Turkey free speech: Only half of citizens think it is their right to criticise government, new survey finds

The nation has a well-established democracy but ranks poorly for free media and critics have accused authorities of trying to muzzle dissent

According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre, only 52 per cent of Turks believe people should be free to criticise their government without hindrance (Getty)

Only about half of Turks think people should be able to criticise government policies, according to a survey, making them the least supportive of this democratic right among 38 countries in the poll.

Turkey, a Nato member that aspires to join the European Union, has a well-established democracy but ranks poorly for free media and critics accuse the authorities of trying to muzzle dissent.

Authorities seized two newspapers and took two TV channels off the air ahead of a snap election. Reporters accused of involvement in coup conspiracies against President Tayyip Erdogan have been held in custody for years awaiting trial.

The survey by the Pew Research Centre of opinions on free speech, published this week, found that large majorities of people in most countries believe people should be free to criticise their government without hindrance.

But while the proportion of those backing such free criticism stood, for example, at 95 per cent in the US, at 93 per cent in Germany and Israel and at 72 per cent in Russia – perceived in the West as authoritarian – only 52 per cent of Turks agreed.

Turks were also divided over what the media could report, with 40 per cent saying the government should be able to restrict the publication of information about political protests, which is nearly double the global median and more than any other country except Vietnam.

Reuters