After 73 grueling days without food, two Palestine Action activists have finally ended their hunger strike inside UK prisons. Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed, both held on remand and awaiting trial, called off their protest at separate detention centres, supporters confirmed today.
Activists Fight Back Against Year-Long Remand
The protest began in early November, with Muraisi and Ahmed striking to oppose the outrageously long remand times before trial. Due to unprecedented court backlogs, prisoners can be held for up to a year without trial — sparking frustration and desperation.
Four other detainees who joined the hunger strike ended their protests last month.
Despite the activists’ bold stand, ministers refused to meet them directly. Instead, they arranged talks between prisoner reps and prison medical staff — a meeting that only happened two weeks after the offer was made.
Hunger Strikes: Risks and Legal Battlefields
The Ministry of Justice reveals there are about 200 hunger strikes annually in UK prisons. Since 1999, nine inmates have died after refusing food to make a statement.
“Under human rights law, hunger striking is recognised as a form of protest,” a Ministry spokesperson said. “Prisoners cannot be force-fed unless deemed mentally incapable of understanding their actions. Even life-saving treatment can be withheld if refusal is informed.”
