Greece | HCRW

Greece regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR.

In 2017, Greece implemented ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT). In June 2018, an "Agreement on inter-agency co-operation on addressing racist crimes" was concluded by relevant state authorities and a network of civil society organizations (CSOs) as part of ODIHR's project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crimes". Consequently, the agreement has led to improved hate crime recording and data collection. On February 2022, ODIHR held an online diagnostic workshop with government representatives, criminal justice actors and CSOs to assess structures and services for hate crime victim support in Greece.

In 2022, an office within the Ministry of Justice was tasked with overseeing the systematic collection of statistical data on hate crimes.

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2012 hate crime report for Greece

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2023	97	115	22
2022	99	32	20
2021	110	2	1
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

Download official data

National developments

Greece amended its criminal code to include gender identity as a protected characteristic. This additional characteristic applies to the general penalty enhancement provision.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes – in the context of the disparity between reported official and IGO/NGO information on Greece – that reliable data can only be collected through mechanisms that capture all cases reported to law enforcement, and that victims should be encouraged to report hate crimes.

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

Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Human Rights Watch reported two attacks by a group including one against two men from Somalia involving bottles and one against four men, resulting in their hospitalization.

The Racist Violence Recording Network reported the murders of an Egyptian man and an Iraqi boy; 142 physical assaults including 66 assaults resulting in serious injury; and 22 incidents of property damage also involving physical assaults, including against shops and restaurants owned by migrants. The majority of victims were from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and also included victims from Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Guinea, Morocco, Somalia and Sudan.

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe and the Western Minority University Graduates Association both reported one case of graffiti on the building of the Xanthi Turkish Union.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Greek Helsinki Monitor reported one case of graffiti, including swastikas, on a Holocaust Memorial of the Jews of Rhodes.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe and the Western Minority University Graduates Association reported two cases of desecration of graves.

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks reported a further two cases of physical assault, one of which resulted in serious injury, and three cases of property damage.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

The Lesbian and Gay Community of Greece (OLKE) reported one attack by a group against several volunteers distributing anti-homophobic flyers.

The Racist Violence Recording Network reported one physical assault against a gay man.

Transgender Europe (TGEU) reported a physical assault against a transgender woman.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-LGBTI hate crime

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe recommended that Greece pursue efforts to improve its police response to hate crimes, including by providing specialized training, noting the disturbing reports of hate crimes during 2012. He also encouraged authorities to ensure that the mandate of the new police antiracist units was sufficiently broad to address homophobic hate crime.