In the twelfth and last part of Anadolu Agency's (AA) file news titled "Discrimination in Europe", the experiences of anti-Muslim and discrimination in the country were compiled based on the latest evaluations of the official equal treatment institution and non-governmental organizations.
In the 2025 report published by the Austrian Anti-Muslim Racism and Islamophobia Documentation and Advisory Center Dokustelle on June 11, it was noted that 1684 incidents were recorded targeting Muslims or people perceived to be Muslims.
The report emphasized that the number of cases, which reached the highest level in the organization's records, does not include all events in society and the real number may be higher.
Stating that 63.1 percent of the cases occurred online, the report noted that racism is not limited to individual behavior, but is also reproduced through political discourses and institutional practices.
The report pointed out that the notifications increased in the last two months of the year, and this development was associated with the discussions regarding the headscarf ban and some political campaigns.
Muslim women come to the fore in religious discrimination cases
In the 2024-2025 activity report of the Austrian Ombudsman for Equal Treatment (GAW), it was stated that 87 percent of religious discrimination cases were related to Muslims, and 90 percent of the victims in these cases were women.
The report underlines that religion, gender and ethnicity are effective together, and that different reasons for discrimination are intertwined in these experiences.
In the report published by the Austrian Parliament on September 30, it was noted that GAW handled 9 thousand 268 applications in two years, 1975 of which were related to discrimination cases.
The report emphasized that discrimination cases increased by 33 percent compared to the previous two-year period, and that 73 percent of the cases were related to working life.
The report stated that 33 percent of discrimination cases were related to ethnicity, and that racism in the housing market and denial of admission to businesses came to the fore in access to services.
Reports of racism regarding public institutions and police increased
According to reports by Anti-Racism Action and Civil Response (ZARA), reports of racism in public institutions increased from 105 in 2024 to 125 in 2025. During the same period, police-related notifications increased from 56 to 108.
The 2025 report included the example of the immigration office in Vienna rejecting a residence application based on a police report containing prejudices against Turks and Muslims. It was shared that the claim that the marriage was made for the purpose of obtaining a residence permit was found invalid in the court and the rejection decision was annulled.
Discrimination complaints regarding the headscarf ban increased
With the regulation that came into force on September 1 in Austria, female students under the age of 14 were banned from wearing headscarves in public and private schools. The fact that the regulation does not include other religious symbols such as the kippa used by Jews and the cross worn by Christians, but only targets Muslim female students, led to it being considered a discriminatory practice.
The Islamic Community of Austria (IGGÖ) stated that during the implementation of the ban, some female students were kept waiting in front of the school secretariat for a long time, were not allowed to return to their classes and were sent home. In the statement, which included the cases reported by parents, it was stated that students were repeatedly called to meet in the corridors, and during these meetings, girls were told that they might face sanctions or punishment from their parents due to their behavior.
In the evaluation of Amnesty International Austria, it was stated that the regulation targets only Muslim girls and constitutes discrimination on the basis of religion and gender.
The evaluation pointed out the importance of girls being able to decide about their own clothing and religious identity, and noted that forcing the state to remove the headscarf was an intervention in this freedom and was incompatible with access to education free from discrimination.
There is a trust problem in relations with public institutions
In the research titled "When the law does not protect" published by Dokustelle on March 26, experiences in relations with the police, courts and administrative authorities were examined.
The study, based on an online survey and experiences of a large number of people who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim, noted that more than 60 percent of participants reported experiencing racism in an institutional context.
The research mentioned disrespectful treatment and generalizing approaches and stated that only 19 percent of the participants had legal support.
The research evaluated that these experiences had a negative impact on trust in state institutions, seeking rights and social participation, and suggested creating safe complaint mechanisms and providing training to public officials.
Immigrants' experiences of discrimination extend to employment, education and public services
In the "Migration and Integration 2026" report published by the Austrian Statistical Institute in September, it was noted that 72 percent of immigrants surveyed reported that they had been discriminated against due to their origin in the previous 12 months.
In the research reported that 4 thousand 260 immigrants born in nine different countries participated, it was noted that the rate of those who reported that they were treated negatively in business or education life due to their origins was 65 percent, and the rate of those who had this experience in relations with public institutions was 59 percent.
In the report, it was stated that the rate of those reporting general discrimination experience was 82 percent for those born in Türkiye, 65 percent for those born in Romania, and 67 percent for those born in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Different origin and belief groups are targeted by hate crimes
In the 2025 Hate Crimes Report announced by the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs on July 27, it was stated that 6 thousand 751 crimes committed with bias motivation were recorded across the country, and the number remained at a level similar to the previous year.
In the report, which examined crimes committed due to reasons such as origin, religion, gender or worldview, it was stated that the internet was the most frequently recorded crime scene and that approximately one-third of the suspects were under 21 years of age.
The report emphasized that 1,575 victims of violent hate crimes were recorded, and that national or ethnic origin was the main motive for injuries, dangerous threats and coercion crimes for all age groups.
