ISLAMABAD -- The Taliban said Wednesday that efforts to free a British couple from an Afghan prison are not yet complete and denied that their rights were being violated despite concerns from their families and U.N. officials.

The son of a British couple detained by the Taliban five months ago has told the BBC that he fears they may die in prison.

The Taliban has denied that the rights of a British couple being held in a prison in Afghanistan are being violated. This comes after claims from the couple’s family and the UN that they are in desperate need of healthcare and were “chained to murderers” in maximum-security facilities.