A British couple in their 70s, who have spent decades living and working in Afghanistan, have endured 29 separate interrogations and numerous court appearances without charge, their daughter has revealed – as she urged the UK Government to do more to bring them home.
Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were detained by Taliban authorities in February 2025 as they travelled to their home in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan. They were accompanied by American friend Faye Hall, who had rented a plane to join them on the journey, as well as a translator connected to the couple’s Rebuild training business.
Their daughter, Susie Romer, speaking to 5 News on Thursday, expressed deep concern for their wellbeing, describing their imprisonment as both baffling and distressing. “They’ve absolutely no idea why they’re being held,” she said. “They’ve been through so many investigations – I believe it’s 29 interrogations they’ve had to endure.”
Despite repeated questioning and court proceedings, no formal charges have been brought against them.
Ms Romer added that the family had met with Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer, who assured them the matter was a “priority.” However, she stressed the urgency of clearer and firmer diplomatic action. “We do want the Government to make it clear to the Taliban that my parents should be immediately released,” she said. “It’s been 10 weeks now, and we’ve not been reassured that this message has been conveyed. But this is really urgent. Each day they remain in prison, they’re at risk.”
She went on to describe the dire conditions her parents are allegedly facing behind bars, saying they are surviving on one meal per day and are being held in unhygienic cells infested with mice and cockroaches. “It’s absolutely horrific,” she said. “To hear them weep on the phone is excruciating.”
The Reynolds, who first met at the University of Bath, have a long history with Afghanistan, having married in Kabul in 1970 and worked extensively in education and community development. They have spent the last 18 years running school training programmes and remained in the country even after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Following their resurgence, the Taliban regime imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s rights, including a ban on women working and the exclusion of girls above the age of 12 from receiving formal education.
Ms Romer’s comments come after the couple’s son, Jonathan Reynolds, told BBC News last week that he had been liaising with American officials regarding the situation, including after releasing a video appeal directed at former President Donald Trump, seeking help in securing his parents’ release.
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In a statement issued to the Associated Press earlier this week, a Taliban spokesperson said the case “will soon be resolved” and that it “should not be a cause for concern.” However, the lack of transparency and prolonged detention without charges has left the family increasingly desperate for answers.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed ongoing support for the family, stating: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan.”
Yet, for the Reynolds family, diplomatic assurances ring hollow without swift action. As Ms Romer poignantly noted, “We are watching our parents suffer while the clock ticks. They went to Afghanistan to serve, not to be punished. Their lives are in danger, and we cannot let this drag on.”
With tensions still high between Western governments and the Taliban administration, the Reynolds case now serves as a stark reminder of the peril some foreign nationals continue to face in post-conflict Afghanistan.
