According to Portas Abertas, there are thousands of Christians living in Afghanistan. They cannot reveal the exact number due to security reasons. Every Christian living in the country converted from Islam and must practice their religion secretly. According to the law, leaving Islam is a crime and must be punished with death. For this reason, Christians who cannot keep their faith secret are executed, forced to reconvert to Islam or have to flee from the country.

In addition, the families and tribes have to “keep their reputation” by eliminating their Christian members. Usually, Christians are handed over to the police by their family members. There are also Christians who are treated by psychiatrists because Christianity is considered an illness.

Portas Abertas also write that even before the Taliban takeover, the Afghan government violated the rights of Christians in the following areas:

• Killing ex-Muslim Christians if their faith is only suspected;
• Christian convert women are forcibly married and obligated to renounce their faith;
• Afghans are considered Muslims and are not allowed to practice any other religion;
• Christians cannot wear any religious image or symbol;
• Forcing children of ex-Muslim Christians to adhere to Islamic religious precepts and receive Islamic teaching.

At the end of the report, the author of Portas Abertas concludes that the organisation cannot provide more information about the situation of Christians in Afghanistan without endangering any of them. The Christians in Afghanistan need our prayers now, so let us pray for them and their security.

Source: Portas Abertas (Open Doors Brazil)