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  • Overview
  • Official Data
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Bulgaria

Bulgaria regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Bulgaria's hate crime laws are a combination of specific penalty enhancements and substantive offences. The data reported to ODIHR do not present separately cases of hate crime, incitement to hatred and discrimination. The authorities responsible for collecting hate crime data are the Interior Ministry's Co-ordination, Information and Analysis Directorate; the Supreme Judicial Council's Commission on Professional qualification, IT and statistics; the Supreme Court of Cassation's Criminal College; the Supreme Prosecutor of Cassation's Analysis Unit; and the National Statistical Institute.

Hate crime data collection in Bulgaria
Support for hate crime victims in Bulgaria
Access more information at the Legislation Online website Legislationline TANDIS Access more information at the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Information System (TANDIS) website

SELECT YEAR

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  • 2009

OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2020 727 353 289
2019 22 432 155
2018 46 6 158
2017 22 9 9
2016 28 299 71
2015 704 752 135
2014 617 750 117
2013 651 300 239
2012 Not available Not available Not available
2011 29 41 10
2010 20 34 4
2009 20 22 9

About 2014 Data

    Prosecution figure includes crimes committed with "hooligan" motive in addition to bias motivation.
  • By bias motivation
  • By type of crime
Download official data
Download official data

National developments

In 2014, the National Institute of Justice began discussions with ODIHR which will lead to implementation of the PAHCT programme in Bulgaria. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2015.

ODIHR and the Bulgarian Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPD) began discussing possible improvements to hate crime recording in Bulgaria, with a view to organizing a series of workshops on the issue in 2015.

Incidents reported by civil society, international organizations and the Holy See

TOTAL 42 INCIDENTS
Download incident data

Reports

Anti-Roma hate crime

The Grand Mufti's Office reported two incidents of anti-Roma graffiti on a mosque.

read more ›

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Grand Mufti's Office reported three incidents of graffiti on a mosque. The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee reported one threat made against the organization and two serious physical assaults, both carried out by a group: one against a woman of African descent, and the other against a man of African descent, his Bulgarian girlfriend and her daughter. Amnesty International reported two physical attacks carried out by groups. 

read more ›

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Grand Mufti's Office, Amnesty International and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee reported an incident of damage to property in which stones, rocks and fireworks were thrown at a mosque; and seven cases of graffiti on mosques. Amnesty International reported one additional incident in which stones and fireworks were thrown at a mosque. 

read more ›

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

Jehovah's Witnesses – Bulgaria reported seven incidents of physical assault, one of which involved an attack by a large group against participants in a religious ceremony, five incidents of damage to property, two incidents of graffiti on places of worship and seven incidents of threats, one of which involved a firearm.

read more ›

Anti-Semitic hate crime

World Without Nazism reported one incident of graffiti.

read more ›

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Bulgaria implemented a television, print and online media campaign against xenophobic attitudes.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

In its fifth report, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) recommended that the Bulgarian authorities include sexual orientation and gender identity in all the articles of the criminal code addressing hate speech and hate crime. It also recommended the collection of data on hate speech and hate crime against LGBT people, including on the number of cases reported, investigated and prosecuted.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that the law enforcement agencies of Bulgaria have not recorded the bias motivations of hate crimes.

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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Marking 15 years of reporting hate crimes

12 Apr 2022
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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Lifting up indigenous voices to counter racism and promote diversity and inclusion

01 Apr 2022
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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Delivering tools to support hate crime victims

24 Mar 2022
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2021 Call for Civil Society Submissions

16 Feb 2022
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2020 Announcement Page

2020 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

15 Nov 2021
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Hate Crime Data: Frequently Asked Questions

15 Nov 2021
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Steps to Meet Hate Crime Victims' Needs

ODIHR's impact in 2020: Strengthening Support for Hate Crime Victims

16 Apr 2021
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10 practical steps to respond to the security needs of Muslim communities

ODIHR's impact in 2020: A holistic and inclusive response to anti-Muslim hate crimes

15 Apr 2021
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2019 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

29 Jan 2021
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ODIHR's impact in 2019: Supporting a diagnostic approach to hate crime data collection

29 Apr 2020

Contact Us

Email tndinfo@odihr.pl
Tel +48 22 520 06 00
Fax +48 22 520 06 05
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251
Warsaw, Poland

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