Romania

Romania regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. The Ministry of Administration and Interior, the police, the Prosecutor's Office and the Superior Council of Magistracy collect hate crime data.

In 2016, Romania implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crimes for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) Programme. A specialized hate crime unit was created in the Romanian Police in 2021.

Amendments to the Criminal Code introduced in 2023 set out the constituent elements of hate crimes and the protected grounds therein. 

Hate crime data collection in Romania
Support for hate crime victims in Romania
Hate crime capacity building in Romania
Romania's hate crime legislation
Download the 2014 hate crime report for Romania

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2023 95 252 239
2022 59 129 16
2021 7 54 128
2020 Not available Not available Not available
2019 Not available Not available Not available
2018 2 2 33
2017 1 0 8
2016 10 21 50
2015 15 24 59
2014 25 20 Not available
2013 Not available 4 Not available
2012 Not available Not available Not available
2011 Not available Not available Not available
2010 Not available Not available Not available
2009 Not available 1 Not available

About 2014 Data

    Prosecution figure refers to cases of threats via the Internet. Data reported to ODIHR no longer include cases of hate speech.

Hate crime recorded by police

National developments

A new criminal code entered into force in February 2014. The new code changed the list of protected characteristics in the general penalty-enhancement provision, making it an open-ended list.

A specialized bureau for protecting national cultural heritage was established within the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police. The special bureau is tasked with handling all activities related to addressing any manifestations of racism, xenophobia, extremism and other forms of intolerance, including hate crimes.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that Romania’s law-enforcement agencies have not recorded the bias motivations of hate crimes.

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CIVIL SOCIETY

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Roma hate crime

In his report following a country visit to Romania, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe urged the authorities to properly record hate crimes and ensure that law enforcement officials and legal professionals are adequately and systematically trained to recognise, investigate and sanction crimes committed with a racist motive, which primarily affect Roma communities.