Brochure Launch for Victims of Hate Crimes, Hate Speech and/or Discrimination based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation

In light of International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on 17 May 2021, NHC, in cooperation with Albanian NGOs Aleanca LGBTI and Pro-LGBT, has launched an informative brochure for victims of hate crimes, hate speech and/or discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. The brochure, which is part of the awareness raising campaign within the project on Countering discrimination and protecting LGBTQI+ rights in Albania, functions as a guideline for victims on what to do and where to go for support. To read the brochure click here.

The brochure provides victims with information on how to report a hate crime and where to go for free legal aid and victim support, but also emphasizes the importance of reporting hate crimes to the police and knowing your rights as a victim. Cases of hate crime, hate speech and discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons remain highly underreported in Albania, amongst many other reasons due to a lack of trust in and inadequate recognition of hate crimes by institutions that should guarantee the protection of the LGBTQI+ community as well as uncertainty surrounding how or where to report the incident or how reporting will help. For these cases to be prosecuted as well as to ensure protection and prevention of more hate crimes towards the community, it is important that victims report the aforementioned crimes to the authorities. The brochure therefore also highlights the important topic of what to do in case a police officer refuses to help file a report.

In order to tackle discrimination and underreporting by the police and to raise awareness about hate crime and discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons among police officers in Albania, NHC, together with the NGOs and the Albanian State Police, the Police Academy and Faculty of Security and Investigation launched a brochure on policing hate crime and discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons earlier this year on 31 March 2021. To read the police brochure click here.