OSCE/ODIHR Director commends Croatia's efforts to fight hate crime

ZAGREB, 30 June 2006 - The Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights today commended the Croatian authorities for their efforts to fight hate-motivated crime.

Director Christian Strohal referred in particular to enhanced legislation, including a definition of hate crime incorporated into the criminal code of Croatia. He also praised the fact Croatia has become the first country in the region to offer its police officers training in combating such crimes.

Today is the final day of an inaugural training course in Zagreb for Croatian police officers in investigating and responding to hate motivated crime. The Croatian government will also sign a memorandum of agreement with the OSCE/ODIHR committing it to institutionalize hate crime training within the existing national curriculum for police training.

"Croatia is giving a lead to the region by developing its capacity to respond to hate crimes. This is done by improving relationships between the law enforcement agencies and the communities they police, and in enhancing security and justice for those groups which are affected by hate-motivated crimes," said Ambassador Strohal.

The police-training programme is a part of the OSCE's efforts to combat hate crime and is tailored to each country's specific circumstances. It was piloted last year in Hungary and Spain.

For the last three days, nine police trainers have been trained by Croatian police experts with support from the United Kingdom and the United States. They have been instructed in effective first response, investigation, intelligence-gathering and information-sharing as well as successful management of relations with victims, witnesses and affected communities.

The lead Croatian trainer, Daniela Petkovic will now join the ODIHR's team of police experts from Canada, France, Hungary, Spain and the UK and US, in order to support other countries in training their officers. Croatia will also be linked into a regional network and benefit from ongoing collaboration with these states to address hate crime.