Palestine Action Activists' Health Deteriorates Amidst Prolonged Hunger Strike in UK Prisons

Palestine Action Activists' Health Deteriorates Amidst Prolonged Hunger Strike

A group of pro-Palestinian activists currently held in UK prisons, known as the "Filton 24," are continuing a hunger strike, with reports indicating a severe decline in their health. The action, initiated by several members of the Palestine Action group in early November, aims to highlight their demands concerning their detention and the legal status of Palestine Action itself. Supporters and medical professionals have voiced growing concern over the well-being of the detainees, some of whom have been refusing food for over two months.

Background to the Protest

The "Filton 24" comprises twenty-four individuals affiliated with Palestine Action, an organization that has faced legal challenges and has been characterized by authorities in the UK. These activists were imprisoned following alleged actions against an Elbit Systems facility in Filton, near Bristol, in August 2024. Despite the organization's designation, the activists involved in the hunger strike maintain that their imprisonment and the conditions under which they are held are unjust.

In early November, eight of the imprisoned activists began a hunger strike, articulating several key demands. These include the immediate release on bail for those held on remand, the reconsideration of Palestine Action's classification, the withdrawal of "terrorism"-related charges, the disclosure of documents pertaining to Elbit and communications between the British and Israeli states, and the cessation of all related partnerships. While five prisoners reportedly ceased their hunger strike after several weeks due to medical intervention, the remaining individuals have continued, reportedly enduring significant and potentially lasting health consequences.

Grave Health Concerns Emerge

The health status of the hunger strikers has reportedly reached a critical point. Heba Muraisi, who as of Thursday marked sixty-seven consecutive days without food, is said to be experiencing severe muscle spasms and breathing difficulties, leading to fears of neurological damage. This period surpasses the sixty-six days of hunger strike undertaken by Bobby Sands, an Irish republican political prisoner who died in 1981.

Kamran Ahmed, now on his sixtieth day of hunger strike, has required multiple hospitalizations and is reportedly suffering from intermittent hearing loss, having entered what medical observers describe as a critical stage of starvation. Another activist, Lewie Chiaramello, who manages type 1 diabetes, has been on an intermittent hunger strike for approximately forty-six days, a situation that health experts indicate significantly heightens his medical risks.

These individuals face the potential for life-threatening complications, yet the government has, according to reports, maintained its stance, continuing to hold them under legislation typically associated with counter-terrorism measures.

Controversial Detention Conditions and Legal Scrutiny

Concerns extend beyond the immediate effects of starvation to the conditions of detention. Supporters and legal representatives allege that the activists are being held under restrictive and degrading conditions. These include strict isolation, censorship of communications, repeated delays in accessing emergency medical care, inconsistent medical monitoring, and limitations on contact with lawyers and family. Even when hospitalized, some detainees have reportedly remained heavily restrained.

Critics point out that none of the hunger strikers have been charged with, let alone convicted of, terrorism offenses. Instead, they face prosecution for alleged ordinary criminal offenses such as criminal damage or public order violations, some of which reportedly occurred before Palestine Action was designated in its current capacity. This situation has led to accusations of violating the presumption of innocence and the principle of non-retroactivity of the law, a pattern some observers suggest is part of a wider trend impacting pro-Palestinian advocacy in other nations.

Furthermore, discrepancies in pre-trial detention lengths have been highlighted. While the Crown Prosecution Service typically sets a maximum pre-trial detention of 182 days, activists like Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed, arrested in November 2024, are not expected to face trial until June 2026, totaling twenty months of imprisonment without trial. Similarly, Lewie Chiaramello, arrested in July 2025, reportedly has no preliminary hearing scheduled until January 2027, equating to eighteen months of detention prior to judgment.

Government Response and Widening Protests

Despite the mounting health warnings and public pressure, the UK government's Labour administration has been criticized for its perceived lack of direct intervention. In December 2025, The National reported that nearly 900 healthcare professionals had collectively written to key government ministers, advocating for specialized medical care for the strikers, a letter that reportedly received no official response.

Parliamentary proceedings in December also saw around fifty Members of Parliament formally request a meeting between the Justice Secretary and the hunger strikers' lawyers. This request was reportedly denied, a decision that, according to witnesses, was met with laughter in the parliamentary chamber.

Concurrently, the government has intensified its stance on public protest, referencing antisemitic attacks in Sydney to justify tighter restrictions. Reports indicate that any reference to "intifada" has become grounds for arrest, and police responses to demonstrations have reportedly become more forceful. Environmental activist Greta Thunberg was among those arrested in London in December for holding a placard with a pro-Palestine message.

In response to these developments, solidarity actions have escalated both within the UK and internationally. Regular demonstrations have occurred outside government buildings, courts, Labour Party offices, and the prisons housing the activists. A notable incident took place in December 2025 outside HMP Bronzefield prison, where protestors, including MP Zarah Sultana, demanded urgent hospitalization for a hunger striker, Qesser Zuhrah. Following a prolonged standoff, an ambulance was eventually permitted access.

Internationally, protests have been staged outside British embassies in various cities, including Boston, Tel Aviv, and Johannesburg. Prominent figures, such as Lebanese activist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah and former Irish republican prisoners including Tommy McKearney, have publicly expressed their support. Former Guantánamo detainee Mansoor Adayfi, now residing in the UK, reportedly began his own solidarity hunger strike.

The ongoing situation underscores the complex interplay of activism, human rights concerns, and government policy, with the health and legal status of the hunger strikers remaining a central point of contention and public debate.