Greek Police sets up offices for combating, recording and reporting racist violence.

Policy Response DateDecember 11, 2012 Country: Greece General Type: Racist violence, Racist discourse, Discrimination, Hate crime Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence, Anti-migrant/xenophobia, Anti-semitism, Islamophobia, Afrophobia, Arabophobia, Anti-roma/zinghanophobia, Religious intolerance, Inter-ethnic, Intra-ethnic, Nationalism, Homophobia, On grounds of disability, On grounds of other belief, Anti-roma/ romaphobia, Xenophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Refugees, Roma & Travelers, Muslims, Ethnic minorities, Religious minorities, Linguistic minorities, Majority, Asylum seekers, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, Persons with disability, Africans/black people, National minorities Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Policing - law enforcement, Anti-discrimination, Anti-racism, Daily life

Since December 2012 a network of 68 competent Police directorates throughout the country and 2 central Departments are assigned the task of collecting data and reporting on racist violence.
The 70 new local/regional Police offices against racist violence announced by the Greek Public order minister started to operate on January 2013. They are staffed by 200 police officers in 68 offices throughout the country + 2 central departments in Athens.
There is also a new countrywide hotline (11414) and an online form for reporting racist crime.
These police offices have been set up on the basis of the PD 132/2012 and they provide a number of services to victims with the clear mandate to combat hate motivate crimes (or incitement to) or actions which may cause discrimination, hate or violence against persons or groups of persons because of their race, colour, religion, ethnic or national origin. Moreover the mandate of these offices is:
- intervene also on own initiative in investigating and persecuting crimes concerning public incitement, provoking or stimulation to the commission of offenses or event acts or actions that can lead to discrimination, hatred or violence against persons or group of persons because of race, skin colour, religion, descent and national or ethnic origin. 
- aim at cooperating with civil society and victim organisations and to prevention of RV undertaking or supporting positive initiatives.
- keep a record of incidents investigated.
- inform victims and services who are competent for victims’ support and provides for interpreter if necessary.
- publish an annual report every January.
- provide surveillance of particular areas, with increased risk of racist attacks.

Source:

  • Presidential Degree 132/2012 about the creation of departments and offices combating racist violence (11.12.2012), Download pdf