Civil Liberties

Venezuela Law Asks Judiciary to Answer to Gov't

June 4, 2008

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has enacted a new 'spy' law that opposition groups claim will threaten judicial independence. In December of 2006, 54% of Venezuelans surveyed said they had confidence in their judicial system.

Mexico’s Citizens Ready for Improved Justice System

Slightly more than a third express confidence in judicial system and courts

February 20, 2008

Mexico’s Congress is poised to pass what some are heralding to be the most important judicial reform in a century. A Gallup Poll in Mexico shows confidence in the justice system is low and Mexicans are ready for change.More ...

Saudis Support Women's Rights

December 21, 2007

In the wake of the sentencing and pardoning of a Saudi woman who was a victim of sexual assault, Gallup reexamines data which finds majorities of women and men support women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

Aussie Tolerance

August 15, 2007

A nation of tolerant people is unhappy with their government's treatment of a potential terror suspect.

Civil Liberties

Which comes closer to your view -- [ROTATED: the government should take all steps necessary to prevent additional acts of terrorism in the U.S. even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated, (or) the government should take steps to prevent additional acts of terrorism but not if those steps would violate your basic civil liberties]?More ...

More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Government Collecting Phone Records

May 15, 2006

A new USA Today/Gallup poll shows that by a 51% to 43% margin, Americans disapprove of the federal government's program to compile a database of billions of telephone records. A majority of the public believes the program violates the law, but at the same time only about one-third say they would be concerned if they knew the federal government had their phone records. Six in 10 favor congressional hearings into this government program.More ...

Martin Luther King Jr.: Revered More After Death Than Before

Americans chose King as second most admired person of century in 1999

January 16, 2006

Martin Luther King Jr. was among the most admired people of the 20th century when Americans looked back over the 100 years between 1900 and 1999, but was much less revered in the years before his assassination in April 1968. King had a more negative than positive rating in 1966, and did not appear as one of Americans' 10 most admired men in either 1966 or 1967.More ...

Americans Protective of Civil Rights

Two-to-one majority opposes violation of civil rights in fight against terrorism

December 21, 2005

By a 2-to-1 margin, Americans say they're opposed to allowing the government to violate basic civil liberties while fighting terrorism. When asked specifically about the Patriot Act, about one-third say it "goes too far." These views are highly related to party affiliation, with Republicans more supportive of the Patriot Act and of allowing the government to violate civil liberties while fighting terrorism than are either independents or Democrats.More ...

Liberty vs. Security: Public Mixed on Patriot Act

Majority familiar with the law

July 19, 2005

Recent Gallup polling on the Patriot Act allows a look beyond the rhetoric of government officials and civil libertarians, to explore the opinions of all Americans. Results show self-reported awareness of the act is high, while public opinion about the act's effect on Americans' civil liberties is mixed.More ...