Spain | HCRW

Spain regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Spain publishes annual reports on hate crimes.

Spain implemented ODIHR's Training Against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme in 2019, and the Prosecutor General's Office has established a network of dedicated hate crime prosecutors across the country. A regional TAHCLE in Valencia was implemented in 2016.

The Ministry of Interior has a dedicated protocol that regulates how law enforcement handles hate crime cases and sets out the specific rights of hate crime victims. Within the Ministry, the Spanish National Office Against Hate Crimes (ONDOD) is responsible for the Hate Crime Action Plan (adopted for 2019-2021 and 2022-2024). Currently, the Action Plan covers the areas of victim support, co-ordination among state authorities, civil society and the private sector, hate crime prevention, specialization within the police, training, awareness raising, and the allocation of adequate human resources in ONDOD.

In 2023, Spain implemented a new national Strategic Framework against racism and xenophobia

SELECT YEAR

Download the 2010 hate crime report for Spain

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2023	2,268	210	157
2022	1,869	191	152
2021	1,802	192	91
2020	1401	675	144
2019	1706	Not available	Not available
2018	1598	Not available	Not available
2017	1419	Not available	Not available
2016	1272	Not available	Not available
2015	1328	Not available	Not available
2014	1285	Not available	Not available
2013	1168	Not available	Not available
2012	261	Not available	Not available
2011	224	Not available	Not available
2010	92	Not available	Not available
2009	93	Not available	Not available

Download official data

National developments

The Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Labour and Immigration established a data-collection system on assault and other crimes with racist or xenophobic motivation. This system was introduced on 1 January 2011 and will allow statistical data related to racism and xenophobia to inform performance management tools. There was also a reform of the security statistics system, managed by the Office of Homeland Security Studies of the Secretary of State of Security to improve co-ordination of data between national police (National Police, Guardia Civil), and regional police bodies (Ertzainza in Basque Region and Mossos d’Esquadra in Catalunya). On 10 March 2010, the regional police body in Catalunya, Mossos d’Esquadra, implemented its “Procedure on Hate Crimes and Discrimination”, which was distributed to all members of the police force and provides the tools to record crimes committed with a discriminatory motive.

KEY OBSERVATION

No information is available.

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

Reports

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Leaders of Movement against Intolerance received death threats.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Association for the Defense of Religious Freedom reported one physical assault and one case of damage to property. The use of anti-Semitic slurs was reported in both incidents. The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Observatory on Anti-Semitism in Spain reported two physical assaults and three cases of graffiti on property. The Stephen Roth Institute reported three hate incidents.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Union of Islamic Communities in Spain reported one physical assault involving serious bodily injury and several cases of graffiti against Mosques and Islamic-owned businesses in Xati, Valencia.

Developments

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Federation of Jewish Communities organized an international seminar on anti-Semitism in Madrid to raise awareness and to discuss education and civic engagement.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The UN Human Rights Council, in its Universal Periodic Review, encouraged Spain to record and publish statistics on hate crimes.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) commented on the need to better address racist crime in Spain.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) issued a report examining the discrimination and violence experienced by Muslim and non-Muslim youths in Spain. The report found that victims of violence and discrimination often suffered from feelings of social marginalization.