Summary:
- Peter and Barbie Reynolds, elderly British citizens, have been detained without charge by the Taliban since February in Afghanistan under harsh conditions.
- Their family, citing life-threatening health conditions, is pleading with the Taliban for their release but has seen no progress despite diplomatic efforts.
- Peter is suspected to have suffered a stroke or heart attack, and Barbie shows signs of severe anemia; a UN expert has labeled their treatment “inhuman and degrading.”
- Initially held in Pul-e-Charkhi prison, they are now confined in a subterranean cell with no basic facilities and minimal access to medical care and outside contact.
- Possible reasons for the detention include religious materials or Barbie’s educational involvement with Afghan women, though no official charges have been made.
- The lack of a British embassy in Afghanistan hinders resolution, while Qatar is reportedly mediating talks for the couple’s release.
The family of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, an elderly British couple imprisoned in Afghanistan, is intensifying its appeal to the Taliban for the couple’s release, warning that their continued detention could prove fatal. Held without charge since February, the 80- and 76-year-old were long-time residents of the country, credited for their educational work. Now gravely ill, they remain in custody more than five months after their arrest.
According to their children, who reside in the UK and the United States, efforts to contact Taliban officials through private letters and diplomatic intermediaries have so far yielded no tangible results. “This is another urgent plea to the Taliban to release our parents before it is too late,” the family said in a public statement. They’ve also voiced concerns that the couple may not survive much longer without medical attention.
Peter Reynolds is believed to have suffered a stroke or a silent heart attack while in custody. His wife Barbie is reportedly experiencing severe symptoms of anemia, including numbness and persistent dizziness. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Edwards, described the couple’s detention conditions as “inhumane and degrading,” calling for their immediate release. “They face a real risk of dying in custody,” she warned in a recent statement.
The couple was initially housed in Kabul‘s high-security Pul-e-Charkhi prison, where they were held separately for months. About eight weeks ago, they were moved to a subterranean cell within Afghanistan’s intelligence service headquarters. The cell, sources say, lacks basic amenities — there are no beds or furniture, only mats on a concrete floor. Since their arrest, they have had limited access to phones and medical assistance, although some health assessments were reportedly allowed following pressure from UN representatives.
No formal charges have been brought against the pair since their arrest on February 1 in Bamyan province. The Taliban have not publicly explained the reason for their detention. However, analysts have speculated that the move may be linked to suspicions over religious literature or Barbie Reynolds’ teaching activities, which included work with Afghan women. Others suggest that the couple could be caught up in wider diplomatic calculations, possibly being used to prompt the UK to reopen its embassy in Kabul.
The Reynolds moved to Afghanistan in 2009 and remained after the Taliban took power in 2021, continuing their involvement in teacher-training initiatives. These efforts — once celebrated for supporting female education — now face restrictions under current Afghan policies, which bar most girls from schooling beyond primary level and strictly limit female employment.
Securing the couple’s release has been complicated by the absence of a British diplomatic mission on Afghan soil. Qatar, which has acted as an intermediary in other negotiations involving foreign detainees, is reported to be facilitating talks between the parties.
As the sixth month of detention approaches, their children fear time is running out. “They served the people of Afghanistan for over a decade,” said a family spokesperson. “All we ask is that they be allowed to return home safely.”
Background:
Here is how this event developed over time:
- 2009: Peter and Barbie Reynolds moved to Afghanistan and began running teacher training programs aimed at improving education in rural areas.
- August 2021: The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan; despite the regime change and restrictions on female employment, the couple chose to remain in the country and continue their work.
- February 1, 2025: The Reynolds were arrested by Taliban authorities in Bamyan province without explanation or formal charges.
- February–June 2025: The couple was held separately in Kabul’s maximum-security Pul-e-Charki prison under harsh conditions before being moved to a shared underground cell eight weeks prior to July reports.
- July 18–21, 2025: Their four children, based in the UK and US, issued an urgent public plea for their release, warning their parents could “die in custody” due to deteriorating health.
- July 20, 2025: The UN special rapporteur on torture, Alice Edwards, condemned the couple’s treatment as “inhuman and degrading,” calling for their immediate release.