The European Parliament has been criticised for its failure to acknowledge the particular danger faced by Afghan Christians in a resolution it adopted condemning the violence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and calling for support to be given to the most vulnerable groups. The resolution details the “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe”, highlighting the Taliban’s “persecution” of women and girls and “heavy discrimination” against ethnic and religious minorities, with a particular mention of Shia Hazaras.

Carlo Fidanza MEP, Co-Chair of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Freedom of Religion and Belief, said: “This resolution demonstrates once again the guilty lack of attention by Europe, not only to Afghan Christians – who are completely ignored by the text – but to Christians in general. As I have already said on the rejection of the establishment of a European Day for Religious Freedom, it is worrying that it is now considered normal that a silence falls upon the tragedy faced by persecuted Christians”.

Fidanza also raised concerns that a failure to focus on faith in such situations can “lead politics to be timid towards regimes that violate religious freedom on a daily basis.”

An estimated group of 10,000 Christians are facing danger in Afghanistan because of their faith. The majority are converts from Islam which is considered a crime punishable by death under Sharia Law.