Serbia | HCRW

Serbia regularly reports data on hate crimes to ODIHR. In 2018, the Office of the Prosecutor General, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and ODIHR, developed Guidelines for the prosecution of hate crimes in the Republic of Serbia. A network of contact persons working on hate crime within the prosecution services was established and, with the OSCE Mission's assistance, the Judicial Academy has developed, integrated and implements a hate crime training plan and programme.

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2010 hate crime report for Serbia

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2022	94	11	6
2021	109	11	11
2020	66	5	4
2019	86	14	10
2018	61	12	7
2017	5	0	0
2016	9	1	2
2015	79	7	19
2014	87	21	14
2013	64	24	16
2012	36	39	37
2011	39	36	24
2010	37	35	13
2009	82	16	44

About 2010 Data

Figures refer only to crimes of incitement to hatred.

Hate crime recorded by police

KEY OBSERVATION

No information is available.

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

Reports

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Labris reported two serious physical assaults and an attack by a group on participants and bystanders at a pride march, in which 160 people were reported to have been injured. Labris reported that 83 people were charged for their alleged involvement in the attack at the gay pride parade. Labris reported two other physical assaults causing serious bodily injury

Anti-Roma hate crime

Chachipe reported one arson attack that targeted a Roma settlement. The Regional Center for Minorities reported one physical assault, one case of arson and three cases of graffiti. In addition, four nights of rioting took place that targeted a Roma community and involved harassment, damage to property and arson. The riots occurred following a murder perpetrated by a Roma man. Six people were arrested and convicted and sentenced for orchestrating the riots, and the Roma man was convicted and sentenced for the murder.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

In Milanović v. Serbia, for the first time the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) referenced the duty of officials to investigate a religiously motivated crime. The Court stated that, just as in the case of “racially motivated attacks, when investigating violent incidents, State authorities have the additional duty to take all reasonable steps to unmask any religious motive and to establish whether or not religious hatred or prejudice may have played a role in the events.” The case concerned a leading member of the Vaishnava Hindu religious community, also known as Hare Krishna, who suffered a series of attacks between 2001 and 2007.