Palestine Action prisoners launch rolling hunger strike over detention conditions

A trio of prisoners, held on remand in the UK for alleged offences relating to Palestine Action activities, have launched a hunger strike over what they describe as "systematic abuse" by prison authorities.

The campaign group Prisoners for Palestine (PFP) announced on Sunday that prisoners Qesser Zurah and Amu Gibb launched a rolling hunger strike by refusing food at HMP Bronzefield.

Huba Muraisi, who is being held on remand at HMP New Hall, joined them on Monday.

More prisoners are expected to join the strike in the coming days, although PFP said they could not disclose total number of prisoners participating in the strike over fears individuals will be further targeted by the authorities.

Muraisi, who is originally from Yemen and has family in Gaza, is one of the Filton 24 - a group who were arrested on terrorism charges in connection with an action in August 2024 targeting a research and development hub of UK-based Israeli arms company Elbit Systems in Filton, Bristol.

While the defendants now face non-terror-related charges, the Crown Prosecution Service has said it will argue in court that they have a "terrorism-connection", which could aggravate their sentences.

All Filton 24 defendants have been refused bail and have been held on remand beyond the UK's standard pre-trial custody time limit for the crown court, which is 182 days.

Muraisi has been held on remand since she was arrested in a dawn raid on her home on 24 November.

'Targeted' by prison authorities

PFP said in a statement that Muraisi had been "targeted by the prison authorities", saying that her "privacy had been violated", and her "access to books and visits restricted".

The group added that she had been "subjected to segregation" and that a kuffiyeh, which she used as a hijab during prayers, was "forcibly removed" by Bronzefield's head of security, Yasmine Cooper.

Like a number of other defendants held on charges in connection with Palestine Action, Muraisi had been transferred from HMP Bronzefield to HMP Newhall, which PFP said is located "hundreds of miles" away from her family and support network.

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According to PFP, Qesser was "forced into her cell" after announcing her hunger strike on Monday.

Prison guards informed her that she would be "placed on report" for breaching "prison discipline".

The prisoners launched the strike after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood failed to respond to a letter outlining their demands, including immediate bail and an end to prison interference with their personal communications. 

In July, Yvette Cooper, then home secretary, banned Palestine Action and designated the group as a terrorist organisation. 

The ban means Palestine Action is akin to the Islamic State or al-Qaeda in British law, and expressing support or membership of the group is a criminal offence that could lead to a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

MEE previously reported that prisoners linked to Palestine Action were facing increasing restrictions on their post, phone calls and visits in the wake of the group's proscription in July.

This prompted one detainee, T Hoxha, to launch a hunger strike in August.