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  • Overview
  • Hate crimes - Official data
  • ODIHR's key observations
  • Hate incidents - Unofficial data
  • International reports
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Spain

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. In May 2019, 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. In March 2021, ODIHR held a diagnostic workshop to assess and improve national structures for hate crime victim support. Both workshops resulted in sets of recommendations to relevant state authorities.

The Ministry of Interior has a dedicated protocol for law enforcement that regulates how hate crime cases are handled and sets out the specific rights of hate crime victims. Within the Ministry, the Spanish National Office for the Fight 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. A hate crime victimization survey was carried out between 18 December 2020 and 31 March 2021.

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

SELECT YEAR

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OFFICIAL DATA

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
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

Hate crime recorded by police

  • By bias motivation
  • By type of crime
Download official data
Download official data

National developments

An office of the Public Prosecutor was set up in Malaga to deal specifically with hate crimes and discrimination. This is the third such office in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. The Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Labour and Immigration designed and implemented a data-collection system on assault and other crimes with racist or xenophobic motivation. That system was implemented on 1 January 2011 and provides for the collection of statistical data related to racism and xenophobia to inform performance management tools. After consultations with other government agencies, the Ministry of Work and Immigration adopted a Comprehensive Strategy against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in November 2011, which includes addressing issues related to hate crime.

KEY OBSERVATION

No information is available.

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

Reports

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

The Holy See, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and the Observatory for Freedom of Religion and Conscience all reported one case of damage to a church, one case of attempted arson and one incident in which property associated with Christians was vandalized. The Holy See and the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians both reported additional cases, including several physical assaults against participants in a youth event connected with the Pope’s visit, two cases of damage to churches and one case of damage to church property.

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians reported two separate cases, which included damage to a church and attempted arson inside a church.

The Observatory for Freedom of Religion and Conscience also reported a case of damage to church property and a case of physical assault.

read more ›

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Cabinet of Social Studies and the Union of Islamic Communities in Spain both reported a physical assault by a group resulting in the serious injury of three victims of Arab background in a Madrid prison; a physical assault against a Senegalese man resulting in his falling into a coma; a physical assault by a group against a Senegalese man involving a knife and serious injuries; and a physical assault by two men against two young men of African origin.

The Cabinet of Social Studies (GES) and the Movement Against Intolerance (MAI) reported one case of threats and physical assault against a woman of Bolivian origin who was helping migrants obtain documentation. The Cabinet of Social Studies reported a further 11 physical assaults, four of which involved serious injury and six of which involved an attack by a group; and one case of threats. The majority of victims were of African origin.

The Union of Islamic Communities in Spain reported a further two physical assaults, both of which involved attacks by a group.

read more ›

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Union of Islamic Communities in Spain reported three cases of pigs’ body parts being left outside mosques or future mosque sites, one case of graffiti on a mosque, one case of physical assault and one case of threats.

read more ›

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Cabinet of Social Studies reported two cases of graffiti and one case of grave desecration.

read more ›

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

FELGBT reported 12 physical assaults, including one involving a group of perpetrators, three involving gay couples, one involving a lesbian couple, and a series of physical assaults against a boy at school. 

The Cabinet of Social Studies reported one case of physical assault against a transgender person, one case of assault against a man taking part in an activity organized by a local LGBT group, and two cases of physical assault involving serious injury.

read more ›

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Committee (CERD) recommended that Spain provide more details in its next report on judicial statistics on prosecutions, convictions and sentences for racially motivated crimes, noting a considerable lack of such information.

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2022 HCR Call for Submissions_in focus image

2022 Call for Civil Society Submissions

14 Feb 2023
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HCRW announcement banner

2021 Hate Crime Data Now Available!

16 Nov 2022
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20220412_ODIHR 2021 impact_image_EN

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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20220426_ODIHR impact 2021_EStAR_image

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

24 Mar 2022
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Call for submissions image.png

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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FAQ.png

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

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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