British couple held in Afghanistan ‘may die in prison,’ son warns
The son of a British couple who was detained by the Taliban five months ago, said the BBC was afraid that they could die in prison.
80 -year -old Peter Reynolds and 76 -year -old Barbie were arrested on February 1 on their way back to their homes in Bamiyan province in the center of Afghanistan.
His sons, Jonathan Reynolds, said his health was rapidly worsening, and his father was “numb” without serious convulsions and his mother anemia and malnutrition.
It is not known exactly why they were detained and The Taliban official told the BBC that he planned to release the group’s pair “as soon as possible”.
The UN also warned that if they do not take medical care at the same time, they call their detention as “inhuman”, they can destroy “under such humiliating conditions”.
Mr. Reynolds said he was “sad and surreal” for five months. He has been living in Afghanistan for 18 yearsCitizenship and training projects.
One of these projects involved in educating women and children, and it was apparently approved by local authorities, although banned education for girls older than 12 years of age and did not allow women to work.
Although Mr. Reynolds was “innocent accepted by a judge, he was kept in difficult conditions – including maximum security prison.
The BBC Radio 4 told the Today program that they were held in a basement floor without sunlight for six weeks and were not allowed.
The couple showed “how bad their health is,” Reynolds said when they made the last contact with their children on June 15th.
“My father’s health is getting worse especially,” he said.
“Now there’s something like Parkinson’s tremor and the right side of his body, arms and face,” he told BBC Brawn.
He added that his father had spent a “half an hour of prison floor” before calling his wife a prison guard on a “bed” that served as a bed.
Ms. Reynolds’un “Anemia, malnutrition, only the right health services to not get the blue hands and feet,” he added.
Mr. Reynolds said he did not know his family’s exact location and was not sure that “demand was made to be released immediately.”
“Just wait two or three more days every week … Just stand tight ‘.
“We were told for weeks from week – and still in prison.”
However, he said he was grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FCDO) for communication with the family.
Both of the couple had birthdays in prison and celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary last week; They married in 1970 in Kabul.
“I’m grateful for being together, but they are definitely not free.” He said.
On Monday, the UN warned that the couple’s health fell rapidly and questioned why they were held.
“They are under the risk of irreparable damage and even death without access to sufficient medical care.” expression By the UN’s human rights organ, he asked them to transfer to a civilian hospital immediately.
He continued: “We do not see any reason why this old couple to be detained and we demand that they should be reviewed immediately on the grounds of being detained.
“In such humiliating conditions, keeping them locked in such humiliating conditions and health is very fragile more worrying.”
Taliban and England with the couple raised the case, he added.
The Taliban official Abdul Mateen Qani said in February: “A number of issues are taken into consideration and we will try to release them as soon as possible after evaluating.”
FCDO was approached for a response.
The United Kingdom closed his embassy in Kabul and Taliban withdrew his diplomats from the country after returning to power in 2021.
FCDO says that support to British citizens in Afghanistan is “seriously limited” and advised the country against all travels.
