RASC News Agency: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent yet official U.S. body, has issued a stark warning that religious freedom in Afghanistan has been entirely obliterated under Taliban control. In its latest statement, released on Wednesday, August 27, the Commission emphasized that Afghanistan has become one of the most repressive countries in the world for religious minorities. Vicky Hartzler, Chair of the Commission, stated: “Over the past four years, the Taliban have systematically dismantled every foundation of religious liberty in Afghanistan. Non-Hanafi believers now face extreme risks of persecution, arbitrary detention, and brutal corporal punishment.” She further highlighted that the Taliban’s enforcement of the so-called “Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” has entrenched a regime of religious authoritarianism, entirely excluding women from public life and religious participation.
The USCIRF noted that Taliban rule has institutionalized religious oppression, leaving Afghanistan’s diverse communities including Shia Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and nonconformist Sunni sects stripped of their rights and living under constant threat. Once a country with a fragile yet visible mosaic of religious traditions, Afghanistan has now been reduced to a monoculture of coercion, surveillance, and fear. The Commission urged the international community to take urgent action to protect Afghanistani citizens persecuted for their beliefs and to provide safe pathways for their evacuation and resettlement. It specifically warned that forcibly returning Afghanistani asylum seekers from the United States, Europe, or other safe countries could expose them to Taliban retaliation, imprisonment, or even execution.
Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair of the Commission, stressed: “The United States must maintain robust legal protections for Afghanistani refugees, particularly women from diverse faith backgrounds who are bearing the brunt of Taliban persecution. Protecting them is not only a moral and humanitarian imperative but also a test of America’s commitment to religious freedom as a universal right.” The USCIRF has consistently identified Afghanistan as one of the world’s most severe violators of religious freedom. In its 2025 Annual Report, the Commission designated Afghanistan as a “country of particular concern,” citing systematic and state-directed abuses. Earlier this year, in March, the Commission convened a virtual session emphasizing the total collapse of religious liberties in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power.
According to the Commission, the Taliban have not only targeted minority faith communities but have also weaponized religion itself to reinforce social control, suppress dissent, and intimidate women and girls from public and religious life. This systematic eradication of religious plurality has had far-reaching effects on Afghanistan’s social fabric, leaving millions marginalized, silenced, and fearful. The USCIRF continues to advise the U.S. President, federal agencies, and Congress on global religious freedom, highlighting Afghanistan as a case where international pressure, humanitarian aid, and legal protection are urgently needed. Without decisive intervention, the Commission warns, the Taliban will continue to consolidate power through repression, leaving Afghanistan’s religious minorities vulnerable to extinction and erasing what little diversity remains in the country.
