Amid ongoing concerns about the harassment of religious minorities by the Taliban, several residents of Shighnan District in Badakhshan province have sent a letter to the Taliban district governor complaining about the conduct of the group’s members and fighters. In the letter, they said that Taliban fighters harass people in streets and marketplaces. The letter states that this complaint was prepared based on residents’ repeated observations and complaints regarding the conduct of Taliban fighters, and it calls on offigrougroup’s officialstake immediate action to address the situation.
Several residents of Shighnan District in Badakhshan province, in a letter sent to the Taliban district governor of the district, expressed strong concern over the treatment of residents by the group’s fighters, particularly harassment by Taliban Morality Police. In the letter, they said that Taliban fighters have repeatedly harassed women, and that people had remained silent on the matter due to security threats and fear of the Taliban; however, the continuation of this situation has led them to no longer stay silent about such conduct.
A copy of the letter obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily shows that Shighnan residents have filed a formal complaint over the inappropriate conduct of some Taliban military personnel in public places.
Part of the letter reads: “Based on the observations and repeated complaints of residents, several military personnel in some streets, marketplaces and public places have engaged in conduct, particularly toward women, that has caused distress, anxiety and a loss of peace of mind among the public.” The letter emphasizes that because these individuals carry weapons, residents have been unable to voice complaints or objections for fear of possible consequences.
Shighnan residents said in the letter: “The continuation of such conduct could undermine trust and cooperation between the public and officials and create grounds for public discontent and social tensions. We therefore request that the respected district authorities seriously investigate this matter and, if violations are proven, take the necessary legal and disciplinary measures to prevent the recurrence of such conduct.”
A Shighnan resident who asked for anonymity said of the Taliban’s treatment of the public: “They really behave badly, especially the Taliban soldiers, who are in the market most of the time. They harass people.”
A woman from Shighnan who asked for anonymity said: “In Shighnan, as in other areas, Taliban Morality Police always harass women under the pretext that they are not wearing a chadari. In the past, the people of Shighnan were free, and these restrictions have become very difficult for them.”
The woman added: “In the past, a few Taliban members had taken several Shighnani girls. Some say they were forced into marriage against their will, while others say it happened with the girls’ consent. One real case involved the nephew of a Shighnani Talib, who had a romantic relationship with a girl and wanted to marry her. He sent his uncle to ask for her hand formally, but because she was very attractive, this Talib, instead of proposing on behalf of his nephew, proposed for himself and, by paying money, married the girl.”
This comes as residents of Wakhan District had previously accused the Taliban district governor there of harassing residents and imposing religious pressure. They had claimed that this local Taliban official had been accused several times of sexual assault.
According to residents, the Taliban district governor threatens people, and as a result, no one dares to protest or file a complaint against his conduct. One Wakhan resident said that this local Taliban official harasses people, particularly women and girls, through various forms of pressure, including religious pressure. They also claimed that he uses force and coercion to establish relationships with some women.
Meanwhile, findings from another Hasht-e Subh Daily report show that Ismailis in Badakhshan are facing a wave of religious, educational and social restrictions. According to the report’s findings, at least 10 Ismaili jamaat khanas have been closed in several districts of the province, more than 340 Ismaili children in five districts of Badakhshan have been sent to Taliban religious schools, and at least seven cases of religious conversion have been recorded among members of this community. Ismaili residents of Badakhshan have also reported pressure to convert religions, security threats, restrictions on cultural activities, and increased migration of families to neighboring countries and to Kabul.
This comes as the U.S. State Department, in its annual International Religious Freedom Report, has said that the Taliban regime governs Afghan society based on its own interpretation of sharia, and that religious and faith minorities do not enjoy the group’s full protection.
The report cites the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as saying that since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, “minorities, particularly religious minorities, have never enjoyed full protection.”
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
