Greece

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

OFFICIAL DATA

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
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

About 2015 Data

Figures reported to ODIHR comprised 82 estimated hate crime reports. This number included incidents related to hate speech and unlawful discrimination. The number displayed represents only hate crimes according to the OSCE definition.

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National developments

In 2015, five public prosecutors were appointed to the Public Prosecutors’ Offices of Athens, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Patras and Heraklion to investigate hate crimes.

KEY OBSERVATION

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

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY OTHER SOURCES

Total Incidents
Targeted properties
Type of property attacks

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

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Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Greek Helsinki Monitor reported a physical assault on a man of South Asian origin. The Racist Violence Recording network (RVRN) reported 27 physical assaults, of which three resulted in serious injuries; 45 incidents of threats; and three cases of damage to property. Victims were mostly of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, North African or Middle Eastern background.

Anti-Roma hate crime

The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) and the Greek Helsinki Monitor reported an incident in which a teenage Roma boy was attacked and injured by a group of older students.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Greek Helsinki Monitor and the Racist Violence Reporting Network (RVRN) reported a physical assault and two incidents of vandalism targeting Jewish cemeteries. The Greek Helsinki Monitor, the RVRN, the Kantor Center and the European Centre for Democracy Development reported two additional incidents of vandalism in which Holocaust memorials were vandalized with graffiti, one of which was also reported by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). The Kantor Center reported two additional incidents of graffiti.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Greek Helsinki Monitor, the Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association and the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe reported an arson attack on a mosque. The Western Thrace Minority University Graduates Association and the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe reported the desecration of graves in a cemetery adjacent to a mosque on the same day as the arson attack. The Greek Helsinki Monitor also reported one incident of graffiti on the same mosque. SETA reported an additional arson attack on a mosque.

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

Jehovah's Witnesses – Greece reported two incidents of vandalism targeting places of worship.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) reported eight incidents of sexual assault, 48 physical assaults, two of which also targeted people with disabilities, one robbery and 131 threats. The RVRN and the European Centre for Democracy Development also reported an incident in which a transgender woman was insulted and shot at.

Disability hate crime

The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) reported two physical assaults on people with disabilities, both of which also had homophobic motivation.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

In its "Concluding observations on the twentieth to twenty-second periodic reports of Greece", the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommended strengthening the use of anti-racism provisions, including through training for law enforcement and judicial officials. CERD further recommended strengthening the reporting and registration of hate crimes.

In his report following a mission to Greece, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance praised the establishment of a public prosecutor for racist crimes and of special police units. The Rapporteur also recommended that the mandates of police and prosecutors be expanded to include homophobic and transphobic hate crimes. The rapporteur further recommended the inclusion of language and citizenship among protected characteristics in Greek hate crime law and that prosecutors and judges be trained on the use of hate crime laws.