Turkey's president has ordered 10 ambassadors to be declared 'persona non grata' for backing jailed activist - CNN

Persona non grata literally means "an unwelcome person."

"I gave the necessary instructions to our minister of foreign affairs," Erdogan said in a speech Saturday.

I said that you will deal with these 10 ambassadors being declared persona non grata as soon as possible."

The Turkish president added the ambassadors should leave the country if they do not understand Turkey.

If the country's Foreign Ministry takes the order, it can move forward with the process without further approval.

"Noting the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights on the matter, we call for Turkey to secure his urgent release."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry called the joint statement is "irresponsible" and said it rejected what it called attempts to influence the court system.