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Serbia

Serbia regularly reports data on hate crimes to ODIHR. Serbia's Criminal Code contains a general penalty enhancement provision and a substantive offence provision. The data reported to ODIHR also include cases of incitement to hatred, individual defamation, other hate speech offences, discrimination and the violation of equality. Serbia's Prosecutor's Office collects data on hate crime.

Hate crime data collection in Serbia
Support for hate crime victims in Serbia
Access more information at the Legislation Online website Legislationline TANDIS Access more information at the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Information System (TANDIS) website

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OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
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 2014 Data

    Figures include crimes of incitement to hatred, other speech crimes and crimes violating freedom of religion.
  • By bias motivation
  • By type of crime
Download official data
Download official data

National developments

The governmental Office for Human and Minority Rights co-organized a regional conference on Prosecuting Hate Crimes in South-East Europe in December 2014. The conference brought together regional governmental representatives dealing with hate crimes, OSCE field operations and ODIHR.

The Information Office for Victims and Witnesses started working at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade. The initiative is part of a project aimed at providing support to injured parties and witnesses, implemented by the Republic's Public Prosecutor's Office in co-operation with the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Belgrade.

Serbia’s government adopted the Action Plan for the Implementation of Strategies for the Prevention and Protection against Discrimination for the period 2014–2018. The Action Plan aims, among other activities, to establish a single database of criminal charges, number of convicted persons and range of sanctions related to acts of violence (and threats) committed on the basis of personal characteristics. The Action Plan also envisions training judiciary and prosecution personnel on communication with communities affected by discrimination and hate crimes.

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

TOTAL 44 INCIDENTS
Download incident data

Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Praxis, the Regional Centre for Minorities and the OSCE Mission to Serbia reported 13 incidents of damage to property in connection with a football match between Serbia and Albania in October, during which an Albanian flag was towed behind a drone as it flew over the stadium. All of the targets were businesses associated with the Albanian community. The Regional Centre for Minorities also reported a further arson attack on a mosque in connection with the same football match. The Regional Centre for Minorities reported two assaults causing serious injury, including one assault against three members of an Ashkali family.

read more ›

Anti-Roma hate crime

Praxis and the Regional Centre for Minorities reported an incident in which two Roma boys were physically assaulted in a bar and their musical instruments broken. The Regional Centre for Minorities reported two arson attacks, including one against the home of a Roma family, and a further series of physical assaults against eight Roma people resulting in serious injury, including broken ribs, to several victims, and a further physical assault. Praxis reported a further physical assault carried out by a group against a young Roma man.

read more ›

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Regional Centre for Minorities reported one arson attack, in which a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a mosque.

read more ›

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Gayten-LGBT and Transgender Europe reported two physical assaults, one causing serious injury carried out by a group against a transgender woman, and one against a lesbian on a bus, as well as a threat against a transgender woman. The OSCE Mission to Serbia reported a physical assault against a gay man from Germany.

read more ›

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

Jehovah's Witnesses – Serbia reported three physical assaults causing serious injuries, one of which involved a machete, four incidents of physical assault and four incidents of damage to places of worship.

read more ›

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Government Office for Human and Minority Rights (OHMR) continued to support regular meetings of the informal inter-governmental group on hate crimes. This group provides a forum for dialogue on hate crimes among civil society and government representatives. The Mission and OHMR also hosted a regional conference focusing on the prosecution of hate crimes, attended by some 40 government and civil society representatives. Further, the Mission worked with the Judicial Academy to pilot a training seminar on hate crimes for members of the judiciary.

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

The OSCE Mission to Serbia reported that the Ministry of Interior launched a project with Labris to train some 120 police officers on addressing hate crimes against LGBT communities.

Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Roma hate crime, Anti-LGBTI hate crime

In his report following the country visit to Serbia, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe praised the country’s efforts in the field of hate crime training for judicial officials and the adoption of the "Action Plan for the Improvement of Work and Co-operation of the Police with Representatives and Associations of Persons of Different Sexual Orientation." He expressed concern over the large number of hate crimes targeting Roma and Sinti, and noted the persistent violence against LGBT people.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that Serbia has not reported on hate crimes separately from cases of hate speech.

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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Marking 15 years of reporting hate crimes

12 Apr 2022
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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Lifting up indigenous voices to counter racism and promote diversity and inclusion

01 Apr 2022
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ODIHR's impact in 2021: Delivering tools to support hate crime victims

24 Mar 2022
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2021 Call for Civil Society Submissions

16 Feb 2022
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2020 Announcement Page

2020 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

15 Nov 2021
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Hate Crime Data: Frequently Asked Questions

15 Nov 2021
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Steps to Meet Hate Crime Victims' Needs

ODIHR's impact in 2020: Strengthening Support for Hate Crime Victims

16 Apr 2021
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10 practical steps to respond to the security needs of Muslim communities

ODIHR's impact in 2020: A holistic and inclusive response to anti-Muslim hate crimes

15 Apr 2021
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2019 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

29 Jan 2021
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ODIHR's impact in 2019: Supporting a diagnostic approach to hate crime data collection

29 Apr 2020

Contact Us

Email tndinfo@odihr.pl
Tel +48 22 520 06 00
Fax +48 22 520 06 05
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251
Warsaw, Poland

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