The most prolonged hunger strike witnessed in a British prison for decades has now reached a perilous, life-threatening stage. With six individuals refusing food for over 46 days, the situation is critical, yet the Government and senior Labour figures have maintained a public silence, raising fears of a tragic historical repeat.
A Dire Situation with Echoes of the Past
The current protest, involving activists affiliated with the group Palestine Action, began on 2nd November 2025. It has now surpassed six weeks, marking it as the longest such action in the UK since the 1981 Irish Republican Army hunger strikes at HMP Maze. During that infamous protest, ten men, including MP Bobby Sands who died on day 66, lost their lives following a lack of political intervention.
The six individuals currently on hunger strike, all remanded in custody awaiting trial and not convicted of any offence, are:
- Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib (Day 46)
- Heba Muraisa (Day 45)
- Teuta Hoxha (Day 39)
- Kamran Ahmed (Day 38)
- Lewie Chiaramello (Day 24)
Two other prisoners initially joined the protest but have since withdrawn. The strikers are part of groups referred to as the 'Filton 24' and 'Brize Norton 4'. Their alleged offences relate to direct action protests targeting Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems, including an incident at RAF Brize Norton on June 20 and alleged damage exceeding £1 million at a Filton research centre near Bristol.
Demands and Deteriorating Health
The hunger strikers have issued five core demands: an end to prison censorship of letters and calls; immediate bail for all Palestine Action prisoners; fair trials; the removal of a 'terror' classification from the group; and the shutdown of all Elbit Systems sites in the UK. The campaign group Prisoners4Palestine states Elbit is "Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer" and accuses the UK government of using public funds to support "the machinery of genocide."
Concerns for the protesters' health are escalating rapidly. Middle East Eye reported that Qesser Zuhrah experienced severe chest pains, breathlessness, and abdominal pain, pleading with prison staff at HMP Bronzefield for an ambulance on day 42 of her strike. After a 12-hour vigil by supporters including MP Zarah Sultana outside the prison, it was confirmed on December 17 that Zuhrah had been taken to hospital. Her current condition is unknown.
Lawyers from Imran Khan and Partners have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, warning of the "real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence." In a viral video, Lammy was approached by a striker's sister but responded that he "doesn't know anything about it."
Mounting Pressure and Political Silence
The crisis has drawn significant public attention. Over 200 prominent figures from music, sport, and film—including The Pogues, Kneecap, and author Sally Rooney—have signed an open letter organised by Irish Artists for Palestine, demanding Prime Minister Keir Starmer intervene.
Critics highlight the extended pre-trial detention of the protesters as a violation of justice. For instance, Amu Gib, arrested on 3rd July 2025, is not expected to face trial until January 2027—nearly two years after being imprisoned. Campaigners argue that protest is a civil right enshrined in human rights law, and the current situation represents a dangerous failure of the state.
With the health of the six individuals deteriorating by the hour, and the shadow of the 1981 hunger strikes looming large, pressure is mounting on the Labour government to break its silence and act to prevent potential deaths in UK prisons.
