Human Trafficking
Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz

Professor Ryszard Piotrwicz has been conducting research on the legal aspects of trafficking in human beings (THB) for more than 20 years, working with policy makers across Europe and the wider world to bring about changes in the law.

“Prof. Piotrowicz has been a very active member of GRETA, both in its monitoring work and in contributing to the development of its policies. Both of these activities directly influence the actions of states in assisting trafficked people and prosecuting the perpetrators” - Dr Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of GRETA, Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

Trafficking in human beings (THB) is a major global issue affecting millions of people across the world. It means the recruitment, harbouring, transportation or receipt of people for the purpose of exploiting them. This is usually sexual or labour exploitation, but it also includes the harvesting of human organs, forced criminality and forced begging.

As part of his research, Professor Piotrowicz has published articles on the duty of states to protect and support trafficked people as well as those at risk of being trafficked, in particular the duty to provide refugee status or other forms of protection to foreign victims of THB, and the obligation not to penalise trafficked people for offences they have been forced to commit by their traffickers. This work has contributed substantially to policy instruments adopted by the Council of Europe, UNHCR, OSCE and the EU’s group of experts on Trafficking in Human Beings.

Professor Piotrowicz’s research has had significant impact on human trafficking law, resulting in changes to laws and policies. He works regularly as a consultant for international organisations dealing with THB, and has devised and contributed to training programmes on human trafficking for public servants, NGOs and international organisations. He is also one of the instructors in a major human trafficking education programme run by the John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy at St Thomas University, Miami. 

Professor Piotrowicz is a member of several external bodies engaged in the fight against THB, including the Wales Anti-Slavery Leadership Group. He is currently writing a book about the European legal regime on THB, which he hopes will contribute to knowledge and understanding about the subject, in particular by clarifying States’ obligations to help and protect people at risk from traffickers.