Who Is the World's Worst Dictator? (2007 version)

There are more than 70 countries ruled by dictators who exercise arbitrary authority over their citizens and who cannot be removed from power through legal means. These tyrants suppress the freedoms of speech and religion, and the right to a fair trial. Some also commit torture, execute opponents and starve their own people. PARADE's annual list is drawn in part on reports from Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders and the U.S. State Department. Notably, there are two leaders who did not make this year's list: Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan, No. 8 last year, died in December; and Fidel Castro, No. 15, relinquished power in Cuba to his brother Raul on July 31. Among the newcomers are Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Vladimir Putin of Russia. Some who moved up in rank are Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei, Hu Jintao of China, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Bashar al-Assad of Syria. But by no means does this indicate that those whom they passed showed improvements.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Dictators
• Omar
• al-Bashir
• Kim
• Jong-il
• Sayyid
• Ali
• KhamEnei
• Hu
• Jintao
• King
• Abdullah
• Than
• Shwe
• Robert
• Mugabe
• human
• rights

[Bossjm93]

i think kim jong il should have been #1...

[SunriseCountry]

Yes, You are right.

He became No1. in February, 2008.

[ZigZagzGoon]

Apparently buying the media doesn't make you a dictator party, but taking it forcefully does.

[ZigZagzGoon]

I'm a little surprised that Vlad was on this list. He's certainty the center of power in Russia, and has violated rights to free speech, but this is the first time I have heard him described as a dictator. He could be considered a "good tyrant." Under his rule the Russian standard of living has gone up, but he didn't inherit much lol.

[ozmodiar88]

I didn't write that most cubans were brainwashed, but most of them have never even been outside Cuba, and have to take Castro's word on how the world outside Cuba is. Since most cubans aren't brainwashed, only 1 out of 3 cubans believe the bullshit the cuban government actually tells about the USA.

I strongly doubt that Castro is popular amoung the two million cubans who have emigrated since 1959. Nor was he popular amoung the 70 000 cubans who died trying to get to Florida on homemade rafts.

[ozmodiar88]

Many of them live in Florida because they emigrate illegaly, hoping that the police won't see them. Unfortunately for the 13 de marzo victims, the police did see them -- and intentionaly killed more than half of the refugees in board to make a point.

If it's a pissing contest you want, a pissing contest you shall have. The US has lost billions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan; Cuba was payd by the Soviet Union to help them invade Afghanistan, Angola and so on.

[wenithboy]

whatever u say. your arguments are obviously flawed . If Cubans have the right to leave Cuba howis it that so many of them live in South Florida. Another thing is becuase some Cubans love Fidel does not necessary mean that they are brainwashed or cant think for themselves . Lastly, lets not speak about Cuba assiting in war becuase the USA not only assist in wars but create and benefit in them.

[ozmodiar88]

He is the longest reigning president of all time because he has supressed ALL political opposition.

Cubans "love" Fidel Castro because he built a cult around himself, he denied the cuban people the right to leave the country and Cuba today has one of the most strict censorship systems of all time. Several italians "loved" Mussolini and several norwegians "loved" Quisling as well.

When it comes to war, Cuba assisted The USSR in several of them (like a true puppet regime does).

[wenithboy]

My friend Castro is not just saying this NGO's are saying this along with other Western countries with whom Cuba has no hostilites . Another thing is that not all Carribean countries has a good agronomic system I know that because I live in one. Lastly, the Cuban people (majority) would never kill Castro becuase they love him. If they did'nt they would have a long time ago. The truth is that he outlasted all of your war-mongering presidents and will go down as one of history's great leaders.

[ozmodiar88]

Kim Jong-il claims that North-Korea has the world's highest average IQ. Robert Mugabe claims that there's no such thing as cholera in Zimbabwe. Why should we then believe what the cuban government tells us about their health care? Free healthcare is not synonymous with good healthcare.

The cuban argonomic system is good because of the climate, which is also the case in all the Caribean islands.

Voting is suspended because if Castro was to lose an election, he'd end up like Nicolae Ceaucescu.

[wenithboy]

Let me tell what I do know about Cuba, their agronomic system is one of the best in the Western Hemisphere, there is zero literacy there, they have some of the best doctors in the world and their health care system is beating many western countries including the united states. The United States have been threatening the Cubans right of self determination and self rule for years this is the real reason the voting was suspended. But there are more important things than voting for a politician.

[ozmodiar88]

Just because you don't like a person doesn't man that he's a dictator.

Take Cuba for instance. This is the only country in the western hemisphere that doesn't hold free elections. Trying to log on the the internet will send you to jail for five years, bookburnings are frequently held, you'll get killed by the police (13 de marzo is a perfect example) if you try to leave, there's an enourmous cult around Fidel Castro and Che Guevara and so on.