Why are pro-Palestine prisoners on hunger strike in a UK jail?

The HMP Bronzefield hunger strikes have been cited as “the biggest coordinated prison hunger strike’ in the UK in almost 40 years

Eight Palestine Action activists have been participating in an open-ended hunger strike in prison for nearly two months over Palestine and several have been hospitalised as their health has reached a “critical stage” according to a doctor.

The ongoing hunger strikes at HMP Bronzefield began on 2 November and have been called “the biggest coordinated prison hunger strike” in almost 40 years in the UK, campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said at a press conference on Thursday.

More than 800 doctors, legal experts and family members have sent a letter to the justice secretary David Lammy, urging him to meet their lawyers to discuss the ongoing protest.

The letter comes after one of the hunger strikers, 20-year-old Qesser Zuhrah, who is currently on her 47th day without food, was taken to hospital on Wednesday. Campaigners at Prisoners for Palestine claim that prison staff had refused entry to ambulances and delayed Zuhrah’s treatment overnight.

Former Labour and now Your Party MP Zarah Sultana joined activists outside the prison in protest at the treatment received by hunger strikers.

One of the hunger strikers 20-year-old Qesser Zuhrah, who is currently on her 47th day without food, was refused an ambulance for more than 12 hours (Prisoners For Palestine)

MP Jeremy Corbyn addressed the activism at PMQs on Wednesday, to which Sir Keir Starmer responded that they are following “rules and procedures” in relation to the hunger strikes.

Over 50 MPs have signed an open letter to Mr Lammy earlier this week including: Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Ms Sultana.

Who are the hunger strikers?

Eight prisoners in total have been involved, with two having to end their hunger strikes due to health conditions.

• Qesser Zuhrah, 20-years-old, - Day 47
• Amu Gib, 30-years-old - Day 47
• Heba Muraisi, 31-years-old - Day 46
• Jon Cink, 25-years-old - Day 41 (Ended)
• Teuta Hoxha, 29-years-old - Day 40
• Kamran Ahmed, 28-years-old - Day 39
• Lewie Chiaramello, 22-years-old - Day 25 (intermittently 14 days as he has diabetes)
• Umer Khalid - 22-years-old, Day 13 (Ended)

What have they been charged with?

Four of the group are accused of playing roles in the break-in to an Israeli-linked defence firm in 2024 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 they caused millions of pounds worth of damage to two military jets.

Daniel Cooper, the legal representative for all eight prisoners said he sent multiple letters to Mr Lammy to meet to discuss the “life threatening deterioration of his client’s health”.

He said "We make it clear, our effort is to seek to prevent the loss of life. We remain at a loss as to why the Secretary [of State] would not want to engage in a process to save lives? Their lives are at risk, the government has known about this for some time, but for reasons not clear to us, they have refused our requests to meet."

What are their demands?

• De-proscription of ‘Palestine Action’ as a terrorist group and for the ban to be lifted
• David Lammy to meet with their legal representatives urgently
• Defence firms which have links to Israel to be shut down
• Immediate bail for their prisoners
• Right to a fair trial
• Freedom of expression and opinion whilst they are in prison and end to censorship (including missing letters, books banned (including feminist literature), phone calls blocked and visits disrupted.

The ongoing hunger strikes at HMP Bronzefield began on 2 November and have been cited as “the biggest coordinated prison hunger strike in UK history since the 1981 H-Block strikes in Northern Ireland” by ‘Prisoners for Palestine’ at a press conference today (PA)

What is the latest on their medical conditions?

A letter sent by Dr James Smith, A&E doctor and Lecturer at UCL along with the signatures of over 800 doctors stated: "They are at very high risk of serious complications, including organ failure, irreversible neurological damage, cardiac arrhythmias, and death."

Dr James Smith at the press conference confirmed that "the hunger strikers are dying" and added: "the shackling of prisoners when in hospital, even when using toilet facilities, or undergoing medical examinations - this is something I have never seen or experienced in my time as a medical professional."

"It is my view that the British government, private corporations running the prison, the police and in some cases the NHS providers are presently harming these individuals.”

Many of the family members of the prisoners spoke at the press conference today about losing contact with the prisoners when they were hospitalised and many of the hunger strikers have had to self-discharge themselves just to let their kin know they are alive.

All have lost a significant percentage of their body weight and the hunger strike in its second month is reaching a critical stage nearing a point of no return”, a Prisoners for Palestine spokesperson said at the conference today.

What has been the reaction?

MP Jeremy Corbyn, earlier addressed the hunger strikes in parliament calling on the Minister of Justice to meet the prisoners’ legal representatives and families to discuss the situation and “help move forward to help the safety” of the prisoners.

Over 50 MPs have signed an open letter to Lammy earlier this week including: Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, Zarah Sultana and Zack Polanski. Activist Greta Thunberg has also spoken out about the situation (X/@zarahsultana)

He explained that “the minister of state responded bluntly ‘no’ to me and some of his colleagues to their eternal disgrace laughed at the strength of his response. I find that contemptible that members of parliament should derive some form of amusement from a ministers obdurate refusal to carry out his own responsibilities.”

Mr Corbyn said the hunger strikers “are not criminals they are remand prisoners” and added: “To me they’re brave people who go on the traditions of the suffragettes, the Irish hunger strikers and many others who took the ultimate action of deliberately damaging their own bodies in order to draw attention to a greater crime that is going on.

How has the government responded?

Lord Timpson, minister for prisons, said: “We are very experienced at dealing with hunger strikes. Unfortunately, over the last five years we have averaged over 200 hunger strike incidents every year and the processes that we have are well-established and they work very well – with prisons working alongside our NHS partners every day, making sure our systems are robust and working – and they are.

“I am very clear. I don’t treat any prisoners differently to others. That is why we will not be meeting any prisoners or their representatives. We have a justice system that is based on the separation of powers, and the independent judiciary is the cornerstone of our system.”