Hazaras are not Muslim. You can kill them. It is not a sin. A comparative study of the persecution of Hazaras under the first and second Taliban regimes in Afghanistan

Abstract

This research examined the persecution of Hazaras under the first Taliban regime (1996-2001) and the second Taliban regime (August 2021-present) in Afghanistan. By applying an eight-matrix framework, the study aimed to determine whether there were changes or continuity in the Taliban’s persecution of Hazaras between the two periods. Findings reveal that the persecution of Hazaras, encompassing political marginalization, massacre, summary execution, economic marginalization, discrimination in access to humanitarian aid, forced displacement, targeting of Hazara women with additional layers of religious and ethnic discrimination, restrictions on Shia religion, and the destruction of cultural heritage, has remained consistent, systematic, and widespread, with some nuanced and cosmetic changes or adaptations in the form, scale, frequency, and tactics of persecution under the second regime. The Taliban's core ideology and intentions regarding the Hazaras remain fundamentally unchanged. The minor changes or adaptions were influenced by international pressures, the lack of Hazara military resistance, the Taliban's desire for legitimacy, and transformations in post-2001 Afghanistan. This research contributes to the academic discourse on ethnic and religious persecution, offering detailed insights for policymakers, human rights organizations, and scholars. The findings underscore the urgent need for continued advocacy to protect the Hazaras in Afghanistan.