Greece
Greece regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Greece's Criminal Code contains a general penalty-enhancement provision for hate crimes. The Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights, the Public Prosecutor's Office and the State Security headquarters of the Greek Police collect hate crime data.
OFFICIAL DATA
Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 171 | 34 | 0 |
2019 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
2018 | 164 | 17 | 4 |
2017 | 128 | 46 | 6 |
2016 | 40 | 6 | 2 |
2015 | 60 | 27 | 4 |
2014 | 71 | 29 | 5 |
2013 | 109 | 9 | 0 |
2012 | 1 | 1 | Not available |
2011 | Not available | Not available | 1 |
2010 | 2 | Not available | Not available |
2009 | 2 | 2 | Not available |
Incidents reported by civil society, international organizations and the Holy See
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Semitic hate crime
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) strongly encouraged the authorities in Greece to “combat racist crimes more actively”. It also expressed concern about anti-Semitism.
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
In Greece, in May 2009, a police officer allegedly defaced an extract of the Koran during an identity check on an Iraqi man. This led to demonstrations by the Muslim community that degenerated into violent clashes with the police. More than ten people were injured, dozens of cars were badly damaged and 46 people were arrested. In the two days following the protests, an unidentified group of people in Agios Panteleimonas set fire to a building used for prayer by the Muslim community. UNHCR reported that “members of extreme-right organizations and some local residents abused human rights activists”. The playground in Agios Panteleimonas where Afghan mothers used to go with their children was closed and immigrants have since been kept out of the square by local squads of vigilantes. A Greek flag has been raised inside the closed playground.