Introduction
This report is about the human rights situation of the Muslim Ismaili Shia religious minority in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. The report covers restrictions and discrimination by the Taliban, the de-facto authorities (DFA), against the Ismaili community on their right to public and social participation and freedom of religion and worship, including limitations on worship, exercise of religious rituals and attempts at forced conversion. The report is based on 25 interviews with victims and survivors, their family members, civil society activists, and human rights defenders from the Ismaili community, both inside and outside Afghanistan. The primary objective of this report is to document prominent patterns of human rights violations against the Ismaili community in Afghanistan, raise public awareness, and support advocacy efforts to address the grievances experienced by this community.
The findings indicate that since returning to power, the Taliban have imposed widespread and discriminatory restrictions on the lives of this religious minority, resulting in systematic religious persecution. Over the past four years, Afghan Ismailis have been completely excluded from political, administrative, and social participation. Furthermore, the DFA have taken steps to weaken and suppress Ismaili religious and cultural identity, directly threatening their security, human dignity, and fundamental rights.
While discrimination against the Ismaili community is not new and has historical roots in Afghanistan, this research demonstrates that under the Taliban, these practices have become more organized and have expanded into every area of life. The restrictions and attempts to conversion affect all Ismailis, including Ismaili children who are being forcibly educated in Sunni, Taliban-run madrassas. Our findings indicate that in certain areas of Badakhshan, individuals who refused to transfer their children to Taliban religious schools (madrasas) faced fines, torture, death threats, and the burning of their homes and property.
Through public takfir (accusations of apostasy), intimidation, death threats, detention, and torture, the Taliban have coerced members of this community to abandon their faith and convert to Sunni sect of Islam.
Through public takfir (accusations of apostasy), intimidation, death threats, detention, and torture, the Taliban have coerced members of this community to abandon their faith and convert to Sunni sect of Islam.
The testimonies included in the report show a significant increase in the fear of expressing religious identity due to rising negative propaganda, takfir and hate speech. Other serious violations documented include:
- Strict restrictions on the freedom to perform religious rituals.
- Coercion to attend the religious ceremonies of other sects.
- Dismissal from government offices and deprivation of jobs due to religious identity.
- Prohibition of marriage and kinship ties with Ismaili families.
- Restrictions on educational centres and places of worship of Ismailis.
- Threats, extrajudicial killings, forced displacement, and the usurpation of Ismaili properties.
The findings illustrate that the Ismaili community is being subjected to systematic religious persecution that may be considered an instance of crimes against humanity. The report calls for prompt immediate, effective, and targeted measures from the de facto authorities and relevant international bodies to protect the existence and fundamental rights of this religious minority in Afghanistan.
Research Methodology
This research involved online interviews with 25 individuals (including five women), ranging from victims and their families to human rights defenders. The participants represent a wide geographical, social, and age diversity. Some were identified by the Rawadari research team, while others were introduced through a snowball method by the interviewees.
Interviews were conducted between October 3 and November 20, 2025, using a uniform, semi-structured questionnaire. Given the severity of the situation in Badakhshan province, a major portion of the interviewees were purposefully selected from that region; however, the report is inclusive of other provinces with Ismaili populations, including Kabul, Parwan, Bamyan, Balkh, and Baghlan. The timeframe examined is August 2021 to December 2025.
All interviews were conducted in Farsi/Dari, lasting between 90 minutes and two hours, with the informed consent of the participants. Researchers provided detailed information regarding the research objectives and security measures. Information was analysed using qualitative methods and categorized by key themes. Statistics in this report are used to identify patterns of violations as described by the interviewees.
Research Limitations
During the research, Rawadari reached out to 53 members of the Ismaili community; however, 28 individuals declined to participate primarily due to security concerns and fears of reprisal by the DFA. It was particularly difficult to interview individuals who had been coerced into changing their religion, as they are under continuous Taliban surveillance and live in fear. Additionally, limited internet access in remote villages hindered outreach to more victims and witnesses.
Some individuals stated that reporting on the situation is the responsibility of the Ismaili religious authorities and leaders. They also mentioned, without naming individuals, that Ismaili religious authorities had advised followers to avoid protesting or speaking out to prevent endangering the community.
Furthermore, the Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on access to information and documentation of human rights violations. Independent monitoring of human rights violations is currently prohibited by the Taliban. Despite these challenges, this report provides a factual picture of the situation based on survivor testimonies and detailed interviews with members of the affected community. To protect the safety of interviewees, names of provinces and specific dates or other identifying details have occasionally been removed.
