Hate crime protections

LGBTQ+ people are protected from hate crimes in 52 countries.

DATE

Hate crime protections

Hate-crime protections are laws that treat an offence more seriously when it is motivated by bias against someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. When a crime—such as assault, vandalism, or threats—is proven to be bias-motivated, prosecutors can request tougher penalties or judges can add extra time to a sentence. The aim is to recognise the broader harm these attacks inflict on the LGBTQ community and to deter would-be offenders.

The scope of these protections varies widely. Some regions limit them to violent crimes, while others include property damage, harassment, or even hateful speech. Many modern laws now list both sexual orientation and gender identity as protected characteristics, though older statutes sometimes cover only one or the other. Enforcement remains uneven: bias can be hard to prove, victims may be reluctant to report, and police training on identifying hate crimes is inconsistent. Even so, more jurisdictions are updating their legal codes and data-collection practices, signalling a growing recognition that bias-motivated violence requires a distinct, stronger response.

Summary

52
Protected
52 regions (26%)
Protected
25
Some protections
25 regions (13%)
Some protections
98
No protections
98 regions (49%)
No protections
23
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
23 regions (12%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
52%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
26 regions (52%)
Some protections
10 regions (20%)
No protections
7 regions (14%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (14%)
Oceania
21%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (21%)
Some protections
1 regions (7%)
No protections
7 regions (50%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (21%)
South America
58%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
7 regions (58%)
Some protections
2 regions (17%)
No protections
3 regions (25%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
13 regions (57%)
Some protections
1 regions (4%)
No protections
8 regions (35%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (4%)
Africa
6%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
3 regions (6%)
Some protections
7 regions (13%)
No protections
40 regions (74%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (7%)
Asia
0%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Protected
regions (0%)
Some protections
4 regions (9%)
No protections
33 regions (75%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
7 regions (16%)

Timeline of hate crime protections

Number of countries to have hate crime protections over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2026

2025

2024

Hate crime protections by Country

Sexual orientation and gender identity

Hate crime protections is sexual orientation and gender identity in 52 regions.

  1. Europe (26)
  2. Albania 2013
  3. Andorra 2022
  4. Belgium 2022
  5. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2016
  6. Croatia 2019
  7. Cyprus 2017
  8. Czechia 2026
  9. Denmark 2022
  10. Finland 2011
  11. France
  12. Germany 2024
  13. Greece 2024
  14. Hungary 2012
  15. Iceland 2022
  16. Ireland 2024
  17. Kosovo 2019
  18. Luxembourg 2023
  19. Malta 2012
  20. Moldova 2022
  21. Montenegro 2023
  22. North Macedonia 2023
  23. Norway 2020
  24. Portugal 2024
  25. Serbia 2012
  26. Spain 2022
  27. Sweden 2019
  28. North America (13)
  29. Antigua and Barbuda 2021
  30. Canada 2017
  31. Costa Rica 2022
  32. Cuba 2022
  33. Dominica 2021
  34. El Salvador 2015
  35. Grenada 2021
  36. Honduras 2013
  37. Nicaragua 2021
  38. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2021
  39. Saint Lucia 2021
  40. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2021
  41. United States 2009
  42. Africa (3)
  43. Cape Verde 2015
  44. Mozambique 2020
  45. Seychelles 2024
  46. Oceania (3)
  47. Australia 2025
  48. New Zealand 2002
  49. Samoa 2016
  50. South America (7)
  51. Argentina 2012
  52. Bolivia 2010
  53. Brazil 2019
  54. Chile 2012
  55. Ecuador 2014
  56. Peru 2017
  57. Uruguay 2003

Sexual orientation only

Hate crime protections is sexual orientation only in 18 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Israel 2004
  3. Timor-Leste 2009
  4. Europe (10)
  5. Austria 2016
  6. Bulgaria 2023
  7. Georgia 2025
  8. Lithuania 2022
  9. Monaco 2020
  10. Netherlands 2025
  11. Romania 2006
  12. San Marino 2016
  13. Slovakia 2006
  14. Slovenia 2008
  15. North America (1)
  16. Belize 2024
  17. Africa (4)
  18. Angola 2021
  19. Kenya 2023
  20. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  21. Tanzania 2023
  22. South America (1)
  23. Colombia 2001

Protected in some contexts

Hate crime protections is protected in some contexts in 7 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Bhutan 2015
  3. Mongolia 2017
  4. Africa (3)
  5. Chad 2017
  6. Lesotho 2022
  7. Malawi 2018
  8. Oceania (1)
  9. Vanuatu
  10. South America (1)
  11. Venezuela 2017

No protections

Hate crime protections is no protections in 98 regions.

  1. Asia (33)
  2. Afghanistan
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh
  5. Brunei
  6. Cambodia
  7. China
  8. India
  9. Iran
  10. Iraq
  11. Japan
  12. Jordan
  13. Kazakhstan
  14. Kuwait
  15. Kyrgyzstan
  16. Malaysia
  17. Myanmar
  18. Nepal
  19. North Korea
  20. Oman
  21. Qatar
  22. Saudi Arabia
  23. Singapore
  24. South Korea
  25. Sri Lanka
  26. Syria
  27. Taiwan
  28. Tajikistan
  29. Thailand
  30. Turkmenistan
  31. United Arab Emirates
  32. Uzbekistan
  33. Vietnam
  34. Yemen
  35. Europe (7)
  36. Azerbaijan
  37. Estonia
  38. Latvia
  39. Poland
  40. Switzerland
  41. Turkey
  42. Vatican City
  43. North America (8)
  44. Bahamas
  45. Barbados
  46. Dominican Republic
  47. Guatemala
  48. Haiti
  49. Jamaica
  50. Panama
  51. Trinidad and Tobago
  52. Africa (40)
  53. Algeria
  54. Benin
  55. Botswana
  56. Burkina Faso
  57. Burundi
  58. Cameroon
  59. Central African Republic
  60. Côte d’Ivoire
  61. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  62. Djibouti
  63. Egypt
  64. Eritrea
  65. Eswatini
  66. Ethiopia
  67. Gabon
  68. Gambia
  69. Ghana
  70. Guinea
  71. Guinea-Bissau
  72. Liberia
  73. Libya
  74. Madagascar
  75. Mali
  76. Mauritania
  77. Mauritius
  78. Morocco
  79. Namibia
  80. Niger
  81. Republic of the Congo
  82. Rwanda
  83. Senegal
  84. Sierra Leone
  85. Somalia
  86. South Africa
  87. South Sudan
  88. Sudan
  89. Togo
  90. Tunisia
  91. Zambia
  92. Zimbabwe
  93. Oceania (7)
  94. Federated States of Micronesia
  95. Fiji
  96. Marshall Islands
  97. Nauru
  98. Papua New Guinea
  99. Tonga
  100. Tuvalu
  101. South America (3)
  102. Guyana
  103. Paraguay
  104. Suriname

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on hate crime protections is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 23 regions.

  1. Asia (7)
  2. Indonesia
  3. Laos
  4. Lebanon
  5. Maldives
  6. Pakistan Varies by Region
  7. Palestine
  8. Philippines Varies by Region
  9. Europe (7)
  10. Armenia Ambiguous
  11. Belarus Ambiguous
  12. Italy Ambiguous
  13. Liechtenstein Ambiguous
  14. Russia Ambiguous
  15. Ukraine Ambiguous
  16. United Kingdom Varies by Region
  17. North America (1)
  18. Mexico Varies by Region
  19. Africa (4)
  20. Comoros
  21. Equatorial Guinea Ambiguous
  22. Nigeria Varies by Region
  23. Uganda
  24. Oceania (3)
  25. Kiribati
  26. Palau
  27. Solomon Islands
  28. Antarctica (1)
  29. Antarctica N/A

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