Data reported by police may include acts that fall outside of the OSCE's definition of hate crime.
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published relevant recommendations in its "Final report on Azerbaijan adopted on 29 March 2023 by ECRI at its 91st plenary meeting (28-30 March 2023)".
ODIHR recognizes Azerbaijan's efforts to report hate crime information and data to ODIHR. However, based on the available information, it observes that Azerbaijan's hate crime recording and statistics do not sufficiently distinguish hate crimes from other crimes. In addition, ODIHR observes that Azerbaijan would benefit from raising awareness among and building the capacity of criminal justice officials to address hate crime.
ODIHR recalls that in Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, OSCE participating States committed to collecting reliable data and statistics on hate crimes. Participating States also committed to introducing or further developing professional training and capacity-building activities for law enforcement, prosecution, and judicial officials dealing with hate crimes. ODIHR stands ready to support Azerbaijan in meeting the relevant commitments through the provision of comprehensive resources and tailored assistance in the area of hate crime recording and data collection, as well as providing further resources and tailored capacity-building assistance for police, prosecution, and judiciary.