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).
All content for The Human Rights Podcast is the property of Irish Centre for Human Rights and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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).
Mental Health and Human Rights w Dr. Charles O’Mahony and Dr. Pat Bracken
The Human Rights Podcast
48 minutes 48 seconds
8 months ago
Mental Health and Human Rights w Dr. Charles O’Mahony and Dr. Pat Bracken
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).
The Human Rights Podcast
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).
