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Summary:
Lawyers and relatives of eight remand prisoners affiliated with Palestine Action, who are on hunger strike to protest their detention and demand the de-proscription of the group, are expressing grave concerns for their health and lives. Some have been hospitalized, and their condition is deteriorating. They accuse prison officials of lack of care and communication and criticize Justice Secretary David Lammy for failing to respond to their requests for a meeting. The prisoners are awaiting trial on charges related to alleged actions against Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense firm, and an RAF base. The hunger strike is escalating, with Amnesty International joining calls for action and concerns mounting over the potential for fatalities.
News Article:
Palestine Action Hunger Strikers’ Lives Feared as Justice Secretary Faces Mounting Pressure
London, UK – Lawyers and families of eight remand prisoners affiliated with the pro-Palestine protest group, Palestine Action, are raising alarms about the deteriorating health of the activists who are currently on hunger strike. The prisoners, awaiting trial on charges related to alleged incidents at an Elbit Systems facility and an RAF base, are demanding bail, a fair trial, the de-proscription of Palestine Action, and the closure of Elbit sites.
The hunger strike has reached a critical stage, with some individuals refusing food for over 40 days and several being hospitalized. Shahmina Alam, sister of hunger striker Kamran Ahmed, expressed deep fear, stating, “At any moment now, you could receive a phone call to get the most unfortunate news.”
Concerns are escalating over a perceived lack of communication and care from prison officials. Lawyers for the prisoners have written to Justice Secretary David Lammy, urgently requesting a meeting to address the situation, warning of the potential for deaths in custody before a verdict is reached.
“There is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence,” stated the letter from Imran Khan & Partners.
The Ministry of Justice has yet to respond to requests for comment.
The situation is drawing wider attention, with Amnesty International UK calling it a “crisis point” and urging prosecutors to drop the terrorism connection allegations and end the pre-trial detention. Labour MP John McDonnell has also raised the issue in Parliament, criticizing the Justice Secretary’s failure to respond to correspondence. Pressure on Lammy increased further after an encounter at a Christmas event, where Shahmina Alam confronted him about the situation.
The hunger strike echoes the 1981 Irish Republican hunger strikes and represents a significant challenge to the UK government’s handling of Palestine Action-related cases.
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