Poland
Poland regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Poland's Criminal Code contains several substantive offences. Data reported to ODIHR include cases of incitement to hatred. Hate crime data are collected by the Department of Control, Complaints and Petitions of the Ministry of the Interior, the General Police Headquarters, the Internal Security Agency, the Preparatory Proceedings Office of the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Institute of National Remembrance – General Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation, and the Ombudsman's Office. Hate crime data are regularly published.
OFFICIAL DATA
| Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 972 | 432 | 597 |
| 2018 | 1117 | 397 | 315 |
| 2017 | 886 | 320 | 260 |
| 2016 | 874 | 281 | 236 |
| 2015 | 263 | 229 | 195 |
| 2014 | 778 | 179 | 127 |
| 2013 | 757 | 116 | 53 |
| 2012 | 266 | 76 | 39 |
| 2011 | 222 | 43 | 24 |
| 2010 | 251 | 30 | 28 |
| 2009 | 194 | 29 | 27 |
About 2016 Data
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Police, prosecution and sentencing figures include cases of hate speech.
Hate crime recorded by police
The numbers presented here refer to police investigations initiated as hate crimes. The numbers also include incidents of hate speech, which are considered crimes under Polish penal law.
INCIDENTS REPORTED BY OTHER SOURCES
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
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Show info |
| 2016-04 | Violent attacks against people | SETA
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Show info |
| 2016-04 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Threats | Open Dialog Foundation
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| 2016-02 | Attacks against property | UNHCR in Poland
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Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR in Poland
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Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR in Poland
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR in Poland
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR in Poland
|
Show info |
| 2016-02 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-08 | Violent attacks against people | SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-03 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-01 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-01 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-01 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-03 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-07 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-08 | Threats | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Threats | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Threats | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
Anti-Roma hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-08 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
Anti-Semitic hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
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Show info |
| 2016-10 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Attacks against property | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
Anti-Muslim hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
SETA
UNHCR in Poland
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Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | SETA
UNHCR in Poland
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Show info |
| 2016-01 | Attacks against property | SETA
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | UNHCR in Poland
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
Anti-Christian hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-01 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-02 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-02 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-05 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-05 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-05 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-06 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-08 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
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Show info |
| 2016-09 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-10 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Attacks against property | Ordo Iuris Institute
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Attacks against property | Jehovah's Witnesses
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Attacks against property | Holy See
|
Show info |
Anti-LGBTI hate crime
| Date | Type of incident | Source | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
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Show info |
| 2016-02 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-02 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-03 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
ILGA-Europe
Lambda Warsaw
UNHCR in Poland
|
Show info |
| 2016-02 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-03 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
ILGA-Europe
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
ILGA-Europe
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-03 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-04 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-05 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-07 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-07 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-08 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Threats | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-09 | Attacks against property | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-11 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-12 | Violent attacks against people | Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH)
Lambda Warsaw
|
Show info |
| 2016-02 | Threats | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
| 2016-06 | Violent attacks against people | "Never Again" Association
|
Show info |
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
In its "Concluding observations on the fourth report of Poland," the United Nations Human Rights Committee recommended that the authorities should amend the Criminal Code to make bias motivation an aggravating circumstance for any crime, and to thoroughly investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of hate crimes.
Anti-Semitic hate crime
The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Combating Anti-Semitism, in his report on a country visit to Poland, commended the authorities for developing an operational relationship with ODIHR, recommending this relationship as a best practice for all participating States.
Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-LGBTI hate crime, Disability hate crime
In the framework of Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the United Nations Human Rights Committee expressed concern that Poland's criminal code did not include disability, age, sexual orientation and gender identity as bias motivations for hate crimes. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommended that Poland amend its criminal code to make any racial motivation for a crime an aggravating circumstance.
In its report, the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Poland, recommended that the criminal code be amended to include sexual orientation, gender identity and disability among the protected characteristics listed in its hate crime provisions.
KEY OBSERVATION
ODIHR observes that Poland has not reported on hate crimes separately from cases of hate speech.