Anti-Christian hate crimes —which target Christian individuals and communities, or people perceived to be Christians— continue to remain a concern across the OSCE region. Given the numerous religious denominations and movements that comprise Christianity, crimes motivated by a bias against Christians can take many different forms, ranging from graffiti to vandalism, to physical assaults against Christians, or attacks against Christian churches.
As a result, anti-Christian hate crimes endanger the physical security of Christian communities, instilling a sense of fear and affecting the individual and collective exercise of freedom of religion or belief. Such hate crimes also impact women and men differently, as well as ethnic and racial minorities compared to majority groups. Like all hate crime, anti-Christian hate crimes are underreported.
Supporting OSCE participating States in countering anti-Christian hate crimes is one of the key elements of ODIHR’s mandate in the field of tolerance and non-discrimination. Participating States of the OSCE have agreed on a broad range of commitments to address discrimination and intolerance, including intolerance against Christians.1 While underlining the importance of a comprehensive approach to address discrimination and hate crimes, OSCE participating States have also acknowledged specificities of different forms of intolerance.
To assist participating States in assessing and addressing anti-Christian hate crimes and to ensure the security of Christian communities, ODIHR is producing a practical guide on understanding anti-Christian hate crimes and addressing the security needs of Christian communities. EFI were pleased to be amongst other experts to meet in Warsaw on the 21-22nd November 2024 to discuss the key topics and provide feedback on the guide.
