Italy | HCRW

Italy regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Annual reports on hate crime have been published since 2010 and can be accessed here.

The Observatory for Security against Discriminatory Acts (OSCAD) carries out activities to prevent, counter and monitor hate crimes. OSCAD works closely with the National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR), which deals with non-criminal hate incidents and coordinates a permanent consultation group to promote LGBTI rights and protection.

Italy implemented ODIHR's TAHCLE (Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement) programme in 2014. Italy also participated in ODIHR's project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime", which included the training of police, civil society, and lawyers on hate crime investigation and victim support, and the mapping of available hate crime data in the Lombardy region.

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2015 hate crime report for Italy

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2023	1,106	Not available	Not available
2022	1,393	Not available	Not available
2021	1,445	Not available	Not available
2020	1111	Not available	Not available
2019	1119	-	-
2018	1111	613	46
2017	1048	613	40
2016	736	424	31
2015	555	Not available	Not available
2014	596	Not available	Not available
2013	472	Not available	Not available
2012	71	Not available	10
2011	68	31	19
2010	56	Not available	60
2009	134	Not available	Not available

About 2015 Data

An additional 41,824 cases of violence against women were recorded by police and reported to ODIHR as hate crimes. These are not presented here. The reported numbers include some cases of hate speech and discrimination.

Download official data

National developments

Within the framework of the "LGBTI National Strategy" (which started in 2014), eight half-day training workshops were held for National Police and Carabinieri officers. In October 2015, within the framework of the PRISM European Project, a training workshop was held in Rome for police officers and legal experts, aimed at increasing awareness and skills for preventing and countering discrimination and, in particular, discrimination-based crimes. Training activities for the National Police also included seminars focusing on discrimination and hate crimes.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that Italy has not reported the numbers of prosecuted and information on sentenced hate crime cases to ODIHR.

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

Download incident data

Reports

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

The Holy See reported two incidents of the desecration of graves; six incidents of theft in churches; one incident of the desecration of communion bread; one burglary involving vandalism; and five incidents of vandalism, three of which involved graffiti on a Catholic church, one of which was also reported by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDC).

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDC) reported a physical assault on soldiers protecting a cathedral, one incident of damage to church property, three incidents of vandalism and the desecration of a church.

Jehovah’s Witnesses – Italy reported one incident of damage to a place of worship, one case of vandalism and one threat.

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Lunaria reported the murder of a Malian man and four attempted murders of migrants, refugees or asylum-seekers. Lunaria also reported 21 physical assaults, which included 11 that caused serious injuries, five that were carried out by groups, including one which caused serious injury to a Pakistani man, one which involved robbery and one sexual assault. Victims included people from Afghanistan, Albania, Brazil, Colombia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

Anti-Roma hate crime

Lunaria and the Association 21 July reported the murder of a Roma man when shots were fired at a caravan and one incident in which a compressor gun was fired in the direction of a Roma camp, injuring one resident.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported the attempted murder of a Jewish man who was stabbed multiple times and one incident of vandalism. Lunaria reported one threat and three incidents graffiti. The Kantor Centre reported four violent incidents targeting Jewish people.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

Lunaria reported one physical assault against a veiled woman, one arson attack targeting an Islamic centre, two cases of damage to property, three incidents graffiti and one incident of the desecration a mosque.

Lunaria and SETA reported one arson attack against a halal butcher shop. SETA reported one additional arson attack on a mosque.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Transgender Europe reported the murder of a Brazilian transgender person.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

In its fifth report on Italy, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) recommended that the Criminal Code be amended to include colour and language as protected characteristics. ECRI also emphasized the need to improve Italy’s hate crime data-collection system, in order to produce more detailed statistics.

The Advisory Committee of Council of Europe on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, in its Fourth Opinion on Italy, praised the work accomplished by the Observatory for Security against Acts of Discrimination OSCAD, the Ministry of Interior’s anti-discrimination body, and the training for law enforcement personnel that were developed in co-operation with ODIHR.