On this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, LLM student Alessandra Cao speaks with Dr Niamh Keady-Tabbal about the topic of “Drift-backs” in the Aegean, the role of Frontex, and the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) failure to hold Greece accountable for serious human rights violations committed in the Aegean during systematic push-back operations.

The conversation first introduces the topic of push-backs at the external borders of the EU, the relatively new phenomenon of “drift-backs” in the Aegean Sea and their relation to European “migration management” strategies as well as human rights concerns arising from these practices. The speakers then dive into the recent European Court of Human Rights decision in the case of GRJ v Greece – a push-back case decided in January 2025, in which Niamh was closely involved – to discuss the evidentiary difficulties arising for applicants in push-back cases, and evaluate the way in which the ECtHR – despite explicitly acknowledging them – has failed to adequately accommodate these difficulties.

During the conversation, we referenced a number of cases and academic works. You can read more about the various topics in the links below:

#1 Journal Article “Weaponising Rescue: Law and the Materiality of Migration Management in the Aegean” by Niamh Keady-Tabbal and Itamar Mann (Leiden Journal of International Law, 2023): access

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/leiden-journal-of-international-law/article/weaponizing-rescue-law-and-the-materiality-of-migration-management-in-the-aegean/068B225CF16390CCBA5FFD10FC3CEF8C?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=bookmark

#2 Blog Post “Tents at Sea: How Greek Officials Use Rescue Equipment for Illegal Deportations” (Just Security, 2020): access https://www.justsecurity.org/70309/tents-at-sea-how-greek-officials-use-rescue-equipment-for-illegal-deportations/

#3 Forensic Architecture study about the practice of “drift-backs”: access https://forensic-architecture.org/investigation/drift-backs-in-the-aegean-sea

#4 Journal Article “The Enforced Disappearance of Migrants” by Valentina Azariva, Amanda Danson Brown, and Itamar Mann (Boston University International Law Journal, 2022): access https://www.bu.edu/ilj/files/2022/08/Vol.-40.1-Azarova-et-al.-online-unprinted.pdf

#5 European Court of Human Rights Judgment in GRJ v Greece: access the original judgment in French , and the official summary in English

https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-243431%22]}

https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre-press?i=003-8124872-11378023

#6 European Court of Human Rights Judgment in ARE v Greece: access the original judgment in French , and the official summary in English

https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-238636%22]}

https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre-press#{%22itemid%22:[%22003-8124877-11378031%22]}

The podcast was produced by Alessandra Cao, Gráinne McGrath and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro - FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

On this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, LLM Student Emily Donnellan speaks with Emily Williams (Policing and Justice Policy Officer at ICCL) about a cross-border report calling on the Irish government to establish a Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) to investigate unresolved deaths and incidents of torture and ill-treatment, including (but not limited to) cases related to the Troubles. The report also seeks the establishment of a system of robust and independent public inquiries and inquests, and an all-Ireland truth commission to examine themes and patterns relating to conflict-related violations. This discussion covers why the measures outlined in the report are so urgently needed, what the State's obligations are under human rights law and how these key reforms can be implemented.

About the ICCL: The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) is Ireland’s oldest independent human rights body. It has been at the forefront of every major rights advance in Irish society for over 40 years. ICCL helped decriminalise homosexuality, divorce and contraception. We drove police reform, defending suspects' rights during dark times. In recent years, we led successful campaigns for marriage equality, data protection and reproductive rights.

Policing for Peace project: The Policing for Peace project is a collaboration between ICCL and the Committee on the Administration of Justice. It was developed in 2023 to build on the learning from a series of conferences and to delve deeper into specific thematic areas identified as key priorities. The project has been advanced through a series of North-South expert roundtables and events. The objective is to convene stakeholders to discuss identified areas for increased police oversight and reform, with a view to producing specific recommendations in each area, for both jurisdictions.

Note: This episode was recorded at the beginning of May, 2025. Since this episode was recorded, the Minister for Justice has apologised to the family of Shane O'Farrell, for the State's responsibility for failings in the criminal justice system. Shane O'Farrell was killed while out for a cycle by Zigimantas Gridziuska, a man who had breached bail conditions and should have been in jail. As a result, the Minister for Justice has asked Senior Counsel Lorcan Staines to review bail laws in Ireland.

Additionally, the government has announced the formal establishment of a Commission into the handling of historical child sex abuse in schools. The Commission will examine the handling of allegations, suspicions and concerns of historical sexual abuse in schools, and consider all primary and post-primary schools.

The podcast was produced by Emily Donnellan and Gráinne McGrath. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

In this episode, ICHR LLM student Sonia Artesani speaks with Dr. Hannah Franzki, Senior Legal Advisor at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and researcher at the Interdisciplinary Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at the Frei Universität Berlin.

Together, they discuss corporate accountability for human rights violations in both transitional justice processes and contemporary international law. The conversation explores the legal tools available to hold businesses accountable, the role of civil society, and the impact of recent developments at the European and international levels. Dr. Franzki also sheds light on the structural challenges of enforcing human rights obligations in the context of global supply chains and corporate influence.

The podcast was produced by Sonia Artesani.

Intro music: "Smarties Intro - FMA Podcast Suggestion" by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).

Outro music: "Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestion" by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).

On this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, LLM student Alessandra Cao speaks with Gearóid Ó Cuinn, the founder and current director of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN). GLAN is an independent organization founded in 2016, which identifies and pursues legal action to tackle power actors involved in serious human rights violations and environmental harms.

The conversation first introduces the topic of social change lawyering, strategic human rights litigation and transnational public interest lawyering. The speakers then dive into the work of GLAN and discuss three different cases which the organization has recently taken on in the areas of climate change, supply chains and environmental crime.

During the conversation, we referenced a number of cases. You can read more about the various topics in the links below:

#1 The Youth4ClimateJustice case before the European Court of Human Rights: https://www.glanlaw.org/youth4climatejustice

#2 The Uyghur Cotton Case before the UK Court of Appeal:

https://www.glanlaw.org/uyghur-forced-labour

#3 Mining and Environmental Crime – The London Metal Exchange Case

https://www.glanlaw.org/dirty-metals

For more information on GLAN’s work and opportunities for engagement or support, see also GLAN’s website: https://www.glanlaw.org/

The podcast was produced by Alessandra Cao, Gráinne McGrath and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro - FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

On this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, PhD researcher Kirsten Larson speaks with Dr. Shelly Whitman (Executive Director) and Dr. Julie Marie Hyde (Director of Research and Knowledge Mobilization) of the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security. They discuss the history of the Institute and share insights into their latest research on moral injury.

Learn more about the work of the Dallaire Institute here:

https://www.dallaireinstitute.org/

Vancouver Principles:

https://www.dallaireinstitute.org/vancouver-principles

Moral Injury:

https://www.dallaireinstitute.org/research

On this episode of the Human Rights Podcast, LLM Master's student Jennifer Hough speaks with Dr. Charles O’Mahony, a lecturer at the University of Galway's School of Law, specialising in disability and mental health law and policy, and Dr. Pat Bracken, an independent psychiatrist who argues against the medicalisation of human distress and advocates for strengthening person-centred, community-based solutions.

The conversation considers the reform of the Mental Health Act which is currently underway in Ireland and considers how current law fails to align with the the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD ). It also questions the current system of forced psychiatric treatment and considers other ways of assisting people in distress.

Notes: 

During the course of our conversation, we referenced a number of reports and issues. You can read more about the various topics in links below:

* Reform of Mental Health Act, 2001 and issues around alignment with human rights law - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160252724000530?via%3Dihub

* The WHO Guidance on community mental health services: Promoting person-centred and rights-based approaches document is part of the WHO Guidance and technical packages on community mental health services set of publications. It provides a detailed description of person-centred and human rights-based approaches in mental health, and summary examples of good practice services around the world. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240025707

* Dr Pat Bracken paper on the power of psychiatry - https://madinireland.com/2025/02/dr-pat-bracken-psychiatric-power-a-personal-view/

* New models of care, Kyrie Farm - https://madinireland.com/2024/12/kyrie-farm-research-distress-was-normalised-and-understood-as-part-of-the-human-condition/ Trieste: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/piis2215-0366(21)00252-2/fulltext

* IHREC: Access to Justice: Implementation of Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - https://www.ihrec.ie/documents/access-to-justice-implementation-of-article-13-of-the-un-convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/

The podcast was produced by Jennifer Hough, Gráinne McGrath and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

In this episode, ICHR LLM student Sonia Artesani speaks with Maksym Popov, Advisor to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, and Richard J. Rogers, a lawyer and expert in international human rights and criminal law, currently addressing businesses' impact on human rights.

Together, they discuss the prosecution of environmental crimes and ecocide in Ukraine and at the international level, analyzing the recent proposal to recognize ecocide as the fifth international crime under the Rome Statute. They also examine Ukraine's efforts to seek justice for direct attacks on the environment perpetrated by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian territories, including the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam.

The podcast was produced by Sonia Artesani and Kirsten Larson.

Intro music 'Smarties Intro - FMA Podcast Suggestion' by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro music: 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestion' by Birds for Scale (Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

In this episode, Dr. Ciara Smyth interviews European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly. They explore Emily's career and her experiences serving as both the Irish Ombudsman and the European Ombudsman.

The podcast was produced by Gráinne McGrath, Ciara Smyth and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

In this episode, LLM student Laine Stover speaks with political commentator and US attorney Larry Donnelly. The discussion focuses on the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election, with an emphasis on immigration, swing states, and Vice President picks.

The podcast was produced by Laine Stover, Gráinne McGrath and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).

In this episode, ICHR PhD researcher Kirsten Larson introduces Professor Shane Darcy’s inaugural lecture, "Ireland and the World – Appealing to International Law in Times of Conflict." Professor Darcy explores the role of international law, with a focus ranging from Ireland to Palestine.

The podcast was produced by Gráinne McGrath and Kirsten Larson. Intro Music: 'Smarties Intro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License). Outro Music 'Smarties Outro -FMA Podcast Suggestions' by Birds for Scale (Attribution - ShareAlike 4.0 international License).