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BACKGROUND The situation for Christians has become so dangerous under Taliban rule that in its 2022 World Watch List, Open Doors listed Afghanistan as the worst place for Christians to live in the entire world(2). (...) Now that the Taliban is back in control, they have promised that their strict punishment and executions will return(3). One of the founders of the Taliban stated that, “Everyone criticized us for the punishments in the stadium . . . (...) (2) Afghanistan, OPEN DOORS, https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch- list/afghanistan/ (3) Kathy Gannon, Taliban Official: Strict Punishment, Executions will Return, AP (23 Sep. 2021), https://apnews.com/article/religion-afghanistan-kabul-taliban-22f5107f1dbd19c8605b5b5435a9de54

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2002/02/01/sudan3719.htm 4 Human Rights Watch, “Saudi Arabia: Flawed Justice - Origins of the ‘Witchcraft’ Charge,” 1997. Available at: http://www.hrw.org/reports/1997/saudi/Saudi-03.htm. 5 Human Rights Watch, “Afghanistan: Analysis of New Cabinet,” June 20, 2002. (...) See also, Human Rights Watch, “Iran: Human Rights Developments,” 1993.

GENERAL E/CN.4/2005/NGO/308* 18 March 2005 ENGLISH ONLY COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Sixty-first session Items 5 and 8 of the agenda THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO PEOPLES UNDER COLONIAL OR ALIEN DOMINATION OR FOREIGN OCCUPATION QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING PALESTINE Written statement1 submitted by UN Watch, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status The Secretary-General has received the following written statement which is circulated in accordance with Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 (...) Yet these rights are systematically violated by Syria’s Baathist regime, which continues to illegally occupy Lebanon with an estimated 16,000 troops. United Nations Watch, with the support of leading non-governmental organizations active in the struggle for Lebanese freedom, including the World Lebanese Cultural Union, the Syrian Reform Party and the U.S Committee for a Free Lebanon, urges the 61st Session of the Commission on Human Rights to adopt the following Draft Resolution to uphold and protect the international human rights of the Lebanese people. 2005/… Right of the Lebanese People to Self-Determination The Commission on Human Rights, Guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular the provisions of Articles 1 and 55 thereof, which affirm the right of peoples to self- determination, and reaffirming the need for the scrupulous respect of the principle of refraining in international relations from the threat or use of force, as specified in the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in Accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 2625 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, Guided also by the provisions of article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm that all peoples have the right to self-determination, Guided further by the provisions of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in June 1993 by the World Conference on Human Rights, and in particular Part I, paragraphs 2 and 3, relating to the right of self-determination of all peoples and especially those subject to foreign occupation, Recalling all United Nations resolutions that confirm and define the inalienable rights of the Lebanese people, particularly their right to self-determination, Recalling Security Council Resolution 1583 (2005) of January 28, 2005, which expresses strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon within its internationally recognized boundaries, and under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon, and which calls upon the Government of Lebanon to fully extend and exercise its sole and effective authority throughout the south, including through the deployment of sufficient numbers of Lebanese armed and security forces, to ensure a calm environment throughout the area, including along the Blue Line, and to exert control over the use of force on its territory and from it, Recalling also Security Council Resolution 1559 (2004) of 2 September 2004, which effectively rebuked Syria’s illegal interference with Lebanon’s constitutional rules for Presidential elections, E/CN.4/2005/NGO/308 page 3 Recalling further Security Council Resolution 1553 (2004) of 29 July 2004, as well as the statements of the Security Council President concerning the right to sovereignty of the Lebanese people, Recalling further Security Council resolution 520 (1982) of 17 September 1982, which calls for strict respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and political independence of Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon through the Lebanese Army throughout Lebanon, Noting the determination of Lebanon to be free, to exercise control over all Lebanese territory, and to ensure the withdrawal of all non-Lebanese forces from Lebanon, Reaffirming the right of the Lebanese people to self-determination in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the relevant United Nations resolutions and declarations, and the provisions of international covenants and instruments relating to the right to self-determination as an international principle and as a right of all peoples in the world, as it is a jus cogens in international law and a basic condition for achieving freedom for the people of Lebanon, Mindful of the unlawful and unconstitutional interference of the Syrian occupation forces in the recent Lebanese presidential elections and underlining the importance of free and fair elections according to Lebanese constitutional rules devised without foreign interference or influence, Gravely concerned at the continued presence of terrorist groups in Lebanon, supported by Syria and Iran, which prevent the Lebanese government from exercising its full sovereignty over all Lebanese territory and its right to self-determination under international law, Reaffirming that Lebanese independence and the end of Syrian occupation will facilitate the dismantling of the Hezbollah terrorist group, an organization that is sponsored by Iran and Syria, and that seeks through violence and terror attacks, including suicide bombing attacks that constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes, to derail the Middle East peace process, 1.

With the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism and hard line ideology that sees a strict one-warped view of Islam and rejects others, certain state actors have adopted aspects of this ideology that has led to the denunciation of minorities. (...) Policy Briefing. ?? 2 ʿShiʿa Rights Watch. (2012) ?? 3 The New York Times. (2013) .Malaysian Shiʿa Muslims Prepare for Trial. 4 Bureau Of Democracy, 2009. 5 Ibid. (...) Reporting Saudi Arabia's hidden uprising. 12 US Department of State. (2012) 13 Human Rights Watch (2013). Egypt: Lynching of Shiʿa Follows Months of Hate Speech.