Moldova

Moldova regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Moldova’s hate crime laws consist of a combination of general and specific penalty-enhancement provisions. Hate crime data are collected by the Information Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the police, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the National Bureau of Statistics.

How hate crime data is collected in Moldova

How hate crime data is collected in Moldova

The Information Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible for collecting data on all crimes committed in Moldova, including hate crimes. There is no separate process or method for the collection of data on hate crime.

The prosecutor’s office does not keep separate records of hate crimes. If a prosecutor encounters a hate crime, they fill in the relevant statistical form in the crime record and, after investigating the case, send it to the appropriate territorial police body. Similarly, if a judge considers such a case, the statistician fills in the relevant statistical form, indicating the details of the defendant and the relevant provisions of the criminal code and sends it to the statistics department of the Ministry of Justice. The latter sends a consolidated account of cases considered by the courts to the national statistics body.

Data on hate crimes are published periodically in newsletters and other materials of the Council on the Prevention and Elimination of Discrimination and Equity.

Access more information at the Legislation Online website Legislationline TANDIS Access more information at the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Information System (TANDIS) website

OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2020 8 2 2
2019 Not available Not available Not available
2018 10 5 41
2017 17 5 10
2016 5 5 5
2015 0 0 1
2014 1 1 Not available
2013 4 Not available 0
2012 3 Not available Not available
2011 Not available Not available Not available
2010 Not available Not available Not available
2009 2 0 0

National developments

In 2020, the police, prosecution, and judiciary benefitted from the Council of Europe's regional project "Strengthening the access to justice for victims of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech in the Eastern Partnership" (1 February 2019 – 31 December 2021) funded by the European Union. In particular, the project addressed the area of hate crime data collection, including the necessary IT solutions, based on the "Situational analysis on discrimination, hate crime and hate speech disaggregate data collection in the Republic of Moldova" prepared under the same project in November 2019 and the report entitled "Disaggregated data collection on hate crime, hate speech and discrimination in the Republic of Moldova: recommendations and situational analysis" published in September 2020.

In December 2020, 17 police officers (9 men and 8 women) took part in a training of trainers on the identification and investigation of hate crimes, co-organized by the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Joint Law Enforcement Training Centre of the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy.

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY OTHER SOURCES

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020-06 Threats
UNHCR
 Show info
2020-12 Violent attacks against people
UNHCR
 Show info
2020-04 Threats
UNHCR
 Show info

Anti-Roma hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020-05 Threats
European Roma Rights Center (ERRC)
 Show info

Anti-Semitic hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020-10 Attacks against property
Kantor Center
 Show info
2020-11 Attacks against property
OSCE Mission to Moldova
 Show info

Anti-Muslim hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020-06 Threats
UNHCR
 Show info

Gender-based hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020-01 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2020 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-01 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020 Threats
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-07 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-07 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-06 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-05 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-07 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
 Show info
2020-04 Violent attacks against people
GenderDoc-M
OSCE Mission to Moldova
 Show info
2020-12 Violent attacks against people
UNHCR
 Show info

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published relevant recommendations in its "Conclusions on the Implementation of the Recommendations in Respect of Moldova."

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR recognizes Moldova's efforts to address hate crime data collection mechanisms. Continuing in the same vein is encouraged in the area of hate crime recording as, based on the available information, ODIHR observes that the law enforcement agencies of Moldova have not been recording the bias motivations behind hate crimes. In addition, ODIHR observes that Moldova 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 law enforcement agencies must, first of all, record the bias motivations behind hate crimes. 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 Moldova in meeting its 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.

Our methodology