Afghanistan Times
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The Taliban have denied allegations of abuse against Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a British couple in their 70s who have been imprisoned in Afghanistan since February, insisting they are being treated with dignity and that efforts are underway to secure their release. But disturbing reports from the United Nations and the couple’s family paint a very different and deeply alarming picture.
At a press briefing in Kabul on Wednesday, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi claimed that the couple are “in constant contact with their families,” with access to consular services, treatment, and proper accommodation. “Their human rights are being respected,” Muttaqi said, though he failed to explain the nature of the charges against them or provide a timeline for their release.
Peter and Barbie Reynolds, long-time residents of Bamiyan province, were known for running educational and training programmes aimed at helping Afghan communities. In early February, they were reportedly taken from their home and transferred to Kabul, where they were initially held in a maximum-security prison, then moved to underground cells, and now remain in detention at the General Directorate of Intelligence.
According to a statement released by UN human rights experts on Monday, the couple’s health is rapidly deteriorating. Peter, who requires heart medication, has suffered repeated eye infections, tremors, and recently collapsed in custody. The UN report also noted that his face is red, peeling, and bleeding—signs likely linked to the return of untreated skin cancer. Barbie suffers from anaemia and remains frail.
The couple’s four adult children released a statement pleading for compassion, mercy, and urgent medical intervention. “Our parents have no bed or furniture—just a mattress on the floor,” they wrote. “Their conditions are inhumane, and their health is declining every day.” They also revealed they had privately written twice to Taliban leadership, appealing for the couple’s release.
UN experts echoed those concerns, calling for the immediate transfer of the couple to a civilian hospital and warning that without medical care, they may not survive. “It is inhumane to keep them locked up in such degrading conditions,” they said.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed that officials visited the couple last week and are providing consular support to the family. However, the Taliban have yet to clarify why the couple was arrested or what legal proceedings, if any, are underway.
The case has drawn mounting international criticism, particularly as the couple were known for their humanitarian work in Afghanistan. With the Taliban offering little transparency and the couple’s health reportedly in critical decline, pressure is growing on Western governments to secure their immediate release.
