Hate Crime Targeting Migrants
Meeting
- Date:
- Location:
- Meeting Room 1, Belweder, Sofitel Hotel, Warsaw
- Organized by:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
- Source:
- OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
- Fields of work:
- Democratization, Human rights, Tolerance and non-discrimination, Migration
About the event
As part of the 2026 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, ODIHR is organizing a side event on preventing and responding to hate crimes targeting migrants. The event will explore the nature, drivers and impact of these crimes across the OSCE region, alongside challenges in ensuring access to justice and support for victims.
Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers can face physical assaults, threats and other crimes motivated by racism, xenophobia and overlapping forms of prejudice. These crimes cause lasting harm to victims and send a wider message of exclusion and intimidation, undermining social cohesion.
Drawing on findings from ODIHR’s annual Hate Crime Report, participants will examine incidents occurring at international borders, in transit and in countries of reception. They will discuss challenges in identifying, reporting, recording and responding to hate crimes, including the barriers victims face in accessing justice and support.
The discussion will bring together ODIHR experts and civil society representatives to share their perspectives. It will also consider the intersection between intolerance against Muslims and xenophobia.
Speakers
Opening remarks
Tea Jaliashvili, First Deputy Director, ODIHR
Presentations
- Ambassador Evren Dağdelen Akgün, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims
- Mikaela Christiansson, Adviser on Combating Racism and Xenophobia, ODIHR.
Civil society discussion
- Christine Chemutai Yegon, Board Member, Black Justice Poland
- Myroslava Keryk, President, Ukrainian House
- Doros Polycarpou, Executive Director, KISA
- Mariliza Deftou, Assistant Coordinator, Racist Violence Recording Network
Moderator: Ella Dodd, Migration/Freedom of Movement Adviser, ODIHR.
The audience discussion will be moderated by Mikaela Christiansson, followed by closing remarks from Ella Dodd.
Participation and contact
The side event is open to registered participants of the 2026 Warsaw Human Dimension Conference.
The working language is English.
For questions about this side event, please contact Ella Dodd, ODIHR's Migration and Freedom of Movement Adviser at Ella.Dodd@odihr.pl and/or Mikaela Christiansson, Adviser on Combating Racism and Xenophobia at Mikaela.Christiansson@odihr.pl.
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