Family speak out after British couple held in maximum security prison by Taliban are released
The family of an elderly British couple who were held for months in a maximum security prison by the Taliban have spoken out after their release.
Barbie Reynolds, 76, and her husband Peter, 80, were detained by the Taliban's interior ministry on 1 February this year and have spent the past six months behind bars in a maximum security prison in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Brits are often running into trouble abroad, but in the case of Barbie and Peter, it remains unclear what exactly they did to land themselves behind bars, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken of his and the family's relief after they began their journey to Doha, Qatar, today.
He said: "I welcome the release of Peter and Barbara Reynolds from detention in Afghanistan, and I know this long-awaited news will come as a huge relief to them and their family.
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"I want to pay tribute to the vital role played by Qatar, including The Amir, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, in securing their freedom."
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson at the Taliban government's foreign ministry, suggested in a statement posted on X that the couple had 'violated Afghan law' and were released from prison after a court hearing.
After reaching Kabul Airport, the couple said that they were 'very thankful' and were looking forward to seeing their children again.
However, they also dispelled concerns for their well-being, suggested that they were treated 'very well' behind bars and that they are keen to return to the country if they are allowed, as they are now Afghan citizens.
Despite the claims of Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the couple's son, Jonathan, has suggested that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing and that rumoured claims of them using a drone made absolutely no sense.
He said, per Sky News: "They look really well to me, which I'm just delighted about. I am looking forward to putting my arms around them and giving them a big hug, as all of my siblings will be.
"They were investigated for all kinds of things but everything came up with no evidence of any wrongdoing.
"One of them, the original arrest, they said something about flying a drone - my parents don't own a drone. It's hard enough trying to get them to know how to use certain new technologies, let alone a drone.
"So, yeah, bizarre things, but I think they were just people of interest and then got caught up in a big, big mess of a situation, and no one knew what to do. But I'm just happy they are home."
He did encourage them to think twice about returning to the country and instead suggested that they would be better off staying in the UK for a while.
Jonathan added: "It's probably not wise to go back to a place where they are not welcome, and I would say, clearly they are not welcome there. They are going to arrive back in the UK with the clothes on their backs. They have sold everything... all of their possessions.
"Knowing my mum she has probably written a few books in her mind whilst she's been in captivity."
Topics: Prison, Keir Starmer
James Moorhouse