Slovakia

Slovakia regularly reports police data and data on sentencing to ODIHR. Slovakia's criminal code includes substantive offences and a specific penalty enhancement clause affixed to a large number of base offences. While sentencing data only comprise hate crimes, police data also include hate speech offences. The Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor's Office collect hate crime data. The data on hate crime are not made public.

Hate crime data collection in Slovakia
Support for hate crime victims in Slovakia

OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2020 20 16 6
2019 50 38 8
2018 41 20 15
2017 34 16 10
2016 10 9 3
2015 6 30 2
2014 3 Not available 4
2013 7 Not available 7
2012 102 Not available 16
2011 242 Not available 16
2010 Not available Not available 10
2009 132 Not available 18

National developments

The Slovak Government approved a National Action Plan for the Prevention and elimination of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance for the period 2016-2018. The main objective of the Action Plan is to prevent prejudices, stereotypes and hate speech resulting from national, racial, ethnic, religious or similar intolerance, as well as to prevent the spread of attitudes and actions resulting from racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance, including hate crimes.

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

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Reports

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Islamic Foundation in Slovakia reported two physical assaults, including one carried out by a group in which bottles and stones were thrown at a family; and one incident of damage to property.

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INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Roma hate crime, Anti-LGBTI hate crime

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, in the annual activity report following his country visit to Slovakia, recommended including gender identity as a protected characteristic in the criminal code. The Commissioner also expressed concern at the manifestations of intolerance against Roma and Sinti people, and called on the authorities to improve the registration of hate crimes, including through the training of police.

KEY OBSERVATION

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