Palestine Action Hunger Strikers Face Uncertain Fate Amid Strict Rules

Former Hunger Strikers from Ireland, Palestine, and Guantanamo Bay Urge UK Government Action

A group of former hunger strikers from Ireland, Palestine, and Guantanamo Bay have issued a statement to the UK government, calling for immediate action. The individuals, who are survivors of state violence, include Qesser Zuhrah, Amu Gib, Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed, Teuta Hoxha, Jon Cink, Lewie Chiaramello, and Muhammad Umer Khalid.

The statement notes that hunger strikes end only when power intervenes or people die. The former hunger strikers have experienced permanent damage and loss due to their experiences in prison. They are writing to express solidarity with the current hunger strikers held in British prisons, who are being detained on remand without trial or conviction.

The group of former hunger strikers is concerned about the UK government’s handling of the current prisoners. They claim that prolonged remand, isolation, and censorship have been used to restrict their contact with loved ones and allow medical neglect. The statement also notes that the language of terror has been deployed to strip these prisoners of public sympathy and basic rights.

The former hunger strikers are highlighting the plight of Palestinian prisoners, who have been subjected to systematic abuse in Israeli prisons. They claim that the UK government’s support for the Israeli state is complicit in this abuse. The statement demands that the UK government takes action to address these issues, including holding an urgent ministerial meeting with families and legal representatives.

The former hunger strikers are also criticizing the use of the term “terror” to describe Palestinian prisoners. They argue that this label has been used to manufacture fear, poison public perception, and justify human rights violations. The statement demands that the UK government recognizes the right of these prisoners to a fair trial, free from bias and state-manufactured fear.

The group is calling for the following actions:

1. An urgent ministerial meeting with families and legal representatives
2. Immediate action to address the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners

The statement concludes by emphasizing the solidarity of the former hunger strikers with the current prisoners and their demands for justice and human rights.

Source: Al Jazeera