Children of elderly UK couple jailed by Taliban make urgent plea for release before they ‘die in custody’
Fears elderly British couple could ‘die in custody’ in Afghanistan
- British couple Barbie Reynolds, 76, and Peter Reynolds, 80, were arrested by the Taliban while returning to their home in Bamyan province in central Afghanistan on 1 February and have been detained for five and a half months without charge.
- The couple had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, running education and training projects, and chose to remain after the Taliban's 2021 takeover.
- Their four children, based in the US and UK, have made an urgent public plea for their release before they “die in custody”, citing grave concerns about their parents' rapidly deteriorating health.
- Peter Reynolds is suspected of having suffered a stroke or heart attack and a relapse of skin cancer, while Barbie Reynolds is struggling with anaemia and numbness, risking heart failure.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and the UK Foreign Office are involved, with the UN set to issue a statement on Monday calling for their immediate release due to inhumane conditions.