UN Special Rapporteur Alice Jill Edwards has called upon the Taliban to urgently provide detained US humanitarian worker Ryan Corbett with immediate medical treatment due to his worsening health. Corbett, allegedly detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, has been reportedly held in a small, locked cell without sunlight, always under armed guard, and without access to legal assistance.
According to Edwards, Corbett is experiencing severe physical and mental health issues, including numbness in his feet, significant weight loss, and intentions of self-harm and suicide. The Special Rapporteur stressed that Corbett is at risk of “irreparable harm or even death” if timely medical attention is not provided.
In her statement, Edwards emphasized the necessity of humane treatment for inmates, commenting, “Persons deprived of liberty must always be treated humanely … The conditions of detention and treatment under which [Corbett] and many other detainees have been held violate the absolute prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Being held without charge or procedure is exacerbating his physical and mental health and presents an immediate or longer-term danger to life.”
Furthermore, she advocated for Corbett’s unconditional release if determined to be arbitrarily detained, as he currently faces no charges.
This plea comes after UN experts, including Special Rapporteur Richard Bennet, warned on October 23, 2023, about the worsening human rights situation in Afghanistan. Bennet underscored the myriad challenges plaguing Afghanistan, mainly due to the Taliban’s policies and ongoing humanitarian and economic crises. He urged the international community to take immediate, collaborative action to prevent further suffering in Afghanistan and the broader region.