A British man being held in Afghanistan is seriously unwell and in need of immediate hospital treatment due to “life-threatening” kidney issues, according to a non-profit group negotiating with the Taliban on his behalf.
Kevin Cornwell, 53, is one of three Britons detained in Afghanistan.
Scott Richards, co-founder of the UK-based Presidium Network, which is negotiating for two of the three men, told The National Mr Cornwell suffers from kidney issues, which have worsened significantly.
Mr Richards said they were aware Mr Cornwell was receiving “some degree of pain relief,” but only recently became aware of the severity of his condition.
“Both kidneys are in poor state, but his right kidney was meant to receive hospital treatment, and without doing so will occlude,” he said.
“Occlusion will lead to sepsis which would be fatal. Mr Cornwell is anticipated to require immediate hospital treatment subsequent to his release.
“We are now in a very different situation, where a misunderstanding is now directly life threatening, and the potential death of a foreign national over a misunderstanding, who was on a humanitarian mission, would have a severe impact on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.”
Mr Cornwell and an unnamed manager of a hotel for aid workers in Kabul were arrested following a search of their rooms in the Darya Village hotel in Kabul in January, when a pistol was discovered in a safe. The owner had a licence, which was produced.
“Over the past few weeks we have systematically addressed statements coming from Afghanistan, some understood to be official and others speculative,” said Mr Richards.
“We demonstrated first that Mr Cornwell worked for the UN and was a paramedic in response to statements that he was a journalist and in Afghanistan on other purposes.
“Last week we issued the license for the weapon along with a photograph of the pistol where serial numbers match. We have demonstrated consistently and supported by evidence that this is a misunderstanding.”
Mr Cornwell and the hotel manager, who wishes to remain anonymous, are being held alongside self-professed “danger tourist” Miles Routledge.
He recently returned to Afghanistan after being evacuated during a holiday in the country in 2021 when the Taliban returned to power.
Mr Routledge, 23, was reportedly arrested in March by Taliban fighters along with two Polish citizens.
In a post on social media, he said he had been arrested for withdrawing $1,000 from Western Union.
He has gained notoriety by travelling to dangerous countries and posting about it online.
The Presidium Network is not acting as a negotiator on his behalf.
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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