Indicator history

 In its written comments to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee notes that although the state does not collect any statistics on the racially motivated hate crime, under unofficial information the number of private racist attacks has increased during the 2004-2008 period. Skinheads and other racist groups assault Roma or foreigners with darker skin colour. According to the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee in cases of racist crime, when prosecuted, the offenders are usually charged with ordinary crimes (murder, bodily injury, destruction of property, etc.) and thus the Bulgarian criminal justice system fails to address the racist nature of the crimes and to offer appropriate protection, the BHC comments say.