The twilight of the tyrants

Pinochet, who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, became commander-in-chief of the army until 1998, when he was arrested in London at Spain's request on charges of murder and terrorism. He was released for health reasons and resigned as senator in 2002.

Mobutu Sese Seko

At the helm of Zaire from 1930 to 1997, Seko grew rich through economic exploitation and corruption, leading to his expulsion from the country by rebel forces.

Nicolae Ceausescu

Ceausescu became communist leader of Romania in 1965, established a brutal police state, and was ousted and executed on Christmas Day 1989.

Manuel Noriega

Initially a US ally, Noriega was de facto military leader of Panama from 1983 to 1989, when he was overthrown by the United States. Three years later, he was tried and imprisoned for drug and racketeering violations.

Ferdinand Marcos

Marcos's presidency was marred with widespread corruption and political mismanagement. An attempt to rig an election in 1986 resulted in major public backlash, ending Marco's 21-year rule of the Philippines.

Jean-Claude Duvalier

"Baby Doc" Duvalier assumed the presidency of Haiti in 1971 upon the death of his father, Francois Duvalier, and was ousted by protesters in 1986 for political and economic repression.

Idi Amin

Military leader of Uganda for eight years, Amin persecuted ethnic groups and political enemies, and was forced from power in 1979 by Tanzanian troops and Ugandan nationalists.

Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlevi

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power from Pahlevi, who ascended to the throne of Iran in 1941 and fled the country 38 years later in response to massive protest against his brutal, secular, and pro-Western regime.

* Shevardnadze's rule was characterized by repression and corruption more than violence against his population.

Freedom House's list of the world's eight "worst" regimes, determined by their repression of civil liberties and political rights.

Than Shwe, BURMA

Corruption is reportedly rampant among Burma's ruling junta, led by General Shwe, which intrudes on all aspects of Burmese life and has committed a range of human rights abuses.

Fidel Castro, CUBA

Life in Cuba, ruled by Mr. Castro, the world's most enduring dictator, is essentially controlled by the state, and political dissent is a punishable offense.

Muammar Qaddafi, LIBYA

Hostile toward the West and a sponsor of terrorism, Colonel Qaddafi rules by decree and denies Libyans a range of basic rights.

Kim Jong Il, North Korea

Mr. Kim runs one of the most tightly controlled nations in the world.

He denies basic rights, holds thousands of political prisoners, and executes opponents.

Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, SAUDI ARABIA

Under King Fahd, Saudi citizens face arbitrary arrest and are denied freedom of expression and assembly.

Omar al-Bashir, SUDAN

Rattled by a civil war, Sudanese are subject to serious human-rights abuses.

Bashar al-Assad, SYRIA

President Assad's Baathist regime has kept Syria under a repressive and corrupt political system, following in the footsteps of his father, Hafez al-Assad, who brutally repressed dissent.

Saparmurat Niyazov, TURKMENISTAN

Under President Niyazov, well known for his cult of personality, Turkmenistan has widespread corruption and pervasive human-rights abuses.

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