Shafaqna English- Religious freedom is one of the most fundamental human rights, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It includes the right to believe, change one’s faith, worship publicly or privately, and establish religious institutions.
However, under Taliban rule, this right is not only violated but systematically dismantled. The Taliban, with their extremist and exclusive interpretation of Islam, recognize only one acceptable form of belief—Sunni Islam as they define it. Any deviation, whether being Shia, worshipping in a Sikh temple, or converting to another faith, is branded as “heresy,” “innovation,” or “apostasy,” often punishable by severe penalties.
This report, based on international sources, eyewitness testimony, and legal analysis, examines the state of religious freedom in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
From Religious Diversity to Forced Uniformity
Historically, Afghanistan has been a multiethnic, multireligious country where diverse communities coexisted. Shia Muslims—mostly Hazaras—have lived in central and western regions such as Bamyan, Daikundi, Ghazni, and Dasht-e-Barchi in Kabul. Sikhs and Hindus once had strong communities in Kabul, Kandahar, and Jalalabad, and small numbers of Christians and Jews also lived in the country.
But the Taliban, since their emergence in the 1990s, have viewed this diversity as “division” and “blasphemy.” During their first rule (1996–2001), massacres of Hazara Shia Muslims, the destruction of the Bamyan Buddhas, and the closure of Sikh temples were widely reported.
Now, with their return to power, these policies have resumed—this time backed by law, institutions, and global silence.
Shia Muslims: The Primary Target of Religious Repression
Shia Muslims, particularly Hazaras, who make up 15–20% of Afghanistan’s population, have been hit hardest.
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Confiscation and Closure of Religious Centers:
Taliban forces have shut down, seized, or destroyed Shia Mosques and Husseiniyahs. In Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood, several community Husseiniyahs were closed in 2023–2024 without notice. In Ghazni, Imam Zaman Mosque was converted into a Taliban religious school. In Bamyan, the rebuilt Imam Hussain (AS) Mosque has been closed once again. -
Ban on Congregational Prayers:
Shia prayers in public Mosques are officially prohibited. Worshippers risk arrest, flogging, or interrogation if caught. During Muharram 2024, more than 40 Shia Muslim men in Mazar-e-Sharif were reportedly detained simply for holding a mourning ceremony at a private home. -
Desecration of Shrines:
Shia Islam shrines in Bamyan have been damaged or neglected. In Daikundi, tombstones were bulldozed in spring 2023 under Taliban supervision.
Other Religious Minorities: Erased from the Map
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Sikhs and Hindus:
Before 2021, around 700 Sikh and Hindu families lived in Afghanistan; fewer than 100 remain today. Kabul’s historic Karte Parwan Gurdwara was destroyed in 2022, religious ceremonies are banned, and most families have fled. -
Underground Christians:
Conversion to Christianity is punishable by death. Converts worship secretly, fearing exposure. In 2023, a man known as “Reza” was arrested and tortured for months after his family revealed his conversion. -
Jews:
Only one Jew, Zebulon Simantov, remains in Kabul, living in fear. The historic synagogue is closed and abandoned.
Tools of Repression: Law, Institutions, and Violence
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is the central mechanism for enforcing religious conformity, conducting raids on homes, mosques, and temples to halt any non-Sunni practices.
In October 2022, the Taliban issued a decree stating: “No religious activity outside the Taliban’s interpretation of Sunni Islam is permitted.”
Religious books belonging to Shias, Sikhs, and other faiths have been systematically confiscated from bookstores and libraries.
Meanwhile, ISIS-K attacks on Shia Islam Mosques in Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif, and Kabul have killed and wounded thousands—yet Taliban responses have been dismissive or even justifying.
Resistance in Silence, Global Silence in Complicity
Despite the crackdown, minorities continue to resist—holding secret prayers, teaching religion underground, and distributing books digitally. But this resistance is carried out under fear and threat.
The silence of the international community is alarming. Despite UN’s statements of concern, no targeted sanctions have been imposed on Taliban officials for religious persecution. This silence signals impunity.
Religious Freedom: A Non-Negotiable Right
Until a Shia Muslim can pray in a Mosque without fear, a Sikh can worship in a gurdwara, or a Christian can profess faith openly, no regime in Afghanistan can claim to be “Islamic.”
The world must not stay silent. Targeted sanctions must be imposed, safe havens must be provided for persecuted minorities, and global voices must get louder. As long as faith is treated as a crime, Afghanistan will remain a land without justice.
Source: Shafaqna Afghanistan