64 percent in Turkey support restricting human rights to curb terror: Survey

ISTANBUL

Some 64 percent of Turkish citizens support “limiting” human rights if such measures help to curb terrorism, according to a survey conducted by the market research company IPSOS, daily Habertürk reported on Nov. 15. 

The survey, including 26,489 participants from 28 countries worldwide, was carried out between July 21 and Aug. 25. The questions were answered online in every country except Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal, where participants responded face-to-face. There were approximately 1,000 participants from each country.

Turkish citizens deemed “terror” as the country’s worst problem, with “corruption” gaining just 25 percent of the Turkish vote. Some 64 percent of Turks surveyed agreed with the statement: “My country should stop terror at all costs, including the limitation of human rights.”

A total of 71 percent of Turks also agreed with the statement: “When job opportunities decrease, employers should recruit this country’s [their own country] citizens.” Some 75 percent agreed with the statement: “The government is responsible for providing health services to all citizens.”

Terrorism aside, the survey also asked participants to name the worst problem their respective countries faced. Some 38 percent cited “corruption,” while 30 percent said “unemployment” and 28 percent named “poverty.” Peru, South Africa, Indonesia, Mexico, and Spain were the top five countries to name “corruption,” with percentages of 75, 67, 65, 65, and 62 respectively.

Participants were also asked to name the biggest problem in the world. Some 51 percent of the 26,589 total cited “terror,” though this figure rose to 67 percent for Turkish and Indonesian participants. Meanwhile participants from India, Poland, Belgium, France, the U.K. and Germany indicated “terror,” with percentages of 61, 61, 59, 58, 58 and 58 respectively.

Only half of the Nigerians surveyed considered terror the worst global problem, despite their many years fighting the radical Islamist group Boko Haram, Habertürk reported. The U.S. was near the middle of the list, with 53 percent.

Turkish citizens named “climate change” as the second worst global problem, and “poverty” third.

“Climate change” and “poverty” were followed by “corruption” (26 percent) and “social inequality” (24 percent).

Latin American participants generally chose “corruption” as worst global problem, with percentages of 56, 48, and 47 for Argentina, Peru, and Mexico respectively.