UK: Fifth Palestine Action prisoner joins rolling hunger strike over detention conditions

A fifth Palestine Action-affiliated prisoner has launched a hunger strike over her detention conditions and the UK government's ban on the direct action group.

The 29-year-old prisoner, named T Hoxha, has joined four other prisoners in a rolling hunger strike launched on 2 November over what they describe as "systematic abuse" by the prison authorities.

Qesser Zurah and Amu Gibb, prisoners currently held at HMP Bronzefield, launched their strikes on Sunday. Heba Muraisi, who is held at HMP New Hall, joined on Monday, and Jon Cink, also held at Bronzefield, refused food on Thursday.

Hoxha is one of the "Filton 24" - activists from the recently proscribed direct action group Palestine Action who were arrested on terrorism charges.

Those charges were in connection with an action in August 2024, when six activists drove a modified van into the research and development hub of the UK facility of Israeli arms company, Elbit Systems, in Filton, Bristol.

Currently held at HMP Peterborough, Hoxha has been on remand since November 2024, awaiting her trial which will start in April 2026.

This is the second hunger strike Hoxha has observed within the last three months.

In August, she refused food for three weeks over worsening treatment by prison staff in the aftermath of the government's move to ban the group under terrorism legislation in July.

The campaign group Prisoners for Palestine (PFP) announced the launch of the rolling hunger 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, as well as the de-proscription of Palestine Action.

More are expected to participate in the coming weeks.

'I will persevere'

The prisoners have received widespread support from pro-Palestine activists.

Former Lebanese political prisoner Georges Abdallah - freed in July after 41 years in a French jail - sent a message to the hunger strikers, expressing his “full solidarity with the Comrades of ‘Prisoners for Palestine’” in the face of “repression”.

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From house arrest, US activist Jakhi McCray, who is accused of torching police vehicles, said he will also begin a hunger strike in solidarity and to draw attention to their case.

In his letter, McCray wrote: “These comrades have been physically isolated even within their prisons, banned from communicating with family and friends, assaulted, denied a fair trial, and harassed over their religion.”

Zurah, Gibb and Muraisi reported that they have been repeatedly denied medical attention and refused requests for electrolytes. One of the prisoners has now gone a week without food.

PFP said the government has still not issued a response to their letter nor commented on the strikers.

"I am astounded by T's resilience in joining her comrades in this hunger strike, having just completed one two months ago," PFP's Audrey Corno said. 

"In our last visit, she told me: 'Don't worry about me. I've read about Guantanamo, and I am embarrassed - I will do this hunger strike in comparative comfort. Whatever happens to me cannot compare to the scenes in Palestine. Therefore I will persevere.'"

"This is the strength the British state is up against," Corno added.