III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 421 

Calling on the Government of Afghanistan to uphold freedom of religion 

and urging the Government of the United States to promote religious 

freedom in Afghanistan. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 4, 2006 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. 

KERRY, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. NELSON of 

Florida, Mr. INHOFE, and Mr. COLEMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Calling on the Government of Afghanistan to uphold freedom 

of religion and urging the Government of the United 

States to promote religious freedom in Afghanistan. 

Whereas under the Taliban Government of Afghanistan, individuals convicted of promoting faiths other than Islam, or 

expressing interpretations of Islam differing from the 

prevailing orthodoxy, could be imprisoned and those converting from Islam could be tortured and publicly executed; 

Whereas the United States has more than 22,000 members 

of the Armed Forces stationed in Afghanistan and whereas 282 members of the Armed Forces have given their 


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•SRES 421 ATS

lives in Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom 

began in that country; 

Whereas Abdul Rahman, a citizen of Afghanistan, was arrested and accused of apostasy for converting to Christianity 16 years ago and threatened with execution; 

Whereas the prosecutor in this case, Abdul Wasi, stated in 

court that Abdul Rahman ‘‘is known as a microbe in society, and he should be cut off and removed from the rest 

of Muslim society and should be killed.’’; 

Whereas, while it was a welcome development that charges 

against Abdul Rahman were dropped, he was forced to 

seek asylum in Italy; 

Whereas, despite his release, religious freedom and those who 

would practice it in Afghanistan remain in jeopardy; 

Whereas religious freedom is a fundamental principle of democracy; 

Whereas the Constitution of Afghanistan does not fully guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief; 

Whereas, on several occasions throughout Afghanistan’s constitution drafting process, the United States Commission 

on International Religious Freedom raised concerns that 

the constitution’s ambiguity on issues of conversion and 

religious expression could lead to unjust criminal accusations against Muslims and non-Muslims alike; 

Whereas charges of blasphemy since 2002 have justified 

those concerns; 

Whereas the International Religious Freedom Report 2005 

published by the Department of State does not list Afghanistan among those countries cited for ‘‘State Hostility Toward Minority or Nonapproved Religions’’, 


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•SRES 421 ATS

‘‘State Neglect of Societal Discrimination or Abuses 

Against Religious Groups’’, or ‘‘Discriminatory Legislation or Policies Prejudicial to Certain Religions’’ and 

notes that ‘‘[t]he new Constitution provides for freedom 

of religion, and the Government generally respected this 

right in practice’’; 

Whereas the International Religious Freedom Report 2005 

states that conversion from Islam is ‘‘in theory – punishable by death’’ in Afghanistan; 

Whereas the case of Abdul Rahman, other instances of religious persecution or discrimination against minorities, 

and ambiguities within the Constitution of Afghanistan 

appear to warrant closer scrutiny in the International Religious Freedom Report 2006; and 

Whereas Afghanistan is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which reads in part, 

‘‘Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, 

conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom 

to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and 

freedom, either individually or in community with others 

and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief 

in worship, observance, practice and teaching.’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the Senate— 

3 (A) recognizes freedom of religion as a 

4 central tenet of democracy; 

5 (B) respects the right of the people of Af6 ghanistan to self-government, while strongly 


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•SRES 421 ATS

1 urging the Government of Afghanistan to re2 spect all universally recognized human rights; 

3 (C) condemns the arrest of Abdul Rahman 

4 and other instances of religious persecution in 

5 Afghanistan; 

6 (D) commends the dropping of charges 

7 against Abdul Rahman; and 

8 (E) strongly urges the Government of Af9 ghanistan to consider the importance of reli10 gious freedom for the broader relationship be11 tween the United States and Afghanistan; and 

12 (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the Presi13 dent and the President’s representatives should— 

14 (A) in both public and private fora, raise 

15 concerns at the highest levels with the Govern16 ment of Afghanistan regarding the violations of 

17 internationally recognized human rights, includ18 ing the right to freedom of religion or belief, in 

19 Afghanistan; and 

20 (B) ensure that the International Religious 

21 Freedom Report 2006 for Afghanistan fully ad22 dresses the issue of religious persecution in that 

23 country, including the arrest of Abdul Rahman. 

Æ 


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