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 2013 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 legislation by adding gender identity to the list of protected grounds in Criminal Code’s aggravating circumstance provision. The amendment also forbids the suspension of the sentence in cases where bias motivation has been established as an aggravating circumstance.

Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights has requested ODIHR to assist in developing the capacity of the criminal justice system. Workshops on prosecuting hate crimes will take place at the National School for Judges in Thessaloniki in 2014. Implementation of ODIHR’s PAHCT programme is being considered.

KEY OBSERVATION

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

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

Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Racist Violence Recording Network reported one murder, 133 physical assaults, 75 of which resulted in serious injuries, and two arson attacks. The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe reported one arson attack against the Turkish Consulate. World Without Nazism reported one murder, three physical assaults, including one carried out by a group against two men from Pakistan, and two incidents of damage to property, in which groups destroyed two cafes.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe reported one physical assault resulting in serious injury, two incidents of damage to property and two incidents of the desecration of a place of worship, including one in which a pig’s head was left outside a mosque.

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

The European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses / Jehovah’s Witnesses – Greece reported one physical assault. World Without Nazism reported two incidents of the desecration of places of worship.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Transgender Europe reported two physical assaults resulting in serious injuries, one of which involved an attempt to pour gasoline over the victim. The Racist Violence Recording Network reported one physical assault against a gay man, three physical assaults against transgender women and three incidents of threats. The Lesbian and Gay Community of Greece (OLKE) reported 53 cases of physical assault resulting in serious injuries, 34 cases of physical assault, 13 cases of damage to property and four cases of arson.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

World Without Nazism reported one incident of the desecration of a cemetery.

Anti-Roma hate crime

World Without Nazism reported arson attacks against six homes and four cars belonging to Roma families, as well as two physical assaults, including one against a Roma person.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The three Personal Representatives of the OSCE Chairperson‑in‑Office on tolerance and non‑discrimination made a joint visit to Greece. Following the visit, the Personal Representatives presented their recommendations for the country, which included police training on hate crimes.

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe recommended that the country use criminal sanctions against individuals, and restrict the activities of organizations, that incite intolerance or that are implicated in hate crimes. The Commissioner further recommended the continuous provision of anti-racism training for the police, coast guard, prosecutors and judges.

The thematic situation report on “Racism, Discrimination, Intolerance and Extremism: Learning from Experiences in Greece and Hungary”, published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), collected and analysed information from both countries, and presented EU Member States with a number of suggested good practices in combating racism, discrimination, intolerance and extremism.