News Beat
Four Palestine Action hunger strikers pledge to continue, families say
Four protesters in jail for alleged offences relating to the Palestine Action group have pledged to maintain their hunger strike, their families have said.
Eight activists initially went on hunger strike while awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage, with four still maintaining their protest.
Four of the group are accused of playing roles in the break-in at Israeli-linked defence technology company Elbit Systems UK and are due to go on trial in May next year at the earliest.
The other four are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in June, where it is alleged that they sprayed red paint into two RAF Voyager planes causing millions of pounds worth of damage.
Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib both paused their hunger strike this week after health concerns. Lawyers for the eight have said that they could die if the protest continues.
Those still refusing food are Teuta Hoxha, Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello, according to the support group Prisoners for Palestine.
Muraisi has gone without food for more than 50 days, according a tracker publicised by the group. And Ahmed and Hoxha have both been on hunger strike for more than 45 days. Chiaramello is fasting intermittently due to an underlying health condition.
Ahmed’s sister Shahmina Alam told Sky News that her brother’s “spirit is strong” despite the increasing danger of going without food. She said: “The prison has moved him to cells closer to the nurse’s station to ensure he’s able to have his vitals managed and respond to any emergency situations.
“Kamran is still determined. He feels this is the only way to exercise his demands.”
Hoxta’s sister Rahma said that she was losing an “enormous amount of weight”. She said Hoxta was struggling to talk, has a constant headache and has been having heart palpitations.
The protesters, who have called for a terror ban on the group Palestine Action to be lifted, have threatened legal action against the government.
A legal firm representing the hunger strikers said that it submitted a pre-action letter on Monday against the justice secretary David Lammy. The letter calls for a response within 24 hours, saying the issue is a “matter of urgency”, as “our clients’ health continues to deteriorate, such that the risk of their dying increases every day”.
It also calls for an urgent meeting with Mr Lammy. Support group Prisoners for Palestine told The Independent that there has been no response from the government so far.
Ahmed, 28, who was being held at Pentonville Prison in London, and Gib, 30, who was being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, were both admitted to hospital in the past week after refusing food.
Last Thursday, emergency physician Dr James Smith told journalists some of the activists “are dying” and need specialist medical help.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “We strongly refute these claims.
“We want these prisoners to accept support and get better, and we will not create perverse incentives that would encourage more people to put themselves at risk through hunger strikes”.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said the “rules and procedures” are being followed, after facing questions in the Commons about why his ministers had refused to meet with representatives of those striking.
Prisons minister Lord Timpson has previously said the service is “very experienced” at dealing with hunger strikes and has “robust and working” systems in place and the Prison Service “will not be meeting” any prisoners or their representatives.
