Poland
Poland regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Several public bodies are involved in monitoring and/or collecting data on hate crimes, primarily the police and the Prosecutor's Office. Hate crime data are regularly published.
There is a high degree of hate crime specialization in both police and prosecutor structures. More than 100 specialist hate crime prosecutors have been appointed, and a network of hate crime co-ordinators was established in the police in 2014. In 2015, following a request by the lower house of parliament, ODIHR provided a legislative review of proposed changes to the Criminal Code of Poland, including on hate crime provisions.
Poland has implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme since 2012. In 2018, the Ministry of the Interior, ODIHR and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency co-organized a workshop on understanding and improving hate crime recording and data collection based on ODIHR's Information Against Hate Crimes Toolkit (INFAHCT) programme. Poland also developed and piloted a methodology for conducting victimization surveys as part of ODIHR's project on "Building a Comprehensive Criminal Justice Response to Hate Crime". In 2019, ODIHR co-operated with the Commissioner for Human Rights in Poland to issue a report on the nature and scale of unreported hate crimes against members of selected communities in Poland.
OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES
Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | 1,180 | 440 | 312 |
2021 | 997 | 466 | 339 |
2020 | 826 | 374 | 266 |
2019 | 972 | 432 | 597 |
2018 | 1117 | 397 | 315 |
2017 | 886 | 320 | 260 |
2016 | 874 | 281 | 236 |
2015 | 263 | 229 | 195 |
2014 | 778 | 179 | 127 |
2013 | 757 | 116 | 53 |
2012 | 266 | 76 | 39 |
2011 | 222 | 43 | 24 |
2010 | 251 | 30 | 28 |
2009 | 194 | 29 | 27 |
About 2010 Data
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Figures include crimes of incitement to hatred.
Hate crime recorded by police
KEY OBSERVATION
INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CIVIL SOCIETY
Incidents reported by civil society, international organizations and the Holy See
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Semitic hate crime
The UN Human Rights Committee expressed concern about Poland’s reportedly low rate of investigation and prosecution of crimes potentially motivated by racial hatred. It also noted with concern “persistent manifestations of anti-Semitism, including physical attacks and desecration of Jewish cemeteries”.
Anti-Semitic hate crime
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) reported on instances of the desecration of Jewish cemeteries and widespread instances of anti-Semitic graffiti.
Anti-Muslim hate crime
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) noted physical attacks against Muslims in Bialystok and crimes targeting Muslim places of worship.
Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) noted cases targeting Orthodox Christian and Catholic churches.
Anti-LGBTI hate crime
The UN Human Rights Council noted with concern reported hate crimes against LGBT people and encouraged Poland to provide effective protection against violence based on sexual orientation.