Longest-running hunger striker hospitalised after 51 days without food

A hunger striker on remand as she awaits trial for allegedly taking part in a Palestine Action raid on a defence plant was hospitalised this week after going more than 50 days without food.  

Heba Muraisi, 31, is the longest-running member from an initial group of eight who began the protest in prison as they wait to be tried.

Muraisi is on her 53rd day of refusing food as four of the defendants continue the largest hunger strike for decades, bringing warnings from their supporters that they face death as their health deteriorates.  

The protestor, from Barnet, north London, has said that she ‘will not compromise until all demands are met’ and will ‘continue to fight and resist’ at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire.  

She is awaiting trial over her alleged role in a Palestine Action break-in at a research and development facility owned by Elbit Systems, a UK subsidiary of an Israeli defence firm, in Filton near Bristol.  

Muraisi was arrested in a dawn raid on November 19 last year, according to support group Prisoners for Palestine.  

‘Risk of dying increases every day’

The lifeguard and florist, who has said she does not know the fate of her family in Rafah on the Gaza Strip, is one of the ‘Filton 24’ facing charges connected to the incident.  

Prisoners for Palestine said: ‘Heba is not sleeping well as she has been moved against her wishes to a noisy wing by the prison, who threatened to use force if she didn’t.  

‘She is also suffering with fatigue, occasional lightheadedness, achiness and nausea. She was taken to the hospital briefly on Tuesday as a doctor was concerned about her low white blood count.  

‘She is also experiencing chest pain.’ 

Teuta Hoxha, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello are also taking part in the hunger strike, while Amu Gib, Jon Cink, Umer Khalid and Qesser Zuhrah have ‘paused’ their participation.  

The protest is thought to be the largest action of its kind since 1981, when 10 people died, including IRA prison leader Bobby Sands. 

A law firm acting for the hunger strikers has sent a letter to the government warning that their health is deteriorating and ‘the risk of their dying increases every day.’ 

What are the hunger strikers’ demands?

All the group are on remand, charged with offences relating to break-ins and criminal damage either at Elbit in August 2024 or another raid at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire in June this year.

The protesters’ demands include ‘end all censorship’ of communication and correspondence in jail, immediate bail, ‘right to a fair’ trial, de-proscribing Palestine Action and shutting Elbit down. 

In an earlier statement released through Prisoners for Palestine, Muraisi said: ‘I want to make it abundantly clear that this is not about dying, because unlike the enemy I love life, and my love for life, for people, is the reason why I have been incarcerated for 349 days now.’ 

The group said that she was ‘forcibly transferred’ from HMP Bronzefield in Surrey to New Hall, away from her family and support network.  

Ahmed’s sister Shahmina Alam has told Metro that he has been ‘double handcuffed’ and subjected to degrading treatment while on remand. 

Ahmed, 28, has now gone 46 days on hunger strike as he awaits trial over his alleged involvement in the Elbit raid.

Practice Plus Group, which manages healthcare on behalf of the NHS at New Hall, has said that it provides ‘compassionate care’ and any patients who refuse food are managed in accordance with the ‘relevant policies and protocols’ alongside the prison and health service.

The government maintains that it has no records from NHS staff that prison officers have obstructed healthcare. 

Lord Timpson, minister of state for prisons, probation and reducing reoffending, doubled down on the government’s refusal to meet the group.

He said: ‘While very concerning, hunger strikes are not a new issue for our prisons. Over the last five years, we’ve averaged over 200 a year and we have longstanding procedures in place to ensure prisoner safety.  

‘Prison healthcare teams provide NHS care and continuously monitor the situation. HMPPS are clear that claims that hospital care is being refused are entirely misleading – they will always be taken when needed and a number of these prisoners have already been treated in hospital.  

‘These prisoners are charged with serious offences including aggravated burglary and criminal damage.

‘Remand decisions are for independent judges, and lawyers can make representations to the court on behalf of their clients.  

‘Ministers will not meet with them — we have a justice system that is based on the separation of powers, and the independent judiciary is the cornerstone of our system.  

‘It would be entirely unconstitutional and inappropriate for ministers to intervene in ongoing legal cases.’ 

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