Netherlands

The Netherlands regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Police and prosecution statistics are published annually. A victimization survey is conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics every two years and the results are published here.

The Netherlands' Criminal Code contains no hate crime provisions, and hate crimes are addressed as "criminal offences with a discriminatory aspect". The Public Prosecution Service provides guidance on investigating and prosecuting such offences (Aanwijzing Discriminatie), including on prioritising discrimination offences.

In October 2021, the Netherlands appointed a National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism to ensure a comprehensive approach to countering discrimination and hate crime, including with the involvement of civil society.

In May 2022, a new State Commission against Discrimination and Racism (State Commission) was tasked with conducting research into discrimination and racism, including hate crimes.

The Ministry of the Interior (MoI) regularly consults civil society organizations (CSOs) on anti-discrimination policies. In particular, the MoI has entered into a formal co-operation agreement with the CSO Discriminatie.nl, which monitors discrimination in the Netherlands.

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2015 hate crime report for Netherlands

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2023	3,301	97	Not available
2022	2,476	81	Not available
2021	2,417	485	Not available
2020	2133	409	Not available
2019	2016	343	Not available
2018	3299	312	91
2017	3499	331	79
2016	4376	-	-
2015	5288	Not available	Not available
2014	5721	133	87
2013	3614	83	89
2012	3292	114	Not available
2011	2802	169	Not available
2010	3538	170	90
2009	2212	160	135

About 2015 Data

Figures reported to ODIHR and presented here include hate speech and discrimination offences (or "basic forms of discrimination") as well as hate crimes ("common offences with a discriminatory motive"). Where multiple biases are registered in an offence, each of them is reported individually in the breakdown below.

Download official data

National developments

The Anne Frank House was granted access to the database of police crime reports in order to identify hate crimes and other discriminatory crimes, and to publicize this information. The resulting annual Monitoring Report provides an authoritative overview of hate crimes recorded by the police.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that the Netherlands have not reported on cases of hate crimes separately from cases of hate speech and/or discrimination.

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

Download incident data

Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Israel Information and Documentation Centre reported two incidents of vandalism.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

ILGA-Europe and COC Nederland reported five physical assaults on LGBT people, including one incident involving extortion, two carried out by groups, one incident involving the use of a weapon and two incidents causing serious injuries. The victims included four gay men and one transgender woman. A further incident of threats to a transgender woman from Syria was reported.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Israel Information and Documentation Center reported one attempted murder; five physical assaults, including one that caused serious injuries and another that involved damage to property; four cases of damage to property; 23 incidents of vandalism, 16 of which involved graffiti; and one incident of the desecration of graves.

The Israel Information and Documentation Center and the European Center for Democracy Development reported one incident of vandalism that involved the use of anti-Semitic stickers.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

SETA and Turkish Forum Netherlands reported one physical assault on a Muslim woman. SETA also reported one incident of graffiti targeting a number of houses. Turkish Forum Netherlands reported three physical assaults carried out by large groups, two of which targeted women; two threats; four arson attacks targeting mosques, one shop and the building housing a Turkish association; eight incidents of damage to property, four of which targeted mosques; five incidents of graffiti, and one incident of desecration.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

In its "Concluding observations on the combined nineteenth to twenty-first periodic reports of the Netherlands", the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommended introducing racist motivation as an aggravating circumstance in criminal legislation. CERD also suggested that national authorities consider simplifying the legal requirements to punish hate crimes.

Following its mission to the Netherlands, the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent encouraged the adoption of legislation that imposes higher penalties for hate crimes and expressed concern that hate crimes are under-reported and under-prosecuted. It also recommended that the scope of data collected on hate crimes should be expanded, including by offering more victim surveys.