Situation of Religious Minorities Under Taliban Rule is Deteriorating, Says US
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that the situation of religious minorities in Afghanistan is deteriorating.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that the situation of religious minorities in Afghanistan is deteriorating.
Accusing the Taliban of consistently violating religious freedoms, the commission called for sanctions against responsible officials of the group.
In its annual report released on Wednesday, the commission urged Washington to designate Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as a "Country of Particular Concern”.
The report noted that in 2023, the Taliban severely restricted the individual and religious freedoms of all Afghans, particularly women and religious minorities such as Shia Muslims, Ahmadiyya Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians, and continues to do so.
During Muharram, Taliban officials stated that for the safety of mourners, Ashura ceremonies should be limited and held at specific locations. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said that the Taliban has restricted the religious freedom of Shias.
ISIS has attacked Shia Muslims religious sites in the capital on several occasions. The Taliban has failed to prevent ISIS attacks on this community.
According to the report, ISIS-Khorasan has continued its attacks on the Shia minority in Afghanistan. In October 2023, ISIS attacked the Imam Zaman Mosque in Pol-e-Khumri city of Baghlan province.
The Taliban stated that seven people were killed in the incident, but sources told Afghanistan International that the death toll was over 20.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom highlighted the role of the Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in enforcing discriminatory Taliban decrees. Additionally, the Taliban publicly administer punishments such as flogging for alleged moral crimes.
The commission called on the US government to sanction and freeze the assets of Taliban officials responsible for severe religious freedom violations.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reported that the Taliban arrested several journalists, women's rights activists, and religious minorities last year.
The group has also restricted the activities of aid organisations by banning women from working. In another move, the Taliban arrested 18 local employees of an NGO in September 2023, accusing them of promoting Christianity.
The commission recommended that the US government place Afghanistan on the list of countries with serious concerns about the freedoms of its citizens.
Additionally, the commission urged the US government to prioritise asylum requests from at-risk religious minorities.
The commission stated that US diplomats should raise the issue of religious freedoms in Afghanistan in their interactions and meetings with Taliban representatives.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan federal entity established in 1998.
