Report: Afghanistan religion-intolerant

A U.S. advisory body is recommending that the State Department add Afghanistan to a list of the “worst of the worst” violators of religious freedom in the wake of the Taliban’s return to power.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in its annual report issued Monday, said religious minorities have “faced harassment, detention and even death due to their faith or beliefs” since the Taliban reimposed its harsh interpretation of Sunni Islam on Afghanistan. It also cited attacks on religious minorities by an Islamic State affiliate that is an enemy of the Taliban.

Afghanistan is among 15 nations that the commission recommended to be on the State Department’s list of “countries of particular concern.”

In the new report, the commission also recommends adding India, Nigeria, Syria and Vietnam in addition to Afghanistan. The commission criticized the Biden administration for removing Nigeria from the list last year.

The report states that in Afghanistan, many minority Jewish, Hindu and Sikh residents have fled the country after the Taliban returned to power. It said many members of other religious minorities, such as Ahmadiyya Muslims, Baha’is and Christian converts are worshipping in secret for fear of persecution.

Many religious minorities fled Afghanistan out of fear for what could happen under the Taliban, rather than in response to specific actions or edicts issued by the Taliban.

This year’s report marks the first time since 2001 that the commission recommended designating Afghanistan as a country of particular concern, the report said.