Relatives of hunger-striking prisoners linked to the activist group Palestine Action have made a desperate plea for Justice Secretary David Lammy to meet with them, warning that the protesters' health has reached a critical point after weeks of refusing food.
Legal Pressure Mounts on Ministry of Justice
On Monday, as the protest entered a perilous phase, solicitors representing the hunger strikers sent a formal legal letter to the Ministry of Justice. The letter argues that by declining to arrange a meeting, David Lammy has failed to adhere to the ministry's own policy on managing hunger strikes.
The legal intervention followed a weekend where three of the prisoners were hospitalised simultaneously. Qesser Zuhrah, 20, and Amu Gib, 30, have now refused food for 51 days, while Kamran Ahmed, 28, is on day 43 of his strike. For Ahmed, this marked his third hospital admission, with his sister stating his condition is now beyond urgent.
Families Describe Agony of Limited Information
Shahmina Alam, the 33-year-old pharmacist sister of Kamran Ahmed, voiced her family's distress and direct appeal to the justice secretary. "There's still time to do better," she told the Guardian. "He can show a bit of humanity." She drew a stark parallel with the fatal 1981 Irish republican hunger strikes, urging authorities not to let history repeat itself.
A recurring complaint from families and supporters is the lack of communication when prisoners are moved to hospital. Ella Moulsdale, the designated next of kin for Qesser Zuhrah, expressed the anguish of not knowing if her friend was alive during a recent hospital transfer. "I have no confirmation that she was inside that ambulance," she said.
Government Caution Amidst Worsening Crisis
While there is understood to be concern within government about the prisoners' deteriorating states, officials are exercising extreme caution. There is apprehension about setting a precedent by facilitating a high-level meeting, especially given the large number of individuals currently held on remand due to court backlogs.
Ministry of Justice sources indicated that the department has very limited powers to offer additional legal recourse or medical support beyond what is already being provided. Officials noted that deaths in custody from hunger strikes are very rare, with most ending voluntarily.
A government spokesperson responded: "While it's very concerning, clearly hunger strikes are not a new issue for our prisons. We have longstanding procedures in place to ensure prisoner safety and prison healthcare teams provide NHS care." The statement also challenged claims that hospital care was being refused, calling them "entirely misleading."
The other current hunger strikers include Heba Muraisi, 31 (day 50), Teuta Hoxha, 29 (day 44), and Lewie Chiaramello, 22, who is refusing food on alternate days due to his diabetes and is on day 16. All are in prison awaiting trial on charges relating to alleged protest actions involving break-ins or criminal damage.
