A hunger striker protesting his pre-trial detention in a British prison has been rushed to hospital for a sixth time, with supporters warning he is now ‘at imminent risk of death’ after 59 days without food.
Critical Condition in Hospital
Kamran Ahmed, 28, was transferred from HMP Pentonville in north London to a hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning. According to his supporters, the move came after an electrocardiogram heart test detected abnormal readings, prompting medical staff to notify his next of kin.
Ahmed is one of three remaining individuals on a prolonged hunger strike while awaiting trial for their alleged roles in Palestine Action raids on defence facilities. The original group of eight began their protest while on remand, charged with offences relating to break-ins and criminal damage at sites including an Elbit Systems factory in August 2024 and RAF Brize Norton in June 2025.
‘I Am Dying in My Cell’
The most gravely ill of the group is now Heba Muraisi, 31, from east London, who has endured 66 days without food. In a stark statement, she has said, ‘I am dying in my cell,’ describing struggles to breathe and concentrate. Her time on hunger strike now equals the point reached by IRA prison leader Bobby Sands when he died in 1981.
Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South campaigning for the group, issued a dire warning. ‘Kamran Ahmed is at imminent risk of death,’ she said. ‘Today, on day 59 of his hunger strike, he has been hospitalised for the sixth time. In 1981, two of the ten IRA hunger strikers in British prisons died before reaching day 59.’
Broken Limits and Political Demands
The protesters have now been held on remand for over a year, breaking the UK’s standard six-month pre-trial custody limit. Their demands include immediate bail, an end to censorship of jail communications, the right to a fair trial, the de-proscribing of Palestine Action, and the closure of Elbit Systems.
Ms Sultana directly challenged the Labour government, stating: ‘Keir Starmer and David Lammy must act now to save Kamran’s life… If they do not act swiftly, this Labour government will have yet more blood on its hands.’
In response, Lord Timpson, the minister of state for prisons, reiterated the government’s position. He stated that hunger strikes were not a new issue, with over 200 averaged annually in the last five years, and that prison healthcare teams provide continuous NHS care. He emphasised that remand decisions are for independent judges and that it would be ‘entirely unconstitutional’ for ministers to intervene.
The situation remains critical, with the health of the remaining strikers deteriorating by the day as the political standoff continues.
