Turkey

Turkey regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Turkey implemented ODIHR's Training against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme following a memorandum of understanding signed in 2016. The government launched a Human Rights Action Plan in 2021, which includes objectives dedicated to addressing hate crime in the country, including providing support to victims.

SELECT YEAR

OFFICIAL DATA

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
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 2019 Data

The discrepancy between the number of offences in police and prosecutorial records is due to the fact that most crimes are registered by prosecutors, and not by the police. It should also be noted that the numbers in this table relate only to the criminal offences constituting threats and damaging places of worship and cemeteries (Articles 115 and 153 of Turkey’s Criminal Code). Turkey also reported a further 324 cases recorded by police under Article 122 (Hatred and Discrimination), Article 135 (Recording of Personal Data) and Article 216 (Provoking the Public to Hatred, Hostility or Degrading the Public) of Turkey’s Criminal Code, all of which constitute hate speech and discrimination and fall outside of the OSCE's definition of hate crime.

Hate crime recorded by police

The breakdown below consists of police records related to the offences of "Prevention of the Exercise of Freedom of Belief, Thought and Conviction", and "Damaging Places of Worship and Cemeteries" (Articles 115 and 153 of Turkey’s Criminal Code). The offences of "Hatred and Discrimination", "Recording of Personal Data", and "Provoking the Public to Hatred, Hostility or Degrading the Public" (Articles 122, 135 and 216 of the Criminal Code of Turkey) were not included since they fall outside of the OSCE's definition of hate crime.

By bias motivation
By type of crime

Download official data

National developments

Turkey continued implementing ODIHR's Training against Hate Crime for Law Enforcement (TAHCLE) programme, following a memorandum of understanding signed in 2016. Several thousand police officers have been trained on hate crimes since then. In 2019, the Turkish National Police co-operated with the Police Academy to deliver the training programme to 603 police officers.

In the framework of the Judicial Reform Strategy, launched on 30 May 2019, a working group examined international reports and recommendations by UN Human Rights Mechanisms and the OSCE, as well as good practices from other countries. The working group prepared a document aimed at harmonizing provisions on hate crime with international standards and creating a database of hate crime statistics. Several state authorities and civil society organizations were involved in the process. During a meeting held in December 2019, the working group underscored the need to strengthen efforts to raise awareness of hate crimes. It was also emphasized that a holistic approach should be made to combat hate crimes, and that the upcoming Human Rights Action Plan should include new reforms and regulations regarding hate crimes.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR observes that Turkey's law enforcement agencies have not recorded the bias motivations of hate crimes.

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY OTHER SOURCES

KAOS GL Association and Kantor Center reported only statistical data. This explains the discrepancy between the graphic above and the incidents included below.

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-02	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-03	Threats	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-10	Violent attacks against people	Human Rights Association	Show info
2019-03	Attacks against property	Human Rights Association	Show info
2019-06	Attacks against property	Human Rights Association	Show info
2019-09	Attacks against property	Human Rights Association	Show info
2019-11	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-06	Attacks against property	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-05	Violent attacks against people	Human Rights Association London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-10	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-08	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-02	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-09	Attacks against property	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info

Anti-Semitic hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-02	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-03	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info

Anti-Muslim hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-01	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-03	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-03	Threats	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-01	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-04	Threats	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-06	Violent attacks against people	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-10	Threats	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-11	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info

Anti-Christian hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-05	Violent attacks against people	Human Rights Association London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-02	Attacks against property	Freedom of Belief Initiative (Norwegian Helsinki Committee)	Show info
2019-10	Threats	Holy See	Show info
2019-07	Violent attacks against people	Holy See	Show info
2019-09	Threats	Holy See	Show info

Gender-based hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-01	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG) Transgender Europe (TGEU)	Show info

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Date	Type of incident	Source	Description
2019-01	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG) Transgender Europe (TGEU)	Show info
2019-05	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-06	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-04	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-06	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-01	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info
2019-03	Violent attacks against people	London Legal Group (LLG)	Show info