USCIRF hearing examines religious freedom five years into Taliban rule
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) convened a virtual hearing on Sept. 23, 2026, on religious freedom in Afghanistan five years after the Taliban’s return. On its event page, the commission cited a 2026 criminal code that recognizes only Sunni Muslims as citizens and severe limits on women, girls, and religious minorities.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing titled “Religious Freedom in Afghanistan: Five Years of Taliban Rule” on Sept. 23, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. On its event page, USCIRF stated that religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan remain dire five years after the Taliban returned to power.
USCIRF said that in 2026 the Taliban introduced a new criminal code that identifies only Sunni Muslims as citizens of Afghanistan. The commission stated that women and girls remain barred from public life, including secondary school and religious ceremonies, and have faced imprisonment for failing to observe a mandatory hijab rule. It also said religious minorities — including Ismaili and Shi’a Muslims, Christians, and Hindus — continue to face severe restrictions on religious practice.
Opening remarks were listed from USCIRF Chair Asif Mahmood and Vice Chair CeCe Heil. Scheduled panelists included Hanifa Girowal (Princeton University’s Afghanistan Policy Lab; advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan; Women’s Rights First), Shaharzad Akbar (Rawadari), and Sofia Ramyar (Afghans for Progressive Thinking). USCIRF said witnesses would address ongoing challenges and possible policy options for the international community and the U.S. government. The hearing was open to Congress, staff, the public, and media. USCIRF said a video recording would be posted on its website.
Sources
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom: Religious Freedom in Afghanistan: Five Years of Taliban Rule (Sep 23, 2026)
https://www.uscirf.gov/events/religious-freedom-afghanistan-five-years-taliban-rule
Corrections and updates
- Update, September 23, 2026: Brief prepared from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom event page for the Sept. 23, 2026 virtual hearing. Criminal-code, citizenship, and restriction language stays attributed to the commission. Live page was opened. No prior Wayback snapshot was found. Save Page Now returned 500; archive.today returned 429. No photo.