Citizens’ feelings as to freedom of speech curtailing in Ukraine

41% of citizens, questioned in September, feel the freedom of speech curtailment in the country after presidential elections. Compared to the similar research conducted in April this year, this index increased more than twofold - from 18 to 41%.

35% of respondents do not feel the freedom of speech curtailment. Compared to April, this index decreased almost by the half - from 66 to 35%.

Since April the number of respondents who have not decided on the issue has also increased - from 16 to 24%.

The feeling of the freedom of speech curtailment has increased in all regions without exception. It increased the most in the Center of Ukraine (from 18 to 42%), in the North (from 23 to 55%) and in the West (from 38 to 59%), the least - in Donbas (from 6 to 15%) and in the South (from 10 to 29%). In Donbas the number of respondents who could not decide if there is curtailment of the freedom of speech in Ukraine has increased the most (from 19 to 37%).

Supporters of Freedom, Batkivshchyna and Front for Change are worried about the freedom of speech curtailment the most; supporters of CPU and the Party of Regions – the least. 45% of supporters of Strong Ukraine feel the freedom of speech curtailment, while 48% - do not feel it.

The positive balance of responses (the sum of "yes" responses prevails over the sum of "no" responses) is recorded among all demographic groups: according to age, education, settlement type and gender of respondents.

Middle-aged respondents (30-39 years) and people with higher education feel the freedom of speech curtailment in the country the most.

The target audience of the research: the population of Ukraine aged from 18 and older. Optional quantity: 2000 respondents. The methods of investigation: personal formalized interview according to the questionnaire (face to face). Measure of inaccuracy for the values close to 50% is less than 3%, for the values close to 30% – less than 2,6%, for the values close to 10% – less than 1,8. The period of completion: 9-16 of September 2010

The oblast’ distribution:

West: Volyns’ka, Transcarpathia, Ivano–Frankivs’ka, L’vivs’ka, Rivnens’ka, Ternopil’s’ka, Chernivets’ka.
Centre: Vinnyts’ka, Kirovograds’ka, Poltavs’ka, Khmel’nyts’ka, Cherkas’ka.
North: Kyiv, Kyivs’ka, Zhytomyrs’ka, Sums’ka, Chernihivs’ka.
South: AR Crimea, Odes’ka, Khersons’ka, Mykolaivs’ka, Sevastopol
East: Dnipropetrovs’ka, Zaporiz’ka, Kharkivs’ka.
Donbass: Donets’ka, Luhans’ka.