Corbett, US Citizen In Taliban Custody In Need Of Urgent Medical Care, Says UN Rapporteur

Alice Jill Edwards, the UN special rapporteur on torture and other inhuman treatment, has said that Ryan Corbett, a US detainee in Afghanistan, needs urgent medical attention.

Edwards called on the Taliban to provide medical care for Corbett to prevent irreparable damage to his health and even the death of the prisoner.

"The Taliban should immediately transfer Ryan Corbett to a civilian hospital for treatment," Edwards said.

According to the UN expert, Corbett is being held "without charge" in conditions that are "completely inadequate and far below international standards".

"This has had a serious impact on Corbett's physical and mental health, and his condition is deteriorating rapidly," Edwards said.

Edwards emphasised that she had discussed the issue directly with Taliban officials.

The UN special rapporteur said that in the absence of medical care, Ryan Corbett is at risk of irreparable harm and even death.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the US mission at the UN headquarters in New York said that the US was in contact with Edwards' office and welcomed her request for more humane conditions for Corbett and others held by the Taliban.

The spokesperson also clarified that the United States considers the detention of Ryan Corbett illegal and is working for his immediate release.

Ryan Corbett and his family moved to Afghanistan in 2010. He initially worked with NGOs and later founded his own organisation called "Bloom Afghanistan" with the aim of strengthening the private sector in Afghanistan.

Corbett left Afghanistan with his family after the fall of the previous government and the Taliban's takeover, but returned to Afghanistan in January 2022 to renew his work visa.

Corbett's lawyers said that he was arrested by the Taliban in August 2022, when he went to Afghanistan to pay the salaries of his employees.

The Taliban government has denied detaining the American citizen.

The UN special rapporteur said that Ryan Corbett has suffered from numerous health problems in the Taliban's prison and has repeatedly spoken of his desire to "commit suicide".

Earlier, Corbett's wife said that after repeated attempts, she finally managed to speak to the US president on the phone on January 12. However, Anna Corbett called her conversation with Biden "disappointing". She said that Biden "won't bring Ryan home, and that's extremely painful for me".