Analysis of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights Concerning Violations of Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights

Trafficking in Human Beings, as a modern form of slavery and a major global challenge, remains one of the most lucrative criminal activities worldwide, surpassed only by arms and drug trafficking. The criminalization of human trafficking through national legislation, the refinement of legal frameworks, and the imposition of stricter sanctions - in accordance with the definition established by international instruments - are gaining increasing relevance. Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights play a particularly important role in shaping and reinforcing this process. The aim of this article is to examine the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights concerning the violation of Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which provides that no one shall be held in slavery or servitude, and that no one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. The violation of the aforementioned Article 4 of the Convention will be examined in the present article in the context of human trafficking, specifically involving the following forms of exploitation: labour and sexual exploitation, slavery, servitude, and trafficking in minors.