Turkey
Türkiye regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Türkiye implemented ODIHR's Training against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme following a memorandum of understanding signed in 2016. The government currently implements a Human Rights Action Plan launched in 2021, which includes objectives dedicated to addressing hate crime in the country, including providing support to victims.
OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES
| Year | Hate crimes recorded by police | Prosecuted | Sentenced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 93 | 476 | 260 |
| 2022 | 175 | 263 | 246 |
| 2021 | 87 | 210 | 374 |
| 2020 | 70 | 213 | 258 |
| 2019 | 79 | 248 | 319 |
| 2018 | - | 1983 | 589 |
| 2017 | 13 | 1967 | 500 |
| 2016 | 14 | 1455 | 290 |
| 2015 | Not available | 810 | 272 |
| 2014 | Not available | 658 | 202 |
| 2013 | Not available | 535 | 334 |
| 2012 | Not available | 497 | 158 |
| 2011 | Not available | 628 | 17 |
| 2010 | 6 | 330 | 297 |
| 2009 | 3 | 250 | 242 |
About 2015 Data
-
Prosecution and sentencing data only include crimes of incitement to hatred and discrimination.
Hate crime recorded by police
KEY OBSERVATION
ODIHR observes that Turkey has not periodically reported the numbers of hate crimes recorded by police to ODIHR.
INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CIVIL SOCIETY
INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
Racist and xenophobic hate crime, Anti-Roma hate crime
In its "Concluding observations on the combined fourth to sixth periodic reports of Turkey", the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) recommended that racist motivation should be included as an aggravating circumstance in penal legislation. CERD expressed its concern at reports of hate crimes, including against Roma people, and recommended that all hate crime cases be effectively investigated and prosecuted, that law enforcement officials be trained, and that disaggregated statistics on hate crimes be collected and published.
Anti-LGBTI hate crime
Following its Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the Turkish authorities expressed support for the recommendation to ensure the investigation, prosecution and sentencing of hate crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Turkish authorities consider these measures already implemented or being implemented. Turkey committed itself to examine and respond to recommendations to amend criminal legislation to explicitly prohibit hate crimes against LGBT people and to publish disaggregated data on such hate crimes.
Racist and xenophobic hate crime
In its fifth report on Turkey, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) recommended that Turkey introduce racist, homophobic and transphobic motivations as an aggravating factor in its criminal code, and that the police strengthen co-operation with civil society to encourage the reporting of hate crimes. ECRI further recommended to create a system for police to record hate crimes, including adopting guidelines on hate crime recording and investigation by the police.