those based on sexual orientation (15%), racism (14%), xenophobia (13%) and “hostility towards foreigners” (9%), with the latter three remaining the most common in absolute terms. According to the report of the Independent Expert Group on Anti-Muslim Sentiment presented in June, anti-Muslim racism was widespread across German society. Following the Hamas attacks in Israel on 7 October, and the subsequent Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, civil society organizations reported a rise in antisemitic attacks against Jewish individuals and institutions as well as racist attacks against Muslims. In October, a study by the Fundamental Rights Agency found that Germany was one of the top two countries in the EU where people of African descent experienced racial discrimination. A research project funded by the German Research Foundation found that 33% of respondents felt they had been discriminated against during interactions with police. Marginalized groups such as racialized people, LGBTI+ people and homeless people were at particular risk of discrimination and less likely to make complaints. The Council of Europe decided to use enhanced supervision for the judgment on Basu v. Germany concerning inadequate investigations into allegations of racial profiling. The lack of effective, independent complaints mechanisms and mandatory identification badges for police at federal and state levels continued to hamper investigations into allegations of human rights violations by police. LGBTI PEOPLE In March, an amendment to the Transfusion Act was passed, abolishing the discriminatory exclusion of gay and bisexual men as well as transgender people from blood donation. Parliament discussed a new SelfDetermination Act enabling trans, non-binary and intersex people to obtain legal gender recognition by making a simple declaration at the registry office. The State of the World’s Human Rights GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE According to figures presented by the Federal Criminal Police Office in July, more cases of gender-based violence were registered in 2022 than in the previous five years. Every hour, more than 14 women were victims of intimate partner violence. Almost every day, a partner or ex-partner tried to kill a woman. From 1 October, motives based on gender or sexual orientation were explicitly included in the Criminal Code as aggravating factors for all crimes. FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY In May, the Berlin Assembly Authorities preemptively imposed blanket bans on protests in solidarity with the rights of Palestinians around the Nakba Remembrance Day in violation of the right to peaceful assembly. The grounds for the bans also violated the right to non-discrimination as they were based on stigmatizing and racist stereotypes of people perceived as Arab or Muslim. Also, after 7 October, numerous protests in solidarity with Palestinians were preemptively banned. There were media reports of unnecessary and excessive use of force by police, hundreds of arrests and increased racial profiling of people perceived as Arab or Muslim in the context of these protests. Ahead of the international automotive fair in September, at least 27 climate activists were placed in preventative detention for up to 30 days under Section 17 of the Bavarian Police Tasks Act, allowing the police to request detention without concrete suspicion of a crime or initiating a criminal proceeding. There were several media reports of excessive use of force in policing peaceful protests, including pain compliance holds as a means of dispersing climate activists blocking streets. Public Prosecutor’s Offices in two federal states investigated climate activist groups under Section 129 of the Criminal Code, accusing them of forming a criminal organization. These investigations involved extensive search and surveillance measures, including the interception of a press telephone and the confiscation of personal 179