Slovakia
Slovakia regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Slovakia has implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme since 2017 and the Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT) programme since 2018. In 2018, the Ministry of Interior co-organized with ODIHR and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights a workshop on understanding and improving hate crime recording and data collection, based on ODIHR's Information Against Hate Crimes Toolkit (INFAHCT). There is a high degree of hate crime specialization in both police and prosecutor structures in Slovakia.
The Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism, and Other Forms of Intolerance was established as a Government advisory body. The Committee established working groups on hate speech on the internet and anti-Semitism, in line with the Memorandum on Cooperation between the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Slovakia. The working groups include representatives of the police and prosecutor's office, as well as civil society organizations focusing on human rights, anti-Roma racism, and anti-Semitism.
OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES
| Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 46 | Not available | 5 |
| 2022 | 28 | 16 | 12 |
| 2021 | 20 | 13 | 15 |
| 2020 | 20 | 16 | 6 |
| 2019 | 50 | 38 | 8 |
| 2018 | 41 | 20 | 15 |
| 2017 | 34 | 16 | 10 |
| 2016 | 10 | 9 | 3 |
| 2015 | 6 | 30 | 2 |
| 2014 | 3 | Not available | 4 |
| 2013 | 7 | Not available | 7 |
| 2012 | 102 | Not available | 16 |
| 2011 | 242 | Not available | 16 |
| 2010 | Not available | Not available | 10 |
| 2009 | 132 | Not available | 18 |
About 2023 Data
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Police data refer to the number of initiated police investigations or charges brought for a particular crime involving bias indicators, pursuant to the Article 140 (e) of the Criminal Code.
Sentencing figures represent the number of persons sentenced for offences where a "specific hate motive" was indicated pursuant to the Article 140(e) of the Criminal Code.
Hate crime recorded by police
In addition to the records below, in 2023 the Slovak police recorded the following cases of misdemeanours committed with a special motive: 22 anti-Roma incidents, nine based on 'foreign nationality', seven anti-LGBTI, four anti-Semitic and four incidents based on racism and xenophobia.
KEY OBSERVATION
ODIHR recognizes Slovakia's efforts to understand unreported hate crimes by conducting an annual victimization survey. However, based on the available information, it observes that law enforcement agencies have not recorded the bias motivations behind hate crimes. In addition, ODIHR observes that Slovakia would benefit from further developing its victim support system to ensure effective access to justice, assistance, and protection for hate crime victims.
ODIHR recalls that in Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, OSCE participating States committed to promptly investigating hate crimes and ensuring that the motives of those convicted of hate crimes are acknowledged. To that end, law enforcement agencies must first record the bias motivations behind hate crimes. Furthermore, participating States committed to providing hate crime victims with access to counselling and legal assistance, effective access to justice, as well as to ensuring positive interactions between police and hate crime victims by training front-line officers, including on providing referrals for victim assistance and protection.
ODIHR stands ready to support Slovakia in meeting its relevant commitments through the provision of comprehensive resources and tailored assistance in the area of hate crime recording and data collection, as well as by providing further resources and assistance in the area of hate crime victim support.
INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CIVIL SOCIETY
🛈 Please note that the total number of incidents may be lower than the sum of incidents presented in the breakdown chart above, as some incidents involve multiple bias motivations.
🛈 ODIHR no longer presents descriptions of property attacks in the incident tables below. Data on property attacks are presented in the breakdown charts above. One property attack may target multiple properties or involve multiple types of attack.
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-02 | Violent attacks against people | Human Rights League
|
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Anti-Roma hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10 | Violent attacks against people | Human Rights League
|
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Anti-Muslim hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-06 | Violent attacks against people | Islamic Foundation in Slovakia
|
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| 2023-10 | Threats | Islamic Foundation in Slovakia
|
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Anti-Christian hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-12 | Threats | Jehovah's Witnesses
|
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Anti-LGBTI hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-10 | Violent attacks against people | Human Rights League
|
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