Sunday, February 22, 2004, Text Only Version

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Cover Story

This week in PARADE, contributing editor David Wallechinsky presents his list of the world’s 10 worst living dictators. Here, you can check out Wallechinsky’s “Dishonorable Mentions” list, 10 more tyrants whose deeds inspire fear and enmity. Also, listen to an exclusive interview with Wallechinsky, and visit the Web sites of human rights groups that keep tabs on the world’s worst leaders.

The World’s Worst Dictators
Dishonorable Mentions

11. Muammar al-Qaddafi-Libya
Age: 61. In power since 1969.
Although Qaddafi has gone to great lengths to rejoin the world community by compensating the victims of past terrorist acts and opening Libya to nuclear inspectors, he continues to rule his own people with an iron hand. His regime performs extrajudicial and summary executions, and curtails freedom of expression, especially criticism of the government.

12. Islam Karimov-Uzbekistan
Age: 66. In power since 1990.
As president of this Central Asian country bordering Afghanistan, Karimov has used the fight against terrorism as an excuse to imprison and torture his political opponents, especially Muslims. Last year, Human Rights Watch documented arrests and convictions of Uzbek Muslims for the peaceful expression of their religious beliefs.

13. Bashar al-Assad-Syria
Age: 38. In power since 2000.
An ophthalmologist by training, Bashar inherited power in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who had ruled Syria for 29 years. While the younger Assad has allowed some reforms (including independent newspapers), Syrian dissidents are still harassed and imprisoned.

14. Abdulkassim Salat Hassan-Somalia
Age: 62. In power since 2000.
Considered a hero when he took power in 2000 as president of civil-war–torn Somalia’s Transitional National Government, Hassan has done little to bring democracy or human rights to his country. Hassan has said he backs a peace deal reached by the country’s warlords and politicians last month that calls for the creation of a new national parliament. Hassan claims he will step down after the parliament elects a new president.

15. Aleksandr Lukashenko-Belarus
Age: 49. In power since 1994.
Europe’s last remaining dictactor, Lukashenko is shunned by the rest of the continent. He has been consistently criticized for his record on political and press freedoms, and for holding faulty elections.

16. Khamtai Siphandon-Laos
Age: 80. In power since 1998.
The 80-year-old Khamtai has strong ties to the military and has been president of Communist Laos since 1998. All media in Laos is government-owned and citizens are subject to arrest on charges of slandering the state and distorting party policies.

17. Tran Duc Luong-Vietnam
Age: 66. In power since 1997.
A geology technician, Luong oversees a classic Communist regime that curtails freedom of expression. Human rights groups have criticized the Vietnamese government’s crackdowns on democracy activists and its tight control of the media.

18. Isaias Afwerki-Eritrea
Age: 59. In power since 1993.
A popular leader of Eritrea’s war of liberation against Ethiopia, Afwerki has turned increasingly repressive in the last three years. An annual U.S. State Department report on religious freedom released at the end of last year criticized the government’s persecution of religious minorities. Afwerki’s regime has also detained critics and opponents without trial.

19. Joseph Kabila-Democratic Republic of Congo
Age: 34. In power since 2001.
Kabila gained power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, Laurent. He inherited a war-torn country filled with resources that the rest of the world covets. According to human rights experts, militias allied with Kabila’s government continue to recruit and employ child soldiers.

20. Paul Kagame-Rwanda
Age: 47. In power since 2000.
In the wake of the 1994 massacres of at least 800,000 Rwandans, the world has tried to support Kagame. However, last year, in the nation’s first presidential election since then, Kagame won a suspiciously high 95% of the vote and European Union officials declared the vote “not entirely” fair. Kagame’s regime has also been criticized for repressing political opposition and not allowing freedom of expression.

WEBLINKS
Several international human rights groups investigate and publicize abuses of power by world leaders. You can learn more about the dictators on David Wallechinsky’s list, and the countries they lead, at the following Web sites.

Freedom House * Amnesty International* Human Rights Watch * Reporters Without Borders* back to top