The family of an elderly British couple imprisoned by the Taliban have called on the group to free them before they “die in custody”. Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were arrested as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, Afghanistan, in February. They have been held for five-and-a-half months without charge and up until eight weeks ago had been separated and detained in a maximum security prison.
Their four adult children continue to fear for their parents’ wellbeing, with both in poor health. They said: “This is another urgent plea to the Taliban to release our parents before it is too late, and they die in their custody. They have dedicated their lives to the people of Afghanistan for the last 18 years.”
The siblings said they had written privately to the Taliban leadership twice and made public appeals for the release of their parents.
Mr and Mrs Reynolds have run school training programmes in Afghanistan for 18 years, remaining after the Taliban re-seized power in 2021.
Their daughter Sarah Entwistle said the siblings had held off from making a public appeal during the last two months in the hope it would encourage the Taliban to release their parents. But she said there has still been no progress.
She said they had privately pleaded with the Taliban “to uphold their beliefs of compassion, mercy, fairness and human dignity”, adding: “We do so again now publicly.”
After taking power, the Taliban introduced a ban on women working and education for girls older than 12.
The Reynolds’ children said the last time they spoke to their parents was five weeks ago when their mother said their father’s health was rapidly deteriorating.
The siblings said that according to a remote medical assessment conducted by a cardiologist, Mr Reynolds may have suffered a stroke or a silent heart attack.
They added Mr Reynolds was suffering from a red, peeling, bleeding face, which could mean his skin cancer had returned.
The family said Mrs Reynolds continued to struggle with numbness in her feet, which was linked to anaemia, possibly from insufficient food in the maximum security prison.
A medical assessment noted this had added extra strain which could lead to heart failure, according to the siblings.
The couple, who recently marked their 55th wedding anniversary, were held up until eight weeks ago at the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in the capital, Kabul.
They were then transferred to the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), with the promise of release within two to three days, they said. Two further months have passed, with no sign of release.
While in Pul-e-Charkhi prison, the couple were said to have had access to phones and called their children every day from the prison yard.
The children said their parents had better conditions at the GDI but still had no bed or furniture and slept on a mattress on the floor.
Ms Entwistle added: “For the past two months, we have maintained a media blackout, hoping to demonstrate our intention to show respect to the Taliban, and ‘trust the process’.
“We are grateful to Doughty Street Chambers for liaising with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. The UN will be making a statement on Monday calling for immediate release. In the light of this, we are also publicly appealing again to the Taliban for this.”
Officials from the UK Foreign Office were allowed on an exceptional basis to visit the couple last Thursday to check on their welfare.
A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan.”