The social investigation was conducted by Freedom House. The organization’s Freedom in the World report entitled Worst of the Worst: The World’s Most Repressive Societies 2009 enumerates the bottom 21 countries and territories with regards to repression of human freedom. Here are some of the worst of hell on earth:

North Korea is the nadir of freedom in the world. The power resides in one man, Kim Jong Il, who assumed power in 1994 upon the death of his father, North Korea’s founding leader Kim Il Sung. Kim’s communist regime maintains a network of prison camps where thousands of political prisoners are subjected to torture. A North Korean’s social status is based on perceived loyalty to the regime.

Burma’s ruling military junta led by Senior Gen. Than Shwe controls all branches of power. The brutal regime has sunk the country into depths of poverty. Widespread human rights abuses that come with impunity are a mark of the regime.

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo enjoys unprecedented political powers in Equatorial Guinea where there have never been credible elections. The oil-rich country is one of the most corrupt regimes in the world. The leader, his family, and cronies have amassed huge wealth from the country’s oil profits. Widespread poverty characterizes the country, along with human rights abuses, torture, detention of political opponents, and extrajudicial killings.

Saudi Arabia is an authoritarian monarchy. The entire political power is owned by the royal family. ‘All Saudis are required by law to be Muslims, and the government prohibits the public practice of any religions other than Islam.’ Women suffer the most from bias and unequal human rights as intrinsically embodied in the Muslim Sharia law.

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Via Foreign Policy