ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Malak Harb

Malak Harb (she/her) is a PhD candidate in International Relations at the City University of New York (CUNY), Graduate Center. She holds an LL.M. in European and International Law from Europa Institut in Germany and an MA in Human Rights from the Central European University (CEU) in Hungary. Her academic research focuses on refugee and asylum regimes, particularly the politics of reception and asylum decisions.

POSTS BY Malak Harb

02 July 2025

Malak Harb

Externalising Migration Control

On 20th of May 2025, the European Court of Human Rights declared the case of S.S. and others v Italy inadmissible under Art.1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The decision marks a missed opportunity. Instead of addressing the question of functional jurisdiction in the context of externalised migration control, the Court found that Italy does not enjoy extraterritorial jurisdiction over a group of irregular migrants whose ship was wrecked on the high seas near the Libyan coast. The ruling is another illustration of how externalised border control and “pull-back” policies are becoming normalised in Europe. Continue reading >>