Denmark

Denmark regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Denmark's hate crime laws are comprised of a general penalty-enhancement provision. Reported data include discrimination and hate speech offences, although these can be partially disaggregated. Hate crime data are collected by the Danish National Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Hate crime statistics are regularly published.

Hate crime data collection in Denmark
Support for hate crime victims in Denmark

OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2020 635 Not available Not available
2019 469 - -
2018 449 - -
2017 446 Not available Not available
2016 274 Not available Not available
2015 198 Not available Not available
2014 Not available Not available Not available
2013 110 Not available Not available
2012 320 0 0
2011 384 0 0
2010 334 0 0
2009 306 5 1

About 2013 Data

    A year-to-year drop in the number of reported hate crimes is caused by improved separation of hate crimes from other criminal forms of intolerance. Police records also included: 56 crimes in which the “extremist” motive could not be confirmed, 70 cases with political motivation, and additional 9 crimes of discrimination and propaganda,. These cases are not included in the overall figure presented here. The crimes of discrimination and criminal propaganda may, however, be included in the breakdown below.

National developments

Hate crimes are an area of focus in the prosecution service’s 2012-2015 strategy. Training for prosecutors, lawyers and judges on the identification and prosecution of hate crimes is conducted annually by the Director of Prosecutions. As of 2014, training on hate crimes is being introduced as a mandatory part of the curriculum for police officers.

In September 2013, the government launched a national anti-discrimination unit that is currently carrying out a comprehensive mapping of hate crimes, their victims and perpetrators. A number of key indicators are being developed to measure the current situation. The mapping results are expected to be published at the end of 2014.

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

Reports

Anti-Semitic hate crime

AKVAH reported three physical assaults, including one assault against an elderly Jewish man resulting in serious injury and in which several of his teeth were knocked out, and a series of desecrations of graves in which gravestones were overturned.

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INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

In his report following a country visit, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe encouraged the Danish authorities to pursue efforts to train the police on recording and investigating hate crimes, as well as to encourage the reporting of hate crimes by potential victims. The Commissioner also noted that disability is not included among protected characteristics under Danish hate crime law.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that Denmark has not reported on the numbers of prosecuted cases or information on sentenced hate crime cases to ODIHR.