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Nation-wide home interviews conducted February 11-12 2006 in 100 residencies in 44 regions. A sample size of 1500 respondents. Additional polls of the Moscow population, with a sample of 600 respondents. The margin of error does not exceed 3,6%.
In the Russian mass consciousness, a respectful attitude toward religious values predominates. Only 6% of Russians think that it is acceptable to satirize deities, prophets and holy figures. According to the majority of Russians (85%), this is unacceptable.
As for the scandal surrounding the publications of caricatures depicting the Prophet Mohammed in European newspapers, 71% of Russians are aware of it (47% «knew», and 24% «have heard something»); and almost the same number (69%) have an idea about the explosive response of the Muslim world following the publications of the cartoons (47% «know», and 22% «have heard something»). About one-quarter of those surveyed learned about the issue from the pollster.
Asked to comment on this situation, Russians were inclined to condemn the publication of such caricatures rather than criticize the protest of the Muslim world in response to it.
The publication of caricatures showing the Prophet Mohammed was criticized by 63% of respondents; elderly people (71%), people with a higher education and residents of large cities (70% each) were more likely to criticize it than were others. Only 13% of those surveyed found the caricatures not to be offensive. One-quarter of those polled had difficulty expressing their opinion on this issue.
Answering an open-ended question, the majority of those who condemned the publication of the cartoons (about 40% of all those surveyed), spoke about the impropriety of such an offensive attitude toward the religious feelings of any believer. Those who said the caricatures were not offensive mostly had difficulty buttressing their opinion with arguments. Only 1% of respondents spoke about freedom of speech in this situation, and about the same number of those surveyed appealed to historical precedents and a sense of humor.
As for Russians' response to the mass protests throughout the Muslim world in response to the publication of the caricatures, there is no unanimity. Every fourth (26%) disapproved of these actions, while every fifth (19%) did approve of them, and every six or seventh (15%) were indifferent (10% had difficulty answering it). Those who were not aware of this event were not asked about this issue. People with a higher education (40%) and residents of megapolises (38%) were more likely to express their negative attitude toward the Muslim world's reaction to the publication of caricatures than were others.
Those who disapprove of the protests argued first of all that such actions are mostly aggressive and violent (7%). Some people (4%) described them as expressions of extremism and vandalism. Another 4% of respondents noted that such conflicts should be resolved in an amicable way. The same number of respondents (4%) thought that this scandal has been blown-up intentionally and is politically motivated. Some people (2%) think that the conflict may provoke a religious war.
Those who approve of these protest actions, argued that Muslims maintain every right to protect their religious canons (6%), and expressed their compassion to the hurt feeling of believers (5%). These arguments were mentioned by almost all those who approved of the Muslim world's vehement protests.
According to 38% of respondents, these events will seriously affect relations between the Muslim world and the West (this opinion was shared by half of all respondents possessing a higher education). Discussing the possible repercussions, these respondents were most likely to speak about the prospect of further terrorist activity and the threat of war (9% each of all those surveyed). At the same time, 30% of Russians think that these events won't lead to serious consequences, while others failed to give a substantive answer.
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Almost half of the respondents polled in June of 2003 thought that Islam plays a negative role in today's world (49%). Now, the number of those sharing this opinion has decreased by 10 percentage points, to 39%. These days, every fifth respondent opines that Islam's role in the world is positive (in June 2003, 14% of respondents said so). At the same time, the share of those who believe that Islam plays a negative role in the world has decreased by 6 percentage points, to 20% (in June of 2003, it was 26%). It is likely that this change of views among Russians has been caused primarily by the «cartoon story».
Irina Shmerlina
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