Bulgaria: Missing the point: Lack of adequate investigation of hate crimes in Bulgaria

Victims of hate crimes in Bulgaria are being denied justice by the failure of investigators and prosecutors to take discriminatory motives into account. Hate crimes are typically investigated as offences motivated by “hooliganism”, rather than crimes targeting victims on account of their ethnic origin, migrant status or sexual orientation. The full extent of hate crimes in Bulgaria and their impact on victims therefore remains largely hidden and unacknowledged. This report analyses the reporting, recording and effective investigation of hate crimes and calls on the Bulgarian authorities to revise and enforce its hate crime legislation.

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