Hezb-e Wahdat-e Islami Mardom-e Afghanistan, led by Mohammad Mohaqiq, has described the Taliban’s pressure on Shia leaders and the closure of Shia religious and cultural centers in Kabul as “illegal and discriminatory,” saying these actions demonstrate the “desperation and helplessness of the authoritarian Taliban regime.”

In a statement, the party said that authoritarian governments throughout Afghanistan’s history have turned to policies of ethnic and religious discrimination as they approach decline, and that instead of preserving their rule, such policies have accelerated their downfall.

Hezb-e Wahdat also claimed that after returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban removed official recognition of the Ja'fari school of Islam and have imposed pressure on Shia Muslims and Hazaras in recent years.

The statement cited several cases as examples of these actions, including the seizure of land in the Nawabad Township in Ghazni, the eviction of residents from Omid-e Sabz Township in western Kabul, the declaration of Jebrail Township’s market in Herat as state property, the suspension of “Tamadon” and “Rah-e Farda” television channels, the raid on the Khatam al-Nabieen Religious Seminary, pressure on the Public Relations Office of Hazara and Shia elders, and restrictions on Shia religious ceremonies.

According to reports, Taliban forces raided the Khatam al-Nabieen Religious Seminary in Kabul on Saturday and arrested a number of professors and students at the institution. On Sunday, the office of “Rah-e Farda” television in the Sarkariz area of Kabul was also closed, while reports were published about the arrest of Salman Akhlaqi, the owner and license holder of the media outlet. The Taliban have so far provided no official explanation regarding these actions.

Hezb-e Wahdat-e Islami Mardom-e Afghanistan called on citizens, particularly Hazaras and Shia Muslims, to maintain their unity and solidarity and to pursue legal and rational means to defend their rights.

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