New Oxford study highlights extensive press misreporting of Article 8 ECHR matters in immigration cases
A new report by the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights at the University of Oxford examines the portrayal of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in UK media coverage of immigration law, with particular emphasis on Article 8 cases around the deportation of foreign national offenders, the role of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the consequences of misreporting. It identifies three distinct forms of misrepresentation in press reporting of Article 8 cases, describes the statutory framework governing deportation decisions, and assesses whether ECtHR jurisprudence has impeded the UK’s ability to control immigration. The report concludes that misreporting has distorted public understanding and undermined confidence in the legal system. In order to prepare the report, the authors conducted a systematic review of UK media coverage mentioning the ECHR between January and June 2025, focusing particularly on immigration-related reporting. They monitored major news outlets and commentary platforms using keyword searches, Google Alerts, and Feedly, compiling relevant items which were then qualitatively analysed for accuracy, legal framing, and representation of tribunal decisions. There are extensive footnotes referencing relevant news reports and the tribunal decisions being discussed.