Bulgaria
Bulgaria regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Bulgaria's hate crime laws are a combination of specific penalty enhancements and substantive offences. The data reported to ODIHR do not present separately cases of hate crime, incitement to hatred and discrimination. The authorities responsible for collecting hate crime data are the Interior Ministry's Co-ordination, Information and Analysis Directorate; the Supreme Judicial Council's Commission on Professional qualification, IT and statistics; the Supreme Court of Cassation's Criminal College; the Supreme Prosecutor of Cassation's Analysis Unit; and the National Statistical Institute.
HATE CRIMES - OFFICIAL DATA
| Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 727 | 353 | 289 |
| 2019 | 22 | 432 | 155 |
| 2018 | 46 | 6 | 158 |
| 2017 | 22 | 9 | 9 |
| 2016 | 28 | 299 | 71 |
| 2015 | 704 | 752 | 135 |
| 2014 | 617 | 750 | 117 |
| 2013 | 651 | 300 | 239 |
| 2012 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| 2011 | 29 | 41 | 10 |
| 2010 | 20 | 34 | 4 |
| 2009 | 20 | 22 | 9 |
About 2020 Data
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The numbers recorded by the police refer to cases registered under substantive offences, some of which are hate speech provisions, and specific penalty enhancements in the Bulgarian Criminal Code. However, most (706) of the offences under the latter category include crimes committed out of "hooligan motives", which fall outside of the OSCE's hate crime definition. The number of sentencing judgments refers also include discrimination-based offences which fall outside the OSCE's hate crime definition.
HATE INCIDENTS - UNOFFICIAL DATA
In addition to incidents summarized below, this graph includes 2 hate incidents reported by Kantor Center as statistics.
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR
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| 2020-11 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR
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Anti-Roma hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06 | Violent attacks against people | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
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| 2020-05 | Violent attacks against people | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
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| 2020 | Attacks against property | OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
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| 2020-05 | Violent attacks against people | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
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| 2020-08 | Attacks against property | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
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Anti-Semitic hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01 | Attacks against property | Kantor Center
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| 2020-01 | Attacks against property | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020-01 | Threats | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020-12 | Attacks against property | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020-08 | Threats | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020-08 | Threats | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020-07 | Violent attacks against people | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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Anti-Muslim hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01 | Attacks against property | Office of Grand Mufti in Bulgaria
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| 2020-10 | Attacks against property | Office of Grand Mufti in Bulgaria
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Disability hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-06 | Violent attacks against people | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
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Anti-LGBTI hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09 | Violent attacks against people | Bulgarian Hate Crime Recording Coalition
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| 2020 | Attacks against property | OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
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| 2020-08 | Attacks against property | European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
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INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
ODIHR'S KEY OBSERVATIONS
ODIHR recognizes Bulgaria's efforts to build the capacities of police in responding to hate crime. However, based on the available information, it observes that the law enforcement agencies of Bulgaria have not recorded the bias motivations behind. hate crimes. In addition, ODIHR observes that Bulgaria would benefit from reviewing its existing legal framework in order to ensure that bias motivation can be effectively acknowledged and appropriate penalties can be imposed on the perpetrators.
ODIHR recalls that in the Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, participating States have committed to promptly investigating hate crimes and ensuring that the motives of those convicted of hate crimes are acknowledged. To that end, the given law enforcement body or bodies must, first of all, record the bias motivation of hate crimes. Moreover, in the Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, participating States have also committed to enacting specific, tailored legislation to combat hate crimes, providing for effective penalties that take into account the gravity of such crimes. ODIHR stands ready to support Bulgaria in meeting the relevant commitments through the provision of comprehensive resources and tailored assistance in the area of hate crime recording and data collection, as well as further resources and tailored legislative advice.