Kavev, K. (2024), Bias-motivated crimes and hate speech in Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, 12 December 2024.
Country
Bulgaria
Title
Kavev, K. (2024), Bias-motivated crimes and hate speech in Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, 12 December 2024.
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Year
2024
Publication type
Report - unofficial (CSO) data on incidents
Geographical coverage
National
Area/location of interest
Not applicable - national level
Type of Institution
Civil Society Organisation
Institution
Bulgaria, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (Български хелзински комитет)
Thematic focus
Hate crime Hate speech: Public incitement to hatred or violence
Groups
General population
Key findings
The report highlights recurring bias-motivated incidents targeting vulnerable groups, including ethnic Turks, Roma, minority religious communities, migrants, refugees, individuals with mental disorders, and the LGBTI community. The Roma community, in particular, faces persistent violence and discrimination, often with inadequate legal consequences for perpetrators. Ultra-nationalist political parties and certain media outlets contribute to the spread of hate speech, reinforcing societal prejudices. International bodies, including the UN and the Council of Europe, have criticized Bulgaria’s insufficient response, citing ineffective investigations, prosecutions, and the lack of comprehensive legal frameworks. The report calls for legislative reforms, enhanced law enforcement training, public awareness campaigns, improved victim support, and greater civil society involvement in monitoring and reporting hate incidents.
Methodology (Qualitative/Quantitative and exact type used, questionnaires etc)
The report summarises research and observations on bias motivated crimes and hate speech in Bulgaria. It attempts to provide an overview of the development of the problem of bias-motivated crime and hate speech after the democratic changes of 1989. It includes both incidents of such crimes and speech as well as the response of the law-enforcement authorities. Another important aspect is the assessments of some international human rights bodies: the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, the observations and recommendations of the Council of Europe and the UN bodies. The report also presents general statistical data as well as some of the more prominent cases, submitted through the online platform for reporting hate-related incidents equal.bg.
Sample details and representativeness
The data collected through the equal.bg platform provides a sample of 87 reported hate and bias-motivated incidents, which were carefully screened for relevance. These cases were categorised into three primary groups: discrimination (21 cases), hate crime (31 cases), and hate speech (35 cases). The representativeness of the sample, however, may be limited by the nature of the reporting process. Since the platform relied on voluntary reports from individuals who were aware of, or affected by, hate-related incidents, it could exclude cases that were not reported or those that were not captured through the online medium.
DISCLAIMERThe information presented here is collected under contract by the FRA's research network FRANET. The information and views contained do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the FRA.