The Sunday Times of Britain has reported that the children of Peter and Barbie Reynolds, a couple from the UK, have sent a letter to the caretaker government of Afghanistan requesting their release from prison.
According to the newspaper, Peter and Barbie Reynolds were arrested by local authorities on February 1 this year after returning to their home in Bamiyan province on a private plane, along with a Chinese-American friend.
Local sources at the time told the Goher Shad media outlet that the caretaker government forces detained these three foreign citizens along with their Bamiyan translator and driver at the “Zarin” airport in the Yakawlang district of Bamiyan.
The source emphasized that these three foreign citizens had flown from Kabul to Bamiyan on a private plane from “Paktik” airline, and their driver and translator were waiting for them at the “Zarin” airport.
According to the source, Peter and Barbie Reynolds also hold Afghan identification cards and passports, which indicate Peter’s place of birth as Sri Lanka and Barbie’s as Singapore.
Local officials have not yet officially commented on the arrest of these individuals, but a local official has confirmed their detention to BBC World Service.
The Sunday Times also reported that this British couple met while studying at the University of Bath and got married in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, in 1970.
The report states that they decided to stay in Afghanistan during the past 18 years while working on educational projects, even after the current government’s takeover.
It further mentions that the detained individuals were implementing five educational projects in schools in Kabul and one educational project for mothers and children in Bamiyan, which apparently had the approval of current government officials.
Their daughter, Entwistle, told the Sunday Times that after the current government’s takeover, her parents expressed that they could not abandon Afghan citizens in their most difficult times.
Entwistle stated that their parents’ arrest due to their work in educating mothers and children is unacceptable to them.
According to the Sunday Times report, the couple’s children wrote in their letter to the current government: “We do not understand the reasons for their arrest. They have expressed their trust in you and expect to be treated well as citizens of Afghanistan.”
They added: “We understand that in some cases, prisoner exchanges have been beneficial for your government and Western countries. However, our parents have always expressed their commitment to Afghanistan and have said they would prefer to sacrifice their lives rather than become part of negotiations for ransom or be exchanged.”
Since regaining control over Afghanistan, the current government has detained and imprisoned several foreign citizens after their travels to the country.
