state symbols (as happened at one time with the rock band Bloodhound Gang), conducting subversive activities on the territory of the state (the case of American journalist David Sutter), committing offenses or forgery of documents allowing stay on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Persona non grata in Russia, as a rule, are transferred to the official representatives of the embassy of their country and deported from the state without the right to enter it from 3 to 10 years. But there are also cases of cancellation of the status by the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In ordinary life there is also a persona nongrata
That this phrase has successfully taken root not only as a diplomatic term, but also in ordinary speech, can be judged by the frequency of its use in almost all spheres of life.
Now this is the name of any unwanted guest or someone with whom they do not want to maintain a relationship. A person who is offended or disliked for some reason is generously rewarded by journalists with such a definition. Critics and publicists are no less inclined towards it: how many politicians, writers, actors, and just famous people have been declared undesirable anywhere! Yes, and the title sounds tempting and intriguing: "Persona non grata"! What is it? And, most importantly, why? The reader will immediately begin to view the note.
It remains to wish everyone not to fall under such a status!
