In a pressing statement on Monday, United Nations human rights experts demanded the immediate release of an elderly British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who have been detained in Afghanistan since February under harsh conditions. The experts highlighted the dire lack of legal assistance and medical care available to the couple, as well as their isolation from family and the outside world.

The Reynolds, aged 80 and 75, respectively, had been living in Afghanistan for 18 years, contributing to the local economy through a training service business they ran for various companies and organizations. Their detention, which initially placed them in a maximum-security facility and later in underground cells devoid of sunlight, has raised significant international concerns. Last week, they were transferred to the General Directorate of Intelligence in Kabul.

The UN experts expressed grave concerns over the couple's health; Peter Reynolds recently collapsed due to a heart condition requiring medication, and Barbie Reynolds suffers from anaemia, which has left her increasingly frail. The experts stated, "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."

Their detention appears to violate several international human rights laws, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protect against arbitrary detention and ensure the right to a fair trial and medical care.

The situation of the Reynolds comes in the wake of a UN report last month that criticized Afghanistan for eroding human rights protections. Human Rights Watch has also called for the creation of an independent body by the Human Rights Council to address and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations in Afghanistan.

Additionally, ongoing concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan were highlighted by UN agencies in April, which also saw calls for the cessation of inhumane punishments by the Taliban.

The international community watches closely as the situation unfolds, hoping for a swift and just resolution that secures the safety and rights of the Reynolds and underscores the broader human rights challenges facing Afghanistan.