The Attorney General’s Office and hate crimes: a lack of respect for international Law?

Abstract

Circular 7/2019, on guidelines for interpreting hate crimes under article 510 of the Criminal Code, contains a series of criteria that —according to the Office of the Attorney General of the State— are shared by all the offences included in this provision. Through a brief analysis of each of them, this article seeks to verify whether the Circular indeed facilitates the understanding of these criminal figures with a view to their eventual criminal sanction. Beyond this —and as a primary objective—, it seeks to emphasize a fundamental aspect: the brazen lack of attention of the Office of the Attorney General to the international Treaties signed by Spain, with the dangerous repercussions that this entails.