A new report by the rights group “Rawadari” exposes the systematic persecution faced by the Ismaili community in Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power.
The investigation details how this religious minority has been subjected to organized discrimination, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and death threats aimed at forcing them to renounce their faith.
The report highlights that Ismaili children, particularly in Badakhshan, are being forced to study Hanafi jurisprudence.
Parents who resist sending their children to Taliban-run madrasas face severe penalties, including heavy fines and the burning of their homes. Consequently, many community members are now hiding their religious identity to survive.
Restrictions have also been imposed on their religious practices, employment in government offices, and social customs like marriage.
Rawadari warns that these actions may amount to crimes against humanity and urges the international community to address the deteriorating human rights situation for religious minorities in Afghanistan.
