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# System prepended metadata

title: Most oppressive regimes
tags: [opinion]

---

# Most oppressive regimes

These are the most oppressive regimes ranked by the estimated number of people oppressed:

1. **Afghanistan**
- 38,000,000 people oppressed under Taliban rule
- Most repressive country for women and girls[6]

2. **Syria**
- 12,000,000 people oppressed
- 90% of population below poverty line
- 15 million requiring humanitarian aid[3]

3. **Sudan**
- 10,200,000 people oppressed
- World's largest displacement crisis with 9 million displaced
- High risk of genocide reported[5]

4. **Saudi Arabia**
- 10,000,000 people oppressed
- Severe restrictions on civil liberties and women's rights

5. **Myanmar**
- 2,600,000 people oppressed
- Over 2.6 million internally displaced
- Systematic persecution of minorities[4]

6. **China**
- 1,000,000 people oppressed (primarily Uyghurs)
- Extensive surveillance network
- Mass detention in "re-education camps"[7]

7. **Iran**
- 600,000 people oppressed
- Systematic persecution of minorities and protesters

8. **North Korea**
- 200,000 people oppressed
- Estimated 50-70,000 Christians in labor camps
- Complete absence of civil liberties[1]

9. **Turkmenistan**
- 200,000 people oppressed
- Severe restrictions on civil liberties

10. **Eritrea**
- 1,000 people oppressed (documented)
- Known as 'North Korea of Africa'
- Approximately 1,000 Christians imprisoned without charges[8]

Sources
[1] Christian Persecution in North Korea https://globalchristianrelief.org/christian-persecution/countries/north-korea/
[2] List of ongoing armed conflicts - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts
[3] World Report 2024: Syria | Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/syria
[4] Human rights in Myanmar - Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-east-asia-and-the-pacific/myanmar/report-myanmar/
[5] We Must Go Above, Beyond Compliance, Fully Protect Civilians against ‘Harms They Are Suffering on Our Watch’, Senior Humanitarian Official Tells Security Council https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15702.doc.htm
[6] U.N. says Afghanistan is world's most repressive country for women https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-n-says-afghanistan-is-worlds-most-repressive-country-for-women
[7] Who are the Uyghurs and why is China being accused of genocide? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037
[8] Eritrea https://www.opendoorsuk.org/countries-watch/eritrea/
