The European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday that EU member states have the authority to deny student visas to anyone who "represents a threat, even if potential, to public security." The case in question concerned an Iranian woman whose Ph.D. application to the Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany, was denied on national security grounds. She appealed that decision, and a German court deferred to the ECJ. The ECJ's ruling does say, however, that public security is not a justification for states to collect confidential information or violate human rights.