Elderly British Couple To Face Taliban Court As Charges Remain Unclear

The family of an elderly British couple imprisoned by the Taliban says they are set to appear in a court in Kabul on Thursday. However, the charges against them remain unknown.

Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife, Barbie, 75, who have been involved in education projects in Afghanistan, were arrested last month from their home in Bamiyan province.

Barbie Reynolds managed to contact her family from Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, informing them that a court date had been scheduled for her and her husband.

“We don’t even know what the charges are against us. We will hear the charges for the first time then,” she said in a voicemail to her family.

The couple has worked on education initiatives in Afghan schools for 18 years and chose to remain in the country after the Taliban regained power. One of their key projects focused on providing education for mothers and children in Bamiyan.

Despite the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s employment and girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, their work had reportedly been approved by local authorities in Bamiyan.

Sarah Entwistle, the couple’s daughter, told The Guardian she fears they may not receive a fair trial. Their translator, Juya, who was arrested alongside them, is also scheduled to appear in court on Thursday but will not be permitted to translate during the proceedings.

The couple was arrested on 1 February, along with Juya and an American-Chinese friend, Faye Hall, who had chartered a plane for their trip.