LETTER: Hunger strikers are being subjected to cruel injustice - at least Barry Gardiner has been willing to speak out.

 

The Hunger Strikers

Dear Editor, 

With the ongoing situation of dangerous inaction, and criminal neglect from the British government in response to the hunger strike, it was refreshing to see Heba Muraisi's MP, Barry Gardiner, speak up for his constituent Heba, in the Houses of Parliament on 7th January 2026.

Heba Muraisi has been on hunger strike since 3 November 2025. Today, she has been on hunger strike for a staggering 73 days, which raises extremely grave and immediate concerns for her life, concerns of the utmost seriousness. She was among the first to go on hunger strike. She has vowed to continue with her hunger strike, and hasn't paused it, even temporarily. This means that, out of the group, she has been on hunger strike for the longest duration. She is at risk of dying suddenly at any given moment. After her prolonged hunger strike, she is at high risk of irreversible physical effects, such as organ failure, neurological damage, hearing loss and sight loss. The UN has issued serious warnings about the hunger strike, confirming what's already known: that the Prisoners for Palestine on hunger strike are at risk of immediate, serious and irreversible physical effects, and sudden death. 

Qesser Zuhrah paused her hunger strike, after severe health complications and hospitalisation, as did Amu Gib, who was also hospitalised, with the risk of organ failure and other acute complications. Umer Khalid, who has muscular dystrophy, paused his hunger strike due to life-threatening effects, but recently restarted his hunger strike, leading to renewed fears for his life and health. Lewie Chiaramello has type 1 diabetes, and is on hunger strike on alternate days, which still carries a very real risk of death. Even when a hunger strike is stopped, the refeeding process can be deadly, if not approached correctly with medical supervision. This means the prisoners who paused their hunger strikes are still not out of the danger zone.

It's been the biggest coordinated hunger strike in prison since 1981. Bobby Sands died after 66 days of hunger strike, in Northern Ireland's Maze Prison, and nine other deaths followed. 

Heba Muraisi began her hunger strike after being moved from HMP Bronzefield, to New Hall Prison in Wakefield, Northern England, without justification or explanation. She is hundreds of miles away from her constituency of Brent, her family and support system. As Barry Gardiner stated in Parliament, Heba's disabled mother can't make the journey to visit her.

Now New Hall has agreed to transfer Heba back to HMP Bronzefield, but the decision remains with Bronzefield as to whether they will accept her transfer. This has led to further, unnecessary delays, as Heba is fighting for her life with every hour that passes, and time is of the essence.

Along with the other individuals known as the Filton24, Heba's demands are as follows:

Immediate bail 

End to all Censorship of Communications in Prison  

Right to a Fair Trial, including disclosure of relevant documents that have so far been kept hidden 

Deproscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation  

Shut Elbit Systems down and all its subsidiaries in the UK 

So far, Secretary of State for Justice, David Lammy, has refused to meet with any of the hunger strikers' family members or legal representatives, despite widespread calls that he does so. Shockingly, he's chosen to ignore the hunger strike. He has failed in his duty of care to these prisoners of conscience, and his actions have been nothing short of wreckless, showing arrogant disregard for the lives of the hunger strikers. 

The deterioration of Heba's health, and that of the others currently on hunger strike - Kamran Ahmed, Teuta Hoxha, Lewie Chiaramello, and Umer Khalid, who recently restarted his hunger strike after a brief pause - was fully preventable, had David Lammy and Keir Starmer intervened early on.

Their deaths now seem imminent. But the circumstances leading to their continued hunger strike could have been addressed by the British government, whose actions, or rather inaction, indicate that they would prefer these brave activists to die. These prisoners of conscience have not been convicted of anything. Their loved ones and supporters wake with dread every day, scared that they'll hear the bad news they have died. 

Going on hunger strike must be regarded as the very last resort of prisoners of conscience, whose rights have been denied repeatedly. They have exhausted every avenue available to them, and been met only with discrimination and unlawful treatment. By denying them their fundamental human rights and subjecting them to such cruel injustice, the actions of the British government are tantamount to inflicting murder upon them. The government has had ample opportunity to act, and must be held to account. They are answerable to the public, and their response to this emergency is not simply optional, but a requirement of their roles. 

The hunger strikers ask only for their basic human rights and the government must be compelled to grant them, as the government itself is shamefully breaking the law with regard to these young people, whose lives are hanging by a thread. In a broader sense, the active complicity and participation of the British state in the genocide of Palestinians, is the underlying cause of the avoidable tragedy unfolding with the hunger strikers in UK prisons. 

Barry Gardiner has shown himself to be one of the few MPs of conscience who's willing to speak up. We call on him to continue to exert pressure on Keir Starmer and David Lammy, to grant the hunger strikers immediate bail and their other legitimate demands, and uphold their human rights, and the rule of law. David Lammy must meet with the hunger strikers' family members and legal representatives. We request in the strongest terms that Barry Gardiner uses his influence as an MP to raise the concerns that the hunger strikers are at immediate risk of death, and immediate action must be taken by the UK Government to prevent their deaths.

We also call on all people of conscience to write to their local MPs, even if they've already done so, to highlight the urgent need to take action to save the lives of the hunger strikers, before it's too late.

Saba Chaudry

(Address supplied)