Professors Eugenia Lopez Jacoiste, Verónica Viteri and Ángela Aparisi have recently received the award de research on Human Rights Luis Portero García, awarded by the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation of Granada. The award-winning research is entitled "The protection of victims of forced migration and the principle of non-refoulement in the European Court of Human Rights: an analysis from the perspective of human dignity".

In particular, research studies the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights on the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the expulsion of migrants to territories where their lives are seriously threatened.

The research concludes that, despite the existence of multiple efforts and legal instruments on subject, " the requirements deriving from human dignity are not currently respected with regard to the principle of non-refoulement". The reason for this is that European states, relying primarily on the principle of state sovereignty, tend to turn rules and regulations migration into a right of exception and, consequently, "to progressively and systematically violate human rights on this point".

The study argues that the principle of state sovereignty does not imply immutable and unlimited state power, but also entails a dimension of responsibility. This requires respect for the dignity and human rights of every person, regardless of nationality.

Finally, the award-winning work proposes to rethink the traditionally accepted schemes on migration, as the only horizon of hope for the establishment of an adequate universal migration policy, hospitable and respectful of human dignity.