Subject
available languages
Date of publication
Law Enforcement Authorities in the Face of Growing Bias-Motivated Violence
What is the publication about?
The publication examines how the police and public prosecution service respond to bias-motivated crimes and why so many proceedings are discontinued. It combines statistical data from 2017–2025 with an analysis of specific cases handled by Czulent and the Open Republic Association.
What does the report show?
The report describes the growing number of proceedings, significant differences between individual prosecution offices, difficulties in identifying perpetrators operating online, insufficient initiative in gathering evidence, and the consequences of the lack of stable specialization in bias-motivated cases. In 2024, only 18% of proceedings resulted in an indictment being filed with the court, while 43% were discontinued.
Who is this report for?
The publication is aimed primarily at prosecutors, police officers, lawyers, policymakers, public institutions, and organizations supporting victims of hate crimes. It may also be useful for people working on digital safety, the Digital Services Act (DSA), and the accountability of online platforms.
Table of contents
- Summarry
- Introduction
- Police and Prosecution Service Statistics: The Scale and Dynamics of the Phenomenon
- Lack of a Implement the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Its Impact on the Effectiveness of Law Enforcement
- Lack of a Systemic Understanding of the Nature of Bias-Motivated Crimes
- Problems with Legal Classification and the Practice of Discontinuing Bias-Motivated Cases
- Evidence-Gathering Initiative: A Critical Area
- Possible Reasons for the Low Proportion of Cases Referred to Court
- Methodology and Scope of the Analysis
- Report Team
- List of Charts
Cooperation and support
The publication was produced in cooperation with the “Open Republic” Association Against Antisemitism and Xenophobia.
The publication was prepared as part of the project “Online Antisemitism in Poland: Establishment of a Legal Aid Helpdesk, Reporting and Advocacy Activities,” funded by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ).
This publication does not reflect the position or opinions of the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ).