Afghanistan

How are Christians persecuted in Afghanistan?

• Afghanistan remains a place of extreme persecution for anyone who dares to follow Jesus under the brutally oppressive rule of the Taliban.
• Christians keep their faith completely secret. Those who are discovered are likely to be beaten, tortured and possibly killed.
• Almost all believers are converts from Islam – and apostasy is considered punishable by death under Islamic law.
• To preserve their ‘honour’, families, clans and tribes feel obliged to deal harshly with those known to have turned to Christianity. Mere suspicion of conversion – such as avoiding mosque attendance – can trigger catastrophic consequences.
• Given the immense risk of meeting with other believers, the church exists only in increasingly fragmented, secretive gatherings.

• Despite the terrible risks they face, secret believers are holding on to their faith. One believer, Samira*, shares, “Being a secret believer [in Afghanistan] is like walking on the edge of a blade. It’s full of caution, pain, but also hope and strength.”

Why are Christians persecuted in Afghanistan?

• As far as the Taliban is concerned, it is not possible that any Afghan could be a Chrisitan – they believe all Afghans should be Muslims.
• Since the group retook power in August 2021, Christians have either fled the country or gone deeper underground.
• For those who’ve fled the country, or became Christians while living as refugees, they have slightly more freedoms, but also serious intense challenges – and there is always the awful threat of being returned.
• Even with many Christians leaving the country or keeping their faith even more secretive than before, Afghans are still discovering Jesus. One secret believer, Aisha, shares, “I’ve witnessed many people, especially young ones, becoming disillusioned with Islam due to the strict religious laws. When they read the Bible, they find life’s beauty and truth in it. That’s why they turn to Christ.”

Who is particularly vulnerable in Afghanistan?

• Generally, control and supervision in the smaller communities in rural areas is stricter than in most cities.
• However, even in cities like the capital Kabul, there is a very high level of control and increasing levels of CCTV surveillance, and so Christians face difficulties throughout the country.

What has changed in Afghanistan in the past year?

• The persecution of Christians in Afghanistan has increased slightly, but because hostility against believers has worsened even further in other places, the country has dropped a place in this year’s World Watch List.
• In the past year, an increasing number of Afghans who fled to Pakistan, Iran and other neighbouring countries have returned, often by force. They are likely to find increased suspicion and hostility on their return, because they are deemed to have betrayed their community and country by leaving. If they’re known as a Christian, they face another level of danger.
• The Taliban has intensified random inspections of mobile phones, searching specifically for religious content. In response, believers have resorted to extreme measures: abandoning digital communications, using coded language, or relocating.

How can I help Christians in Afghanistan?

• Please keep praying for your brothers and sisters in Afghanistan. Your prayers make an enormous difference to those following Jesus no matter the cost. Afghan believer Khada* shares, “In a world that often forgets us, just knowing that someone, somewhere, is praying with a bright heart for us means that we are seen. And to us, that means everything.”

Because of the risks faced by our partners and the people they serve, we are restricted in the information we can provide about Afghanistan.

*Names changed for security reasons