Top Five Least Known and Most Oppresive Leaders

Uzbekistan — Islam Karimov

Uzbekistan used to be an ally of the United States until the country ordered all U.S. military off its soil last year after the White House criticized Karimov's human rights record. Just last spring, the Uzbek milatry mowed down several hundred unarmed protestors with machine guns in the city of Andajan -- a Tianamen Square-style massacre that has received little international attention. Since then Karimov's government has launched a massive crackdown against dissenters, staging show trials showcasing confessions that appear to have been forced, just to remind people who's in charge.

Zimbabwe — Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe stole an election and during his reign, he has brought Zimbabwe -- a once prosperous country -- to its knees. His food reform program has been accused of using food as a weapon -- sending food aid to people who are loyal to him and denying it to people who are not. Zimbabwe under Mugabe is reported to be the closest thing in the world to a country being destroyed by one man.

In compiling this list, ABC News interviewed Tom Malinowski, the Washington director of Human Rights Watch. His organization monitors human rights violations throughout the world in an effort to gain more attention for actions of these and many other oppressive regimes to try induce change. Here is a transcript of part of our discussion:

Why are these leaders so oppressive?

Malinowski: Some people are tempted by power ... there are other people who are attracted to money. These are people who are addicted to power and they have no moral compunction with using ruthless means for power.

You've been in the room with oppressive leaders before, is the feeling you get sitting next to these people that much different than the people you're sitting next to right now -- do they bother you?

Malinowski: Yes it does bother me -- I think most Americans would feel uncomfortable sitting in a room with Jeffrey Dahmer. When American officials meet with people on the list ... I think [they] should be uncomfortable sitting in a room with someone who has killed his own people with his bare hands. Somehow [these oppressive leaders] have an aura of greater respectability than the common criminal.