Hate Crimes in the Republic of Croatia: Some Theoretical and Practical Controversies

Sa？etak The authors analyse the concept of hate crimes and the introduction of hate crime legislation in the Croatian criminal justice system. The notion of hate crime was introduced in Croatian legislation through the amendments of 2006 to the CC97, but the definition lacked conceptual clarity, and, consequently, did not produce the desired effects. Although the definition has been substantially refined in the new Criminal Code of 2011, some of its aspects are still open to different interpretations and its application still raises questions. The authors point to controversial issues in practice, and offer some solutions, taking into account relevant international sources and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. In conclusion, they point to the inadequate institutional and legal framework with respect to hate misdemeanours