From Rantsev to the Present

Mapping the European Court of Human Rights’ Jurisprudence on Trafficked Migrants

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21817740
AutoresJelena Ristic (0000-0002-6046-9682, Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, autor de correspondencia)
Año2026
Volumen27
Número27
Páginas81
Fecha de publicación2026-06-25
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaBalkan Social Science Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1857-8772 • E-ISSN: 1857-8799
EditorialGoce Delchev University - Shtip (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.46763/bssr26272781r
OpenAlexW7167030411
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas10

This paper examines the jurisprudential evolution of the European Court of Human Rights in protecting trafficked migrants under Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights. It traces the expansion of the "living instrument" doctrine, mapping the Court’s transition from a narrow prohibition of slavery toward a framework of active, multi-dimensional State duties. The analysis is structured around three analytical pillars: the consolidation of the tripartite positive obligations of legislation, operation, and procedure; the harmonization of Strasbourg law with international anti-trafficking standards and the non-punishment principle; and the recent shift toward intersectional vulnerability, where gender and irregular immigration status converge. By evaluating the Court’s widening interpretative lens, the paper illustrates how Article 4 has adapted to the specific complexities of modern migration. It demonstrates that the Court has established an authoritative legal standard for the protection of all persons within its jurisdiction, regardless of administrative standing. Ultimately, the paper provides a roadmap for understanding how the Court increasingly decouples fundamental human rights from legal status

Convention · Harmonization · Human rights · Immigration · Jurisprudence · Energy Law and Policy · Gender and Women's Rights · Sex work and related issues