FORUM ON MINORITY ISSUES Minorities in the criminal justice system 8th session, 24-25 November 2015 Item 4 - Challenges of criminal justice systems in addressing needs and demands of minorities REPUBLIC OF CROATIA Mr. President, The rights of persons belonging to minorities are a cornerstone of democratic societies. In Croatia, there are 22 national minorities that are guaranteed equality before the law and equal legal protection. We believe that access to justice is both a fundamental human right and a prerequisite for the protection of all other rights and freedoms. In Croatia, the Constitutional Law on National Minorities establishes firm legal protection focusing on a wide range of issues including language, religion, associations and media. It outlines strong provisions for public participation by minorities, including reserved seats in government and the establishment of Councils of National Minorities that act as advisory bodies to national, local and regional governments. Protection of national minorities is also guaranteed by the Anti-Discrimination Act. Although there is always a room for improvement, Croatia has developed a strong legislative framework to combat hate crime that defines it as either aggravating or qualifying circumstance of the criminal act that enables a more severe sanction. A public encouragement to violence and hate is a criminal act in Croatia. The Working Group for Monitoring Hate Crime Incidents was established in 2010 and it is a unique example of multi-institutional cooperation in the fight against hate crime. The Working Group includes the representatives of Police Academy, as education of police officers is seen as an important precondition for improving police skills in recognizing, understanding and investigating hate crimes.