Hate crimes in Portugal saw a significant rise of 38% in 2023 compared to the previous year, totaling 347 reported cases.

The Public Security Police (PSP) encountered a 15% increase with 231 cases, while the National Republican Guard (GNR) experienced a much sharper increase of 68%, amounting to 116 cases.

The GNR noted a particular uptick in crimes against cultural identity and personal integrity, highlighting issues such as racial and religious discrimination, torture, and inhumane acts.

Although Portugal's Penal Code lacks a specific legal definition for hate crimes, it does provide for penalties, including imprisonment, for acts of discrimination and incitement to hate and violence.

Crimes such as homicides and physical assaults are categorized as hate crimes when motivated by prejudice based on race, religion, or sexual orientation.

There is a reported challenge in tracking hate crimes effectively due to the absence of a specialized computerized system for the purpose.