After 73 days without food, two Palestine Action activists have finally ended their hunger strike inside prison. Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed, both awaiting trial, stopped their protest at separate remand centres, their supporters announced today.
Activists Protest Extended Remand Time
The hunger strikes began in early November as a protest against lengthy remand periods before trial, which can stretch up to a year due to record court backlogs. Four other detainees who joined the strike ended their protests last month.
Ministers declined to meet the prisoners but agreed to set up talks between their representatives and medical staff, a meeting that took place two weeks after the offer was made.
Hunger Strikes: Legal and Health Implications
According to the Ministry of Justice, there are around 200 hunger strikes annually in UK prisons. Since 1999, nine deaths have occurred due to such protests.
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Under human rights law, hunger striking is considered a form of protest. Prisoners cannot be force-fed unless doctors determine they lack the mental capacity to understand the risks of their actions. If a prisoner knowingly refuses food, even life-saving interventions can be withheld.
