Human trafficking and forced prostitution under article 4 of the European convention on human rights

Abstract

We discuss the issue of bringing human trafficking and forced prostitution within the purview of Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia marked a turning point by classifying forced prostitution through human trafficking under Article 4. However, in the judgment in S.M. v. Croatia, the ECtHR further reinforced its view that human trafficking and forced prostitution constitute a violation of Article 4.

Keywords

• human trafficking
• forced prostitution
• slavery
• Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• positive obligations of states