By Olivia Gazis, Margaret Brennan
Updated on: April 25, 2024 / 5:46 PM EDT / CBS News
Suhail Saheen, the head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar, told CBS News he had no information about the claims of torture. "As per my information, he has access to doctors and telephonic conversations with his family on regular basis. Torture is unlawful and prohibited by the Islamic Emirate," he said.
If the U.N. arms take up the petitions, they can open investigations and issue non-binding legal opinions declaring an individual wrongfully detained and calling for their release.
"Today's filings are an urgent response to the horrific conditions in which Ryan has been suffering for over 20 months. It would be hard to imagine conditions that would pose a greater immediate threat to the life of a detainee," said Kate Gibson, one of the family's attorneys, in a statement.
Anna Corbett, Ryan's wife, said in a statement that her husband's situation was "rapidly worsening," and that she and her children were "concerned that the President is not focusing on bringing him home before it is too late."