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  • Overview
  • Hate crimes - Official data
  • ODIHR's key observations
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Bulgaria

Bulgaria regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Bulgaria implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme from 2012 until 2017. Bulgaria also took part in ODIHR's project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime", helping to develop a joint training programme for police and prosecutors that was piloted in the country. Bulgaria has also made efforts to improve hate crime identification, recording and data collection through ODIHR's Information Against Hate Crimes Toolkit (INFAHCT) programme. ODIHR completed a review of Bulgaria’s hate crime legislation in 2018.  

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

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OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2021 18 384 303
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 2018 Data

    The numbers recorded by the police refer to cases registered under substantive offences, many of which are hate speech provisions, and specific penalty enhancements in the Bulgarian Criminal Code. As such, all official numbers include hate crimes committed out of "hooligan motives," which falls outside of the OSCE's hate crime definition. The number of sentencing judgments refers to hate crimes proper.

Hate crime recorded by police

National developments

As part of ODIHR's EU-funded project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crimes", the Prosecutor's Office partnered with ODIHR to develop and pilot a manual on delivering joint training events to police officers and prosecutors from the same jurisdiction. Three such pilot training events were delivered and the Manual was launched in June.

Under ODIHR's "Turning Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism" project, a workshop was organized that brought together police officers, the Jewish Community and other criminal justice and security experts to discuss anti-Semitic hate crimes and measures needed to increase the security of Bulgaria's Jewish community.

KEY OBSERVATION

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

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY OTHER SOURCES

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2018-10 Violent attacks against people
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
Show info
2018-03 Violent attacks against people
UNHCR
Show info
2018-03 Violent attacks against people
UNHCR
Show info
2018-10 Violent attacks against people
UNHCR
Show info
2018 Violent attacks against people
Center for Legal Aid - Voice in Bulgaria (CLA)
Show info
2018-09 Violent attacks against people
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Show info

Anti-Roma hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2018-10 Violent attacks against people
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
Show info
2018-05 Violent attacks against people
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
Show info

Anti-Muslim hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2018-09 Attacks against property
Office of Grand Mufti in Bulgaria
Show info
2018-07 Attacks against property
Office of Grand Mufti in Bulgaria
SETA
Show info
2018-09 Attacks against property
SETA
Show info
2018-05 Violent attacks against people
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
Show info

Anti-Christian hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2018-09 Violent attacks against people
OIDAC
Show info
2018-07 Violent attacks against people
Jehovah's Witnesses
Show info

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Anti-Roma hate crime

The Council of Europe's Ad Hoc Committee Of Experts On Roma And Traveller Issues (CAHROM) published relevant recommendations in its "Thematic Report on Roma and Travellers' Access to Justice (with a gender focus)."

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2022 HCR Call for Submissions_in focus image

2022 Call for Civil Society Submissions

14 Feb 2023
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HCRW announcement banner

2021 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

16 Nov 2022
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20220412_ODIHR 2021 impact_image_EN

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

12 Apr 2022
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20220401_InFocus_IP event_cover image

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

01 Apr 2022
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20220426_ODIHR impact 2021_EStAR_image

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

24 Mar 2022
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Call for submissions image.png

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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FAQ.png

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

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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