The son of Barbie and Peter Reynolds, a British couple arrested by the Taliban in February, has warned that their health is rapidly declining and they could die in detention. Jonathan Reynolds, 45, said his father, 80, has been chained and shackled, and recently suffered convulsions on the floor, while his mother, 75, is malnourished and has reported her hands and feet turning blue.
The couple have been held without charge since their arrest on 1 February. They were kept in underground cells without sunlight for six weeks at one point. The family has not heard from them for over a month, and the United Nations has intervened, warning that they may die in 'degrading conditions' without urgent hospital treatment.
Officials from the British Foreign Office met the couple last week, but there has been no official confirmation of plans for their release. The Reynolds have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years, running training and education programmes. After the Taliban regained control in 2021, they decided to stay despite security risks, with Barbie becoming the first woman to receive a certificate of appreciation from the Taliban.
Jonathan Reynolds described his parents as selfless individuals who dedicated their lives to helping others. He recalled that they had instructed the family not to trade them for a terrorist or pay ransom if they were captured. Initially, Peter refused to leave prison without an Afghan interpreter who was arrested with them but has since been released.
The family, spread across the UK and US, are struggling to secure their parents' release. 'We are completely stuck,' Jonathan said, describing the situation as painful and emotionally taxing.
