Persecuted Afghan Christian faces deportation from India back to Afghanistan

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An Afghan Christian who fled to India just days before the Taliban took over her country may be deported back to Afghanistan as her visa expires shortly, International Christian Concern reports. Even before the Taliban took over, Afghanistan ranked 2 on the US Open Doors Watch List 2021 of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted; the situation for believers is all the more intensely dangerous.

According to Morning Star News, 24-year old Esin had become a Christian in December 2020. She and her family were forced to leave Afghanistan after receiving threats from relatives and neighbors, who had found her reading a Bible at home.

“They found me reading the Bible and were shocked to see that,” Esin told Morning Star News. “They said, ‘We will kill you… you are a Kafir, we cannot stay with you in the same locality’,” ICC reports. Days later Esin found a message on the gate of her family home saying, “Stop or we will kill you and your family.”

Although Esin’s whole family applied for visas for India, they only had enough money for Esin’s flight, ICC said. “My mom said that because my life is in danger the most, I must leave first and that they would follow later,” Esin told Morning Star News.

Esin flew to India days before the Taliban takeover; her family had been due to follow but their flights were canceled, ICC said. The family has since been able to flee to another country while Esin is in India on an expiring visa. “With her visa soon to expire, Esin is working with officials in India to have it extended. If the visa is not extended, she could be deported back to Afghanistan,” ICC said.

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