Today marks the start of the Council of Europe Conference on Preventing and Combating Hate Crime, organised by the Steering Committee on Anti-discrimination, Diversity and Inclusion (CDADI), under the Presidency of Malta of the Committee of Ministers, and taking place in parallel to the plenary meeting of the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC).

The SOGIESC Unit is pleased to welcome Manuel Peinado Benítez, training Ambassador of the European LGBT Police Association (EGPA) and agent of the Mossos d’Escuadra, the Catalan police force, in Barcelona, who will speak during the plenary “Specific guidance for police”, presenting the updated manual « Policing Hate Crime against LGBTI persons: Training for a Professional Police Response ».

Over 50 prosecutors and at least as many police officers from all Council of Europe member States, participating both onsite and online, will hear about the essential skills to identify and investigate hate crimes against LGBTI persons and how to gain the trust of LGBTI communities or contribute to the fair and transparent application of national hate crime laws.

As a key partner of the police, engaging the prosecution services with the trainings allows for a better mutual understanding of the needs and challenges in the identification, investigation and prosecution of the hate motives, and therefore contributes to policing and prosecuting hate crimes successfully. We are confident this Conference will be only the beginning of a fruitful and long-lasting partnership!