Palestine Action activists ‘likely to die in prison’ amid hunger strike, lawyers warn

In a letter - seen by The Telegraph - sent by Imran Khan & Partners the lawyers have requested an immediate meeting with Justice Secretary David Lammy over the “increasingly likely” scenario of their client's death.

The lawyers said five of the eight Palestine Action activists on hunger strike had been taken to hospital, with one defendant losing 10kg after 37 days without food.

In the letter, the lawyers wrote: “We note with genuine and significant concern the immediate and real risk that their deeply held conviction, in tandem with their deteriorating health, poses to their lives.

“We are concerned that, should this situation be allowed to continue without resolution, there is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence.”

Four of those on strike were allegedly involved in a raid on weapons firm Elbit Systems Horizon facility in Gloucestershire last year. They are to go on trial next May.

The other four are accused of taking part in a break in at RAF Brize Norton causing damage to military aircraft in a high-profile security breach at the UK’s largest airbase.

The attacks have cost the defence industry at least £30million.

It is feared that the damage caused to the engine of one plane may render the aircraft unsafe to be used again and could cost £25 million to replace.

The protest began from complaints of alleged mistreatment in prison.

A series of demands were also reported to be made including the ban on Palestine Action be lifted.

Palestine Action was proscribed as a terror organisation last July. But, the group's co-founder can proceed with a legal challenge against the Government over the ban, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

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Huda Ammori took taking legal action against former home secretary Yvette Cooper's decision over the ban.

The ban, which began on July 5, made membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

'Skeletal'

She said on social media: "Six prisoners for Palestine are on their 32nd day of hunger strike. Their health is severely deteriorating, with one described as 'skeletal'.

"Each face upto two years on remand before trial and face harsher treatment as they are labelled as 'terrorists'. This is an emergency"

The lawyers claimed their clients had faced heavy restrictions on post, calls and visits, citing UN special rapporteurs’ claims that such treatment by counter-terror police could amount to enforced disappearance.

Amy “Amu” Gardiner-Gibson, who are reportedly 37 into her hunger strike, has been held in HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, over alleged involvement in the attack on Brize Norton.

Ms Gardiner-Gibson has lost more than 10kg in weight and suffers from deep exhaustion and muscle twitches, and has been offered a wheelchair, lawyers have claimed.

She was visited by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in prison who called for her to be bailed.

He said in a social post: "This is an emergency. They must be granted bail, now."

Jon Cink is on day 33 of his hunger strike.

He is said to have barely slept and also lost 10kg with deteriorating vision and with plummeting ketone levels in his blood deemed “life-threatening”.

Lewie Chiaramello and Umer Khalid are also on day 15 and day five respectively at HMP Bristol and HMP Wormwood Scrub.

Qesser Zuhrah, also on Day 37 of his strike in HMP Bronzefield, is said to have lost “considerable weight” and now finds it difficult to walk, with pulse never falling below 100bpm.

Heba Muraisi is reportedly struggling after catching a cold on day 34 of her 36-day strike at HMP Newhall.

Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed, at HMP Peterborough and on day 30 and 29 of their strikes, were both taken to hospital last month after experiencing headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath and low blood pressure.

The lawyers also said that taking instructions from clients on the state of their health was becoming increasingly difficult because “all are showing signs of memory loss”.

In a previous letter to NHS England, signed by 147 medical professionals, the hunger strikes were described as an “imminent risk to their health and life” and a “medical emergency”.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman told the Telegraph: “The Deputy Prime Minister has responded to and will continue to respond to correspondence on this issue, and is being kept informed of the situation.”

“We continually assess prisoners’ wellbeing and will always take the appropriate action, including taking prisoners to hospital if they are assessed as needing treatment by a medical professional.”