Geneva – Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, July 21, 2025
A group of human rights experts today expressed alarm at the deteriorating health of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, two older British nationals arbitrarily detained in Afghanistan without charges since February, calling for their release and immediate access to medical treatment.
“Peter and Barbie Reynolds have been held for over five months, including in a maximum-security facility for several months and later in underground cells, without sunlight, before being moved to above-ground cells last week at the General Directorate of Intelligence in Kabul. Their physical and mental health is deteriorating rapidly. Without access to adequate medical care, they are at risk of irreparable harm or even death,” the experts said.
“Our first demand is their immediate transfer to a civilian hospital for medical treatment,” they said.
Peter Reynolds needs heart medication after suffering a transient ischemic attack in 2023. During his detention, he has had two eye infections and has intermittent tremors in his head and down his left arm, for which there are grave concerns given his underlying medical condition. He recently collapsed. Barbie Reynolds suffers from anaemia and remains weak and frail, potentially caused by months of poor quality and quantity of food. She also reported that her feet have become numb.
