The Corbett family was hoping for good news by the new year.

Instead, they returned to Washington, D.C. for the eighth time to advocate for the safe release of Ryan Corbett, their husband and father who’s been held without charge by the Taliban in Afghanistan since Aug. 10, 2022.

Wednesday marked 524 days of detention, according to his wife, Anna.

Their oldest daughter, Ketsia, a senior in high school, joined her mother at the Capitol to speak with lawmakers this week. 

“From what we know, Ryan is being held in a 9x9 foot basement cell,” Rep. Claudia Tenney said Wednesday. “He does not have regular access to the bathroom, sunlight, adequate nutrition or medical care. Reports from now-freed individuals who were obtained with Ryan state that Ryan is in poor health with discolored extremities, fainting spells, seizures and has suffered from worsening vision."

Anna has been married to Ryan for 20 years. She says she used to speak with him about everything every day, and not being around him has been extremely difficult and stressful for her family.

“I have spoken with him three times, a total of 22 minutes," Corbett said. "The last call was on Christmas Day. Very little contact, but I’m grateful for those calls, and I’m hoping for more communication, of course, in-person, that he would be back home so we can speak directly."

Christmas Day was also when she received the first picture since being detained. 

“It was very traumatic for the kids and I to receive this,” she said. “He has changed so much. He has aged a lot, and lost a lot of weight and I’m so scared for his life.”

The picture was sent to her from a Qatari delegation, which was her husbands’ second visitor in more than 500 days.

“I’ve introduced House Resolution 965, calling for the immediate release of Ryan Corbett," Tenney announced Wednesday. She says the resolution has bipartisan support. At least 25 members from both sides of the aisle joined the original co-sponsorship of this resolution, which condemns the detention of Corbett, as well as other U.S. citizens detained by the Taliban.

"We're here to say we have Ryan in our daily prayers, but we also have Ryan in our public policy focus," Arkansas Republican Congressman and member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, J. French Hill said. Representatives from the Corbett’s home state, Ryan’s childhood home, and his parents residency were also in support. 

The Corbett’s oldest daughter also addressed the media at the Capitol.

“I miss my dad so much, and I worry about him every day, and I really want him to be home before I leave for nursing school this fall, which is coming really quickly and our family just really needs him home," she said.

Anna will remain in D.C. speaking to lawmakers this week, hoping to increase the urgency of Ryan’s release.