Slaveries and new slaveries: Which role for human dignity?

Abstract

This paper aims at reflecting on the role of the notion of "human dignity" with respect to slavery and new slaveries. First of all, a very brief reflection is carried out on the different legal meanings of the notion at stake in general terms (para. 2). On this basis, some remarks are developed with specific regard to the role played by dignity concerning new slaveries in the case law of international tribunals (European and Inter-American Courts of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia: paras 3 and 4), particularly in the very recent case law of the European Court (para. 5) Such a role is far from being insignificant: the idea is submitted that the notion of dignity clearly plays the role of a general principle of human rights law, being also provided with the cor-responding legal status (para. 6)