Pro-Palestine prisoners pause hunger strike as their health deteriorates | UK news

Two prisoners affiliated with the Palestine Movement have suspended their hunger strike due to their deteriorating health but have vowed to continue protests next year.

Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have temporarily resumed eating, according to a statement released Tuesday evening by the group Prisoners of Palestine.

The pair were among eight prisoners on hunger strike facing charges related to alleged trespass or criminal damage on behalf of the Palestine Movement, before the group was banned under terrorism legislation in July; They denied the charges and demanded they be dropped.

Zuhrah decided to take a break from her hunger strike after 48 days, while Gib started eating after 49 days. Both prisoners are being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey.

This led to a protest outside the prison last week, attended by Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana, following claims Zuhrah was denied ambulance admission at HMP Bronzefield for more than 18 hours. Justice Department officials have previously disputed allegations of mistreatment.

Prisoners of Palestine said four other detainees, Kamran Ahmed, Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha and Lewie Chiaramello, continue their hunger strike.

Zuhrah, 20, said on Tuesday: “To our government, do not hold your breath, because in the new year, when you shamefully return from your blood-soaked holiday to the theater of your ‘democracy’, we will definitely return with empty stomachs to fight you.

“But our demands are inevitable, and this pause is a chance for you to meet them, to correct the situation, to stop arming and aiding this genocide, otherwise you will force us to turn back and face our breaths, which will be much more disastrous and dangerous than the first time.”

Gib, 30, said: “We have never trusted our government with our lives and we won’t start now. There will be no turkey dinner and no breaks in the Zionist genocide programme.”

“We are determined to resist their scenario, not until Christmas, but for the rest of our lives… We will be the ones to decide how we will dedicate our lives to justice and freedom.”

The remaining hunger strikers made a number of new demands on Tuesday, including that Muraisi, who is being held at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire, be returned to HMP Bronzefield, where he was initially detained.

A spokesman for Palestinian Prisoners said: “The remaining four will continue to refuse food on the basis of five demands and will also state their demands to include ending all intercourse orders between prisoners, returning Heba to HMP Bronzefield and providing the same access to all courses and activities as convicted prisoners.

“Just as Heba was moved to another part of the country, away from her family and friends in London, non-association orders are being used to further isolate prisoners from each other, even though they are in the same prison.

“Due to the long period of detention, which is well beyond the usual six-month legal limit, it is only fair that prisoners have access to the same activities as everyone else.”

Earlier this month, Jon Cink and Umer Khalid ended their 41- and 13-day hunger strikes for health reasons. The couple was taken to the hospital and later sent back to prison.

Lord Timpson, minister for prisons, probation and reducing recidivism, said in a statement: “Although very worrying, hunger strikes are not a new problem for our prisons. “Over the last five years, we have averaged over 200 hunger strikes a year and we have long-standing procedures in place to ensure the safety of prisoners.

“Prison medical teams are providing NHS care and constantly monitoring the situation. HM Prison and Probation Service is clear that claims that hospital care is being refused are completely misleading; they will always be received when needed and some of these prisoners have already been treated in hospital.

“These detainees are accused of serious crimes such as aggravated robbery and criminal damage. Detention orders are for independent judges and lawyers can represent in court on behalf of their clients.

“Ministers will not meet with them. We have a justice system based on the separation of powers and an independent judiciary is the cornerstone of this system. It would be completely unconstitutional and inappropriate for ministers to intervene in ongoing cases.”