Denmark | HCRW

Denmark regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Hate crime statistics are regularly published on the Danish National Police website.

The Ministry of Justice conducts annual victimization surveys to measure unreported hate crimes. The Danish National Police regularly engages in dialogue on hate crime with a number of community stakeholders.

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2021 hate crime report for Denmark

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2023	Not available	Not available	Not available
2022	212	Not available	22
2021	409	14	33
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 2021 Data

Police records include hate speech cases, which fall outside of the OSCE's definition of hate crime. These incidents were disaggregated and are therefore not reflected in these figures. Police records also include cases of criminalized discrimination and disturbance of peace offences, which fall outside of the OSCE's definition of hate crime. These incidents were not disaggregated and are therefore included in these figures.

Hate crime recorded by police

In addition to hate crime figures presented below, in 2021 the police recorded 215 hate incidents (incidents of a non-criminal nature or where the criminal nature is unclear) motivated by bias. These incidents are excluded from the numbers below. The category “Unspecified” also may include cases that fall outside of the OSCE’s definition of hate crime, such as hate speech.

By bias motivation
By type of crime

Download official data

National developments

In 1 May 2021, Section 81, paragraph 6 of the Danish Criminal Code (on the aggravating circumstances to be considered when determining a penalty for a crime) was amended to include disability as a protected characteristic. The same provision was later amended to also include gender identity, characteristics of gender, and gender expression as a protected characteristic, and to allow for the provision's application in situations with mixed motives, such as where the bias motive correlates with other motives.

A new multi-year financial agreement for 2021 to 2023 was concluded between the Danish Police and the Prosecution Service. The agreement contained initiatives to improve the response towards hate crime victims, including by training police and prosecutors on hate crimes.

In June 2021, the Director of Public Prosecutions hosted a conference in which prosecutors discussed hate crimes with relevant stakeholders with the aim of better understanding the perspective of hate crime victims.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR recognizes Denmark's efforts in conducting a victimization survey addressing hate crimes and, in particular, submitting police data. However, based on the available information, it observes that Denmark has not reported data on hate crimes recorded by the prosecution and judiciary to ODIHR. In addition, ODIHR observes that Denmark would benefit from ensuring that hate crimes are addressed in a comprehensive manner, including by introducing a co-ordination mechanism.

ODIHR recalls that in Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, participating States committed to collecting reliable data and statistics in sufficient detail on hate crimes and to reporting such crimes periodically to ODIHR.

Furthermore, in Ministerial Council Decisions 9/09 and 13/06, participating States committed to ensure a comprehensive approach to hate crimes. Co-operation and co-ordination between the authorities and civil society organizations is needed to meet this commitment. ODIHR stands ready to support Denmark in meeting its relevant commitments through the provision of comprehensive resources and assistance in the area of hate crime recording and data collection, as well as further its comprehensive resources and tailored assistance in the area of developing co-operation mechanisms to address hate crimes.

Our methodology

Anti-Christian hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2021-05	Threats	Jehovah's Witnesses	Show info
2021-10	Attacks against property	Jehovah's Witnesses	Show info

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Muslim hate crime

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published relevant recommendations in its "ECRI report on Denmark (sixth monitoring cycle)".