In today’s world, while you enjoy the right to freedom of speech, expression, citizen rights, free access to the internet, etc., there are 1.2 billion people across the world which accounts for almost 23% of the world’s total population who have no say for their right.
They are completely deprived of their basic rights of expressing their views or opinions, assembling peacefully, no choice to make their governments, and are even subjected to dire consequences in case any expression of opinion against the government.
Critical Consequences
The world rating of the countries which has termed and ranked as the most repressive countries in the world follow uniformity in one matter: the severe consequences any individual or community faces when dare to raise their voice against the common laws of the government. These kinds of individuals are generally subjected to:
One of the common norms in all these countries is that state control presides over the individuals’ lives and rights. The individuals have no right to ask for justice in case of any injustice or criminal offense from the State. In most of countries which suffer repressed society, political environment, rights of individuals, people are actually banned for political expressions; political opposition is banned, criticism of the government is sternly handled, no independent organizations can breathe, etc. common, pervasive controls are subjected over the citizens.
Every year the nonpartisan organization Freedom House conducts a survey and ranks the countries according to the scale and parameters of repression controlled over the citizens, regarding limitations of political as well as civil rights of citizens and the countries are particularly categorized under three distinct labels:
Here you shall go through a list of the ten most repressed countries falling under the category of not free.
1 Syria
This country has been acclaimed to be the most repressed country in the world. A state of civil war has been raging over the country for the last five years. The situation is deteriorating more and more, with the citizens being deprived of all their civil rights and Bashar al- Assad, the president of the country, clings on even in this situation.
2 Somalia
Major General Mohammed Siad Barre left behind a scar of a totally bizarre situation of the country after he was finally thrown away from Somalia’s government rule. However, the powerful position he occupied for years could not be filled by the military groups who effectively tried to fill up the vacuum.
3 North Korea
Stringent authoritarian politics is the title tag that could explain the entire repressive scenario of North Korea. However, along with the strict rule of the Kim Dynasty, the new President Jung Un seems to take an interest in things beyond repressive ruling. The nuclear weapon frenzy and inclination towards basketball games are added with a buzz for tourism development.
4 Eritrea
Isaias Afwerki is recognized as one of the brutal dictators in power in today’s date. Besides extreme repressive conditions of the civilians, the dictator is known to be linked with al Shabaab terrorists as well and funnels funds to the group.
5 Uzbekistan
If in today’s world there is something which can be termed to be typically despotic, it’s the ruling scenario of Uzbekistan. It has one of the most oppressive societies of the world depicting every example of extreme nepotism, suppressing and banning of the media, corruption, violations of human rights, and election rigging. Islam Karimov is the dictator who had been in power since 1991 until died recently. He reigned over the country on his ruthless terms.
6 Turkmenistan
The vibes and influences of cruel and extremely authoritarian dictatorship did not die with Chairman Mao or Stalin, but the trend is still fresh and strongly evident in Central Asia, typically in Turkmenistan. Saparmurat Niyazov who was a cruel dictator died in 2006. However, if you visit the country, you will mind memories of this brutal dictator clinging in every corner and hook, in the form of statues. Gurbanguly who calls himself the savior of the country is no less than another brutal dictator who has a particular fascination with authoritarian rule and gold statues.
7 Central African Republic
The land of Jean Bedel Bokassa, who was a self-declared emperor, is still under the repressive conditions of previous dictatorial rulership and the state of civil war after its independence from the France rule. The current president is striving to bring back a stable civil condition. However, the country seems to be imbibed with dictatorial influences of the former self-declared emperor.
8 Sudan
Though the country has a blessed natural treasure hunt of exclusive marine species diversity in the Red Sea, yet owing to its critical civil conditions it is ranked as one of the most repressive countries in the world. The country is almost shattered with extreme violence and corruption that has gulped the society and its peaceful conditions.
9 Saudi Arabia
One of the most potential countries of the world which aspires to sore high in the list of prosperous societies and dreams of prospering tourism industry, yet delving deeper into the local conditions, one can understand the scale of repression. The extreme interpretations of Islamic laws and limited human rights have made severe conditions of living. Besides, it is the only country where women are banned from driving.
10 Equatorial Guinea
The society is shattered with coups, counter-coups, the extreme level of bribery, and corruption. Here the civilian’s rights are almost suppressed under the extreme level of corruption. Though the country is blessed with huge reserves of oil which can bring it prosperity, the society is still striving hard to overcome the cramps of extreme poverty. Here though there are scopes to overcome the hardship of life, yet the administrative strata is led with extreme corruption.