Palestine Action hunger strikers are ‘dying’ in UK prison amid govt apathy: report
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London: British healthcare professionals have warned that six remand prisoners part of the protest group Palestine Action, who are carrying out a hunger strike, are not getting ‘adequate healthcare’, Aljazeera reported.
In their letter to Justice Secretary David Lammy, more than 800 doctors, nurses, therapists and carers warned that ‘young British citizens will die in prison’.
Prisoners, affiliated to the proscribed outfit, are aged between 20 and 31 identified as Qesser Zuhrah; Amu Gib; Heba Muraisi; Teuta Hoxha and Kamran Ahmed. Meanwhile, Lewie Chiaramello in a partial strike refuses to eat every other day being a diabetic.
James Smith, an emergency physician and university lecturer, reportedly said on Thursday that ‘Put simply, the hunger strikers are dying,’ adding that ‘They are all now at a critical stage’.
The group, charged with burglary and violent disorder following their alleged break-ins at the Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and a Royal Air Force (RAF) base, are housed in five prisons. The group however denied the charged being brought against them.
The group, Palestine Action was banned in July after being labelled as a terror group.
The group however believes that UK government is ‘complicit in Israeli war of crimes’, according to the outlet.
Alongside calling for closure of all Elbit sites, the hunger strikers demand bail, right to fair trial and more important, ‘de-proscription of Palestine Action’.
James Smith, who was in contact with strikers, reportedly said that ‘After three weeks, the body has exhausted fat stores and organ tissue in order to generate enough energy simply to maintain bodily functions’.
He warned that long-drawn starvation could break down heart muscles, trouble kidney filtration alongside muscle weakness affecting breathing and heat failures can ‘suddenly cause death’.
Justice Secretary David Lammy is reportedly facing pressure after he refused to meet with the activists’ lawyers to ‘address their concerns over their welfare’.
