The son of a British couple who was captured by the Taliban nine weeks ago has asked the United States for assistance in securing their release.
79-year-old Peter Reynolds and 75-year-old wife Barbie were captured on February 1st while returning to their home in Bamyan province. After the release of the American woman, Phayel, who had been detained alongside the couple, their son Jonathan has requested the White House to intervene.
In an interview with BBC, Jonathan said that his parents had been living in Afghanistan for the past 18 years, working on educational projects, and their capture had been a “devastating and exhausting” event for the entire family.
Jonathan said, “Anyone who can unlock that lock and get them out, whether it’s the Taliban, the British government, or the U.S. government – our request is that they do it immediately, right now! And if you can apply pressure to those who hold the key, please do it now.”
Since January of this year, the Taliban have released four Americans, including Eagle Hall, and Taliban officials have referred to her release in Kabul as an act of “goodwill” towards the Trump administration.
Subsequently, Reynolds also urged the White House in a recorded video message last week to assist in the release of Peter and Barbie. Reynolds, who is a U.S. citizen, told BBC that his parents had not been formally charged with any crime.
He said, “They go to court and come back. They are being tortured because there are no charges, and every time they are told, ‘Yes, they are innocent, it’s just bureaucracy, we made a mistake.'”
An Afghan translator was also detained along with the British couple.
He believes that despite the fact that women are not allowed to work in Afghanistan, his mother “obtained a document that allows her to not only teach women but men as well. They have a deep love for that country.”
Reynolds stated that his parents married in Kabul in 1970 and later acquired Afghan citizenship. He mentioned that Peter’s health has deteriorated in detention. He said that he communicates with his parents through a phone in prison that charges a fee, and he described these conversations as “extremely painful.”
He said, “We think of parents who have grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and who are the grandparents of my children, and we wonder, will we ever see them again? We want to see them, to hug them.”
He added that the release of his parents is “complicated” because they want to stay in Afghanistan and continue their educational work. He says, “They want to be released from prison, but they want to be released so they can stay in Afghanistan and do the same thing they were doing, which speaks to the character, patience, vision, and faith they possess.”
He mentioned that the British government’s response had been “supportive,” and in discussions with the U.S. State Department, he learned that efforts were being made.
It is worth noting that in February, the Taliban told BBC they intended to release the couple as soon as possible.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, Britain has closed its embassy in Kabul. Officials from the British Foreign Office said that this means their ability to assist British citizens in Afghanistan is “very limited.”