The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light Gains International Recognition in Human Rights Reports

In a significant milestone for the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, the 2025 USCIRF Annual Report on International Religious Freedom—one of the most authoritative global assessments of religious freedom—has officially documented the persecution of our members. Additionally, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (MAHR) has reported on a serious case of persecution against the believers in Morocco. This acknowledgment confirms the systemic oppression faced by the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light.

For years, our members have endured widespread persecution—including arbitrary arrests, mob violence, state-led discrimination, imprisonment, torture, forced psychiatric institutionalization, and even murder—simply for adhering to their beliefs.

USCIRF Report Highlights AROPL Persecution in Multiple Countries

The 2025 USCIRF report provides detailed evidence of targeted persecution against members of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light across several countries. In each case, the group is subjected to harassment, criminalization, and violence for peacefully practicing their beliefs.

The USCIRF report notes that the government continued its aggressive targeting of AROPL believers in Alegeria, subjecting them to online surveillance and monitoring by plainclothes police. The report highlights that Algerian authorities have labeled the group as a “misguided group” of heretics who are “out of the Islamic faith” and should be “condemned and punished according to the law.” AROPL members in the country remain marginalized and treated as legally and socially illegitimate.

In Azerbaijan, the situation is particularly dire. The report documents that believers were repeatedly arrested for engaging in missionary activities. It highlights credible and disturbing accounts of abuse while in custody. One individual was reportedly “severely beaten, verbally assaulted, and raped with a baton” by police, with no accountability for the perpetrators. The report also recounts the case of Rustam Gasimli, who stated that he and another member were sexually assaulted and tortured by authorities, simply for peacefully sharing their faith.

In Malaysia, the USCIRF report details the ongoing persecution of AROPL members by both religious and state authorities. The report notes that government institutions continue to enforce restrictive religious decrees against the group, which is officially viewed as heretical. In October, the Shari’a High Court in Negeri Sembilan sentenced one member to six months in prison for allegedly “teaching false religious doctrines,” while his wife and daughter were also detained for their involvement. Additionally, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (MKI) issued a religious ruling declaring AROPL teachings “deviant” and incompatible with Sunni Islam, further reinforcing the group’s marginalization.

Beyond documenting individual cases, USCIRF included the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light on its Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victims List, acknowledging the severity and scale of the human rights violations faced by the group across borders.

Moroccan Association for Human Rights (MAHR) Defends AROPL Believers

The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (MAHR) is one of the most prominent civil rights organizations in Morocco, dedicated to defending human rights through legal advocacy and public engagement. In March 2025, MAHR publicly addressed the arrest and mistreatment of two AROPL members in Khouribga—Huthaifa Azzouz and Yahya Marfouk.

The two were arrested after authorities discovered a banner on a city bridge and a poster on a school wall containing spiritual phrases and references to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. These included messages such as: “There is No God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, allegiance is to God,” and “Mahdi’s Manifesto by Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq.”

Authorities accused them of “undermining public order and security” and “attempting to promote a belief that could harm the country’s prevailing religious orientation based on the Maliki doctrine.” Huthaifa was referred to psychiatric care at Ibn Rochd University Hospital, while Yahya was released provisionally and is being prosecuted in court.

According to MAHR, the charges brought against the two individuals—claiming they undermined public order and promoted an unlicensed religious group—are unjustified. The association emphasized that their beliefs promote peace, harmony, and support for the oppressed, and therefore fall within the internationally recognized freedoms of religion, thought, and expression. MAHR urged the permanent and unconditional release of Huthaifa Azzouz to prevent any further psychological harm.

Furthermore, the organization argued that the banners and materials displayed by the two men contained no incitement or threat to public safety, and in fact echoed themes present in Morocco’s broader religious discourse. In support of these persecuted individuals, MAHR appointed attorney Mr. Bouchty to represent the case, signaling their firm commitment to religious freedom and legal justice. 

These Reports document serious cases of violence and oppression, reinforcing the urgent need for reforms that protect the members of The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. It also sets a precedent for future reports to continue monitoring the dangers faced by this community.

The recognition by USCIRF and MAHR is a crucial step toward global accountability for the persecution of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. It reinforces the legitimacy of our struggle for religious freedom and exposes the severe injustices the believers endure. With greater awareness, legal protections can be reinforced, human rights monitoring can intensify, and advocacy efforts can drive real reforms, ensuring that AROPL believers—and all persecuted religious minorities—can worship freely without fear of persecution or punishment.

Many of the countries where AROPL believers suffer the harshest persecution are signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—yet they continue to violate its principles by imposing restrictions and punitive measures on religious freedom. Governments in Muslim-majority countries have often labeled the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light as heretical, using blasphemy and apostasy laws to criminalize its teachings. Members have been subjected to social ostracization, violent exorcisms, death threats, and systematic efforts to erase their presence. Many have been forced into hiding or exile, seeking refuge in other countries, while others lost their lives. 

Systemic change, legal protections, and international intervention are still needed to ensure their safety and religious freedom. The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light remains under direct threat in several countries, where the believers continue to face arrest, abuse, and discrimination for peacefully practicing their faith.

With each report that documents the injustices faced by this faith, the movement for religious freedom gains more strength. Now, the international community must act to ensure that this recognition translates into real protection, justice, and the fundamental right to believe, practice, and propagate one’s faith without fear.