Role of prosecutors in addressing hate crimes the focus of discussion at ODIHR and IAP event in Washington

Key challenges in strengthening the work by prosecutors in addressing hate crimes were the focus of a panel discussion organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) in Washington, D. C. on 22 October 2014.

The event, which is part of World Bank’s Law, Justice and Development Week 2014, brought together some 30 experts on hate crime issues, including representatives from civil society organizations and the international community, to exchange ideas on addressing challenges to the successful prosecution of hate crimes.

“Prosecutors are at the heart of efforts to combat hate crime, as they often link law enforcement agencies and the judiciary,” said Azra Junuzovic, Deputy Head of the ODIHR Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department. “To help prosecutors recognize and understand hate crimes, and to prosecute them more effectively, ODIHR, working with IAP, developed the resource Prosecuting Hate Crimes: A Practical Guide.”

The guide is aimed at improving the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes across the OSCE region.

“This work represents the first international guide on the prosecution of hate crimes, which not only causes serious harm to individuals, but in the broader context can lead to the breakdown of communities,” said Elizabeth Howe, General Counsel to IAP. “The IAP was pleased to collaborate with ODIHR on such an important publication.”

The guide complements ODIHR’s Prosecutors and Hate Crimes Training (PAHCT) programme, created to help prosecutors build solid hate crime cases, particularly in working with evidence of bias motivation.