More than 1,000 foreigners have been convicted of serious violent crimes in Austria
More than 1,000 non-Austrian citizens were convicted of serious violent crimes in Austria during 2025, according to new data released by the Ministry of Justice, which sparked strong political reactions and reopened the debate on immigration and security.
These figures came after the Freedom Party (FPÖ – Freedom Party of Austria) questioned Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Justice Minister Anna Sporer regarding violent crimes committed by non-Austrians. While the Ministry of the Interior stated that the 2025 data is still under technical review, the Ministry of Justice published confirmed conviction figures based on electronic court records.
From January to November 2025, 41 convictions for murder were recorded against non-Austrian citizens. Additionally, there were 914 convictions for serious bodily harm, 68 convictions for rape, 24 convictions for serious sexual assault against minors, 19 convictions for sexual assault against minors, and 85 convictions for sexual harassment and public sexual acts. Thus, the total number of convictions for serious violent crimes reached 1,151 cases.
The Secretary General of the Freedom Party, Michael Schneideritz, described these figures as evidence that 'foreign crimes have increased in 2025,' attributing what he called illegal mass immigration to the responsibility for what he described as a worsening security crisis. He called for a complete halt to asylum applications, enhanced border protection, and strict deportation of criminals.
He also criticized the government's deportation policy, describing it as a 'public relations stunt', and accused the authorities of focusing on individual cases while the borders remain 'wide open'. He stated that taxpayers are paying the price twice, through declining security and through the costs of incarcerating convicts in overcrowded prisons.
For comparison, police statistics for 2024 show the recording of 86,205 violent crimes in Austria, with about 48.2% of the suspects being non-Austrian, with the highest percentages coming from Romania, Germany, and Syria. The official statistics for 2025 have not yet been fully published.