UN human rights experts on Monday demanded the Taliban release a British couple who they said have been arbitrarily detained in Afghanistan since February.

Experts criticized the couple’s lack of access to effective legal assistance and medical care, severed communication with family members, and deprivation of liberty without due process. They stressed the severity of the situation, stating:

We see no reason why this older couple should be detained at all, and have requested an immediate review of the grounds of their detention. It is inhumane to keep them locked up in such degrading conditions and more worrying when their health is so fragile.

Peter, 80, and Barbie Reynolds, 75, were initially confined in a maximum-security facility and subsequently moved to underground cells without sunlight, before being moved to the General Directorate of Intelligence in Kabul last week. The couple had lived in Afghanistan for 18 years prior, running a business that provided training services to various companies and organizations throughout the country.

Peter recently collapsed in confinement due to a condition that requires him to take heart medication, while Barbie suffers from anaemia and has become increasingly weak, experts claim.

The couple was allegedly detained without formal charges, leading to concerns about potential violations of Articles 9, 10, and 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The provisions prohibit arbitrary detention or arrest, entitle individuals to a fair and public hearing, and guarantee the right to medical care. Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights additionally protects against arbitrary detention and guarantees a right to a swift legal process.

The expert’s demand follows a UN report last month that warned of Afghanistan’s backsliding human rights protections. Human Rights Watch has called for the establishment of an independent body by the Human Rights Council to investigate and hold responsible parties accountable for the grave human rights violations in the country.

In April, UN agencies raised alarm over the humanitarian impacts of Afghan nationals returning en masse from neighboring countries. That month, UN experts also urged Taliban leaders to immediately impose a moratorium on inhumane punishments.