Dictators

1. Dictators • Control media • Restrict elections • Controls the military • Consolidate power through fear • Human rights are not respected • Nationalize resources • Long waits for trials (most result in guilty) • There is no Bill of Rights – freedom of speech, religion, movement, assembly, fair trials

2. Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe • Inflation in Zimbabwe is so bad that recently the government released a $50 billion note — enough to buy two loaves of bread. • The unemployment rate has risen to more than 85%. • In 2008, Mugabe agreed to hold an election, but it became clear that he would accept the result only if he won. His supporters launched attacks on the opposition, killing 163 and torturing or beating 5000. He did not win, and there was a run-off election that resulted in allegations of fraud. Mugabe continues to insist he won the election. Ultimately he signed a power-sharing agreement with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, but since then Mugabe has broken its terms and installed his own people at the head of every ministry. • Health conditions have reached crisis levels. AIDS and cholera are a huge issue and there are many facing starvation. Mugabe claims it is due to the sanctions placed on his country by the US and EU.

3. Omar al-Bashir Sudan • The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for his contributions to the tragedy in Darfur. The ICC charged him with “ murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing, and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property.” • Bashir’s military campaign has been accused of driving 2.7 million people from their homes since 2003. • In 2007, Bashir ordered aerial bombing raids that killed dozens of civilians • US has sanctions on Sudan, but does not include gum arabic which is used in soft drinks and other products.

4. Kim Jong Il N. Korea • His regime is one of the world’s most repressive. • Hundreds of thousands of citizens, including children, are imprisoned in labor camps for such “crimes” as hoarding food (2 million died of starvation in the last 2 years) and “ anti-socialist” activities. • His citizens have no access to information other than government propaganda. His harsh system includes collective punishment (three generations of a family can be punished for one member’s alleged crime). • jailing of those who try to flee to China. • Development of a nuclear weapon and testing of missile system of great concern to US and South Korea.

5. Than Shwe Myanmar (Burma) • Buddhist monks led pro-democracy demonstrations against 45 years of military rule. Than Shwe ordered troops to fire on democracy protestors: They killed dozens of protestors, and his forces detained several thousand more. • Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi was imprisoned from before she won the 1990 elections until November 2010. The government released her in order to try to gain international support. • Cyclone Nargis slammed into Burma on May 2, 2009 leaving some 140,000 dead or missing and more than 2 million homeless, but Than Shwe delayed access to stricken areas by aid groups while he held a rigged election to approve a new constitution.

6. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia • Absolute monarchy ruled by Sharia (Islamic religious law). • Saudi women still need permission from male guardians to work, study, travel, marry, or even obtain an ID card. The government opened a women’s branch of its Human Rights Commission, but only men from the ruling family serve on its board. • There is no standard Saudi penal code (code of laws), and trial defendants often can not question witnesses. young teens can be sentenced to death and many defendants are tortured • Huge gaps exist between rich (royal family) and poor (workers)

7. Hu Jintao China • Hu Jintao and the Chinese Communist Party won the right to host the 2008 Olympics by promising to improve human rights. Instead, Hu tightened restrictions on freedom of speech and religion, rounded up dissidents, and cleaned out poor areas to build stadiums. • Repression of Tibetans and other minorities has increased dramatically. Political and religious dissidents can be held in “ Re-education Through Labor” camps for up to four years without trial. • Hu’s government also forces abortions • There’s little criminal justice to be found in China—99% of all trials result in a guilty verdict

8. Sayyid Al-Khamennei Iran • Ayatollah Khamenei is the supreme leader of Iran. The president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is elected, but Khamenei can overturn any decision that he makes. The Iranian government has increased arrests of nonviolent opponents of the regime - women's-rights activists, ethnic and religious minorities, and journalists are imprisoned and sometimes tortured. • In 2008, Khamenei’s government was the only one in the world to carry out executions of juveniles. Iranian law considers boys eligible for the death penalty at age 15 and girls at age 9. • officials carried out public hangings, stoned a man to death for adultery, shut down music studios and cafés, and persecuted dissidents. 

9. Muammar al-Qaddafi Libya • Spreading any information that the government believes “tarnishes [Libya’s] reputation” is punishable by life imprisonment. • Reports of torture are common. • Anti-American rhetoric has strained relationships with the US. • State sponsored terrorist training camps. • There are many campaigns to eradicate the Berber (nomadic herders) people’s culture. • Controls the media and education.

10. Raul & Fidel Castro Cuba • Although Raúl Castro officially took power from his brother Fidel in 2006, Fidel still has a major hand in running the country. Raul leads Cuba’s military and financial conglomerate that controls most of Cuba’s economy. • An estimated 5,000 Cuban citizens are serving sentences for “ dangerousness.” It is illegal to criticize either of the Castro brothers. • All print and electronic media is owned by the government. According to Human Rights Watch, The Cuban government celebrated one “International Human Rights Day” by beating, threatening, and arresting dissidents. • US has sanctions against Cuba, and tensions are high after a political prisoner starved himself to death last winter. Cuba claims the dissidents are paid by the US to cause trouble.

11. Hugo Chavez Venezuela • Hugo Chavez – Venezuela. Was given the power to rule by decree (he does not have to ask congress). • He wants to nationalize all industries. Taking all private industries and turning them over to the government. He has already nationalized the oil companies (Citgo is Venezuelan) • He has closed all TV and radio stations that are not pro-Chavez. • He has made a move to end presidential term limits in an effort to become president for life. • He is a socialist with desires of one united socialist Latin America in the style of Simon Bolivar. However, a gloomy economy, electricity rationing, and allegations of graft (obtaining money illegally) and fraud caused problems for Chavez’s party in the elections last September. Next presidential election should be 2012.

12. Hosni Mubarak • Egypt • In recent weeks protests around the country have been met by force from government troops. On Friday, Mubarak stepped down and handed over the government to the military. There is no group currently in control of the government, but the Islamic Brotherhood (Islamic fundamentalists that would like an end to secular governments and move to Sharia law) are active in this area. • According to the U.S. State Department, Mubarak had the ability to transfer any criminal case from the civilian judicial system to a military court. His government was accused of using torture. In recent months journalists have been jailed for “ insulting the president.” • The U.S. gives Egypt $2 billion in aid a year, including $1.3 billion in military assistance.