Publications

ODIHR has developed the Words Into Action to Address Anti-Semitism project to strengthen the capacity of OSCE participating States and civil society to prevent and respond to anti-Semitism.

A factsheet outlining ODIHR's initiatives in the fight against hate crime.

This booklet aims to help local authorities, police and prosecutors, legislators and civil society groups better understand the problem of hate crime. It explains the significance of hate crimes and suggests how authorities and communities can prevent and better respond to them. The booklet is not a comprehensive guide or manual, but aims to introduce the concept of hate crime and the main aspects of the application of the concept in Ukraine.

Hate Crime Data Collection and Monitoring: A Practical Guide was written in co-operation with national experts, partner international organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations with responsibility for monitoring hate crimes at the national and international levels. It sets out 'Ten Practical Steps' that need to be taken to improve recording systems, to understand the extent of under-reporting and to encourage victims to report hate crimes. It aims to contribute to efforts to fill data gaps and gain a better understanding of the prevalence and impact of hate crime across the OSCE region.

Prosecuting Hate Crimes: A Practical Guide was written in cooperation with the International Association of Prosecutors to improve the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes across the OSCE region. The guide is relevant to different legal systems and legislative frameworks and complements ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crime Training (PAHCT). This guide aims to explain the impact of hate crimes by highlighting their specific features compared with other crimes. It presents the most common issues that arise for prosecutors in dealing with these crimes, with an emphasis on evidence of bias motivation, which is the distinguishing factor in hate crimes.

Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training (PAHCT) is a programme designed to improve responses to hate crimes by prosecutors. PAHCT is tailored to the needs and experiences of each country in which it is used. This programme is short, compact and flexible. It is designed to be integrated into existing training efforts and to draw on local resources. The standard PAHCT curriculum is customized to the hate crime context of the implementing state and to the laws and criminal justice procedures. PAHCT is best applied in co-operation with national training institutions for prosecutors and prosecutorial authorities. PAHCT can be delivered as a training of trainers or through training sessions provided directly to prosecutors. The training of trainers lasts three days, while a typical course for prosecutors only takes one and a half days.

A factsheet about ODIHR’s work in supporting legal reform in participating States by reviewing, upon request, individual pieces of draft and existing legislation to ensure clarity and coherence, as well as compliance with OSCE commitments and international human rights standards.

The 2012 edition of "Hate Crimes in the OSCE Region – Incidents and Responses", is the latest in a line of annual reports prepared by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) as part of the OSCE’s efforts to combat hate crime.

The report outlines a spectrum of violence, ranging from intimidation, threats, vandalism and assault to arson and murder. It includes a set of recommendations to help OSCE participating States improve their national legal systems and provide them with tools for effectively combating hate crimes.