Oslo - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was Wednesday selected as winner of "dictator of the year prize," students at Oslo University said. The Iranian leader was chosen from 11 candidates - selected by human rights experts - including North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Myanmar General Tan Schwe.

The new annual prize was to be awarded to "an individual who, during the preceding year, shall have the done the most to inspire hostility among his people and between nations, significantly increased the level of human suffering, ruined human livelihoods and created war and mayhem."

Students voted via the social networking website Facebook and at university institutions.

"The idea behind the prize is to remind the world about the ongoing genocide and torture that affects millions of people whose souls are broken on a daily basis in places that are living hell," said Professor Nina Witoszek, who was one of the prize's founders.

The new award was announced the day before US President Barack Obama was due to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.