Skip to main content
Home
  • English
  • Русский

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Hate Crime Data
  • ODIHR's Tools
  • Civil Society
  • Participating States
  • Image
    Albania
  • Image
    Andorra
  • Image
    Armenia
  • Image
    Austria
  • Image
    Azerbaijan
  • Image
    Belarus
  • Image
    Belgium
  • Image
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Image
    Bulgaria
  • Image
    Canada
  • Image
    Croatia
  • Image
    Cyprus
  • Image
    Czech Republic
  • Image
    Denmark
  • Image
    Estonia
  • Image
    Finland
  • Image
    France
  • Image
    Georgia
  • Image
    Germany
  • Image
    Greece
  • Image
    Holy See
  • Image
    Hungary
  • Image
    Iceland
  • Image
    Ireland
  • Image
    Italy
  • Image
    Kazakhstan
  • Image
    Kyrgyzstan
  • Image
    Latvia
  • Image
    Liechtenstein
  • Image
    Lithuania
  • Image
    Luxembourg
  • Image
    Malta
  • Image
    Moldova
  • Image
    Monaco
  • Image
    Mongolia
  • Image
    Montenegro
  • Image
    Netherlands
  • Image
    North Macedonia
  • Image
    Norway
  • Image
    Poland
  • Image
    Portugal
  • Image
    Romania
  • Image
    Russian Federation
  • Image
    San Marino
  • Image
    Serbia
  • Image
    Slovakia
  • Image
    Slovenia
  • Image
    Spain
  • Image
    Sweden
  • Image
    Switzerland
  • Image
    Tajikistan
  • Image
    Turkey
  • Image
    Turkmenistan
  • Image
    Ukraine
  • Image
    United Kingdom
  • Image
    United States of America
  • Image
    Uzbekistan

Country pages menu

  • Overview
  • Official Data
  • Incidents reported by other sources
  • International reports
  • Key observation
Image

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 crime data collection in Bulgaria
Support for hate crime victims in Bulgaria
Access more information at the Legislation Online website Legislationline TANDIS Access more information at the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Information System (TANDIS) website

SELECT YEAR

  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009

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 2015 Data

    Prosecution figure includes crimes committed with a ‘hooliganism’ motive in addition to the bias motivation.
  • By bias motivation
  • By type of crime
Download official data
Download official data

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

TOTAL 18 INCIDENTS
Download incident data

Reports

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

Jehovah's Witnesses – Bulgaria reported three physical assaults, including one involving the use of a weapon; and one incident of damage to property.

read more ›

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Office of Grand Mufti in Bulgaria reported an arson attack on a mosque; an incident of damage to another mosque, in which windows were broken; five incidents of vandalism involving Islamophobic graffiti on mosques and on the building housing the Grand Mufti’s offices, including one incident in which pork was scattered in front of a mosque; and the desecration of a mosque, in which a pig's head was hung on the minaret on the first day of Ramadan.

read more ›

Anti-Roma hate crime

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee reported a physical assault on a Roma child, who was shot in the chest by an air gun; one incident of threats against local Roma people via social media; and one robbery carried out by a group.

read more ›

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Following its Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Bulgarian authorities made the commitment to examine and respond to recommendations to enhance efforts to ensure that hate crimes are effectively investigated and prosecuted, including those perpetrated against LGBT people, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. Other such recommendations included encouraging the reporting and proper recording of hate crimes, strengthening data-collection systems and providing training on hate crimes to law enforcement and judicial authorities.

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, in the annual activity report following his country visit to Bulgaria, expressed concern at hate crimes targeting migrants and recommended that the authorities encourage reporting by victims and cease treating hate crimes as "hooliganism".

KEY OBSERVATION

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

Image
20220412_ODIHR 2021 impact_image_EN

ODIHR's impact in 2021: Marking 15 years of reporting hate crimes

12 Apr 2022
Image
20220401_InFocus_IP event_cover image

ODIHR's impact in 2021: Lifting up indigenous voices to counter racism and promote diversity and inclusion

01 Apr 2022
Image
20220426_ODIHR impact 2021_EStAR_image

ODIHR's impact in 2021: Delivering tools to support hate crime victims

24 Mar 2022
Image
Call for submissions image.png

2021 Call for Civil Society Submissions

16 Feb 2022
Image
2020 Announcement Page

2020 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

15 Nov 2021
Image
FAQ.png

Hate Crime Data: Frequently Asked Questions

15 Nov 2021
Image
Steps to Meet Hate Crime Victims' Needs

ODIHR's impact in 2020: Strengthening Support for Hate Crime Victims

16 Apr 2021
Image
10 practical steps to respond to the security needs of Muslim communities

ODIHR's impact in 2020: A holistic and inclusive response to anti-Muslim hate crimes

15 Apr 2021
Image
2019 Announcement_Page_1.png

2019 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

29 Jan 2021
Image
INFAHCT infographic for PPT_resized for HCRW.png

ODIHR's impact in 2019: Supporting a diagnostic approach to hate crime data collection

29 Apr 2020

Contact Us

Email tndinfo@odihr.pl
Tel +48 22 520 06 00
Fax +48 22 520 06 05
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251
Warsaw, Poland

Footer

  • ODIHR
  • ODIHR contacts
  • OSCE
  • About OSCE websites
  • Terms of service

Log In

  • Reset your password