Christians in Afghanistan are being subjected to crimes against humanity, and face the real prospect of genocide five years after the Taliban rose to power. However, their plight is often forgotten as other world events take centre stage, according to new research.
A new large-scale report on Taliban laws and ideology and life for Christians in the Asian nation by the Lindisfarne Centre for the Study of Christian Persecution reveals that believers face danger from all sides: they are not recognised as an official religious group by the state, despite numbering several thousand; they are regularly subjected to extreme persecution, including torture and executions; and little real scrutiny exists due to a state-imposed media blackout.
Researchers warned against the dangers of forgetting the “real prospect of genocide” and “crimes against humanity” facing Afghan Christians amidst other major headlines in the Middle East and Europe.
