Author: Ken Afeh

At breakfast time today, in Bronzefield prison, the first two of the Prisoners for Palestine hunger-strikers, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib refused food. This marks the start of the first rolling hunger-strike, involving a committed group of prisoners, in a British prison, for decades.

The 2^nd of November is Balfour Day, the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, when with the stroke of a pen, Sir Arthur Balfour set in motion the catastrophe that would befall the Palestinian people.

Prisoners for Palestine, who advocate for the prisoners and their supporters, notified the Home Secretary of the impending hunger-strike 2 weeks ago, on the 20^th October. There has been no response from the government since then. In view of the intransigence of the British State, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have volunteered to be the first of the prisoners to launch the rolling hunger strike.

Twenty year old Qesser, was remanded in custody on the 19th November 2024. She is accused, along with 23 others, including her younger brother Salaam, of being involved in the Palestine Action raid on Elbit Systems’ Research and Development hub at Filton, Bristol, on the 6th August 2024. Qesser is not expected to go to trial until April 2026.

Thirty year old Amu Gib was remanded in custody on 3rd July 2025. Gib is accused, along with four others, of allegedly breaking into the RAF Brize Norton site, Britains largest airforce base, and decommissioning three military aircrafts. The action allegedly caused £7 million worth of damage. 

Qesser, who entered HMP Bronzefield at the age of 19, has reported mistreatment throughout her time there, including arbitrary restrictions on her books, letters, and visits. She has been assaulted by guards, her kuffiyeh has been taken from her, and in fact all her kuffiyeh-pattern hijabs have been confiscated. Since the proscription of Palestine Action, she reports that her treatment, and the treatment of the other pro-Palestine prisoners at Bronzefield, has got worse, with guards regularly referring to them as ‘terrorists’, and implementing further restrictions. 

Amu also reports mistreatment including having visits and phone calls restricted, regular solitary confinement and removal from a crafting job, due to embroidering ‘free palestine’ on a cushion. 

The prisoners, of which are the first, are launching the hunger-strike to protest their continued imprisonment without trial, their mistreatment while in prison, and in support of a short list of demands, including the right to a fair trial, and the dropping of all terror-related charges. The protest commences just 2 weeks before the start of the first Filton 24 trial, on the 17th November.

In a statement from Bronzefield prison, declaring the start of the hunger-strike, Qesser said: “For 15 months, we who are imprisoned for Palestine have tested this “justice system”, and for 15 months we have watched Elbit Systems, the Zionist entity and our Government abuse justice and prolong our imprisonment, demanding that we forsake our cause in exchange for our freedom. And so now, we’re forced to confront those that refuse to look us in the eyes with the very foundation of the humanity they deny recognising in us – our life, and our right to life.” 

Amu also states: “I’m hunger striking because my body has been put in custody of the state – but i still have a duty to fight for freedom from oppression…. How can we sit in prison, waiting until the noose tightens around our necks for opposing genocide? How could I not take action, as children are murdered with complete impunity by a genocidal zionist state? Looking away from horrors will not stop them happening and we need to face reality. Are we supposed to smile and ask nicely for our lines from a ‘justice system’ which is fundamentally corrupted by zionism?”

Francesca Nadin, Prisoners for Palestine spokesperson said: “The unnecessary imprisonment of Palestine activists is clearly part of an orchestrated witch-hunt by the British government. In the face of this abuse of state power, the prisoners have no choice but to fight back in the only way they can and strike for their freedom.”

“Today, on the anniversary of the Balfour declaration, they continue to protest the government’s involvement in the ongoing Genocide in Gaza by demanding the permanent closure of all Elbit systems factories in the UK, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. We will support them in the pursuit of their demands through solidarity actions across the country, galvanising the massive public sympathy towards them through their unjust incarceration.”

Palestine Action were proscribed, as a supposed terrorist organisation, by the government in July, and since then the treatment of activists being held on remand in relation to anti-Genocide actions has deteriorated even further, while more than 2000 protestors, opposed to the ban, have been arrested. A judicial review against proscription will be heard between the 25th and 27th November. Further mass protests are planned between the 18^th and 29^th November.​​​​​​​

For media and press enquiries, contact us on prisoners4palestine@proton.me

We, the undersigned, fully support Prisoners for Palestine in their campaign for justice. They have been imprisoned as a result of collusion between the British state and the Zionist entity. The strike is a direct result of the government’s insistence on breaking international law and actively participating in the genocide in Palestine. When justice is denied by the state, we are obliged to take action; and in the case of the prisoners, after exhausting all legal avenues, they are left with no other choice but to take drastic action.

We demand that the government acts to prevent a collective hunger strike that will endanger these peoples’ health.

Their demands listed below are entirely reasonable and the minimum that a democratic country should fulfill. We stand by the prisoners in their hour of need, and will take any necessary action to ensure that their demands are fulfilled.

The prisoners demands are:

1. End all censorship
We demand that we be able to send and receive communications without restriction, surveillance, or interference from the prison administration. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and it is vital for prisoners, whose voices are already systematically silenced. Censorship inside prisons is a tool of control used to punish resistance to violence. Letters, phone calls, political statements, books and all other forms of expression must be respected.

2. Immediate bail
We demand that we be released from custody while awaiting trial. Holding people on remand, in some cases indefinitely, is a deliberate abuse of power, used to punish prisoners before they have even faced a court or been convicted of any crime. Some of us will have been imprisoned for nearly two years without a conviction, breaking the custody time limit of 182 days. The right to a fair trial must include the right to prepare for it in freedom, not behind bars.

3. Right to a fair trial
We demand the right to a fair trial, which cannot happen until all relevant documents related to our cases are released in full. This includes all meetings between British and Israeli state officials, the British police, the attorney general, Elbit Systems representatives, and any others involved in coordinating the ongoing witch-hunt of actionists and campaigners.

We also demand the release of government records of all Elbit Systems UK exports from the last five years. We have the right to know what arms are being made and exported from the UK, especially when they are used to commit genocide.

4. Deproscribe
We demand the immediate dropping of all terror-related charges and ‘links’, and an end to the use of the Prevent strategy. The government’s use of counter-terror laws to target those engaged in protest and direct action is unjustified and unprecedented, and must be stopped.

In light of this, we demand that the British government deproscribe Palestine Action. Direct action is not terrorism. It is a legitimate tactic deployed when democratic channels fail to reflect the will of the people. When the government breaks the law, citizens have the moral responsibility to act in defence of life, human rights, and collective dignity.

We also demand an apology from Yvette Cooper for spearheading a smear campaign in a cynical attempt to justify her decision to proscribe Palestine Action. Her claim that Palestine Action was a violent organisation “possibly funded by Iran” has no basis in fact.

5. Shut Elbit down
Many of us are imprisoned for allegedly taking action against Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. Since 2012, Elbit has won 25 public contracts in the UK totalling more than £355m. Now, the Ministry of Defence is preparing to sign a £2.7 billion contract with Elbit that would designate it as a “strategic partner” and see the company train 60,000 British troops each year.

We demand that the government does not use taxpayer´s money to fund the machinery of genocide, and scrap this contract. Furthermore, we demand that all Elbit systems’ sites and its subsidiaries in the UK are permanently shut down.

We call on all those with a concience to join us in taking action in solidarity with the prisoners. They have the sympathy and support of the people, both here and around the world.

Sincerely,

Blackburn 4 Palestine
Chorley 4 Palestine
Preston People Collective
Act Up Fight Back
ULM5
Shut Down Leonardo Southampton
Bristol Solidarity Cafe
Healthworkers for a Free Palestine
Muslim Social Justice Initiative
Resistance Kitchen
Connolly Association of New York
Yorkshire Palestine Coalition
Youth Front For Palestine
Healthworkers and Allies 4 Palestine
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Black Lives Matter UK
Defend Our Juries
CAGE International
Books Against Borders
Dalston Solidarity Cafe
London for a Free Palestine
Liberation Links
Sabotage Kapital
No More Exclusions
Solidarity Apothecary
Stop L3harris
Leeds Food Not Bombs

For media and press enquiries, contact us on prisoners4palestine@proton.me

Over a week ago, in a letter to the Home Secretary, Prisoners for Palestine warned the British government, that pro-Palestine prisoners, all of whom have been unjustly treated, and imprisoned for up to a year without trial, were preparing to go on hunger strike. Many of these prisoners were arrested in dramatic dawn raids, with the police misusing counter-terrorism powers, something which has even been condemned by the UN. They have faced systematic abuse throughout their incarceration, and since the proscription of Palestine Action in July, the level of abuse and mistreatment has escalated. The prisoners feel they have no other choice, but to launch a rolling hunger strike in support of a principled set of demands, which include an end to interference with their communications, the right to a fair trial, and the deproscription of Palestine Action.

The letter sent to the Home Secretary by Prisoners for Palestine has gone unanswered and ignored. Consequently, the prisoners have advised that a rolling hunger strike will commence on the 2^nd November, Balfour Day, when the first of the prisoners will refuse food.

Despite the indifference of the government to the impending hunger-strike, support for the prisoners continues to grow. A well-attended and vocal demonstration was held outside the Home Office yesterday, and numerous groups and organisations have already pledged support, including Defend Our Juries, Campaign Against The Arms Trade, CAGE International, and Black Lives Matter UK.

Since Palestine Action were proscribed, by the British Government, as a ‘terrorist’ organisation, over 2000 people have been arrested in England and Wales, mainly for holding up cardboard signs reading, ‘I oppose Genocide. I support Palestine Action.’ Most have been arrested at mass protests organised by Defend Our Juries. There have been similar ‘Lift The Ban’ actions in Scotland and the North of Ireland, but no arrests made. The proscription will be challenged, by way of Judicial Review in November.

Today, Prisoners for Palestine and Defend Our Juries held a joint online press conference, which was chaired by Jennifer Nadel, with contributions from Francesca Nadin of Prisoners for Palestine, Clare Hinchcliffe, mother of Zoe Rogers of the Filton 24, Steve Masters, an RAF veteran arrested for holding a sign supporting Palestine Action, Moazzam Begg, former Guantanamo prisoner and director of CAGE, and John McDonnell MP.

Speaking on behalf of Prisoners for Palestine, Francesca Nadin, former Palestine Action prisoner said:​​​​​​​ “It’s no great surprise that the government has ignored the prisoners’ demands, this is simply a continuation of  the corruption and violence enacted by the British state- not only upon the prisoners, but most importantly on the Palestinian people. It seems that they believe that they can act against the wishes of the people, but we are here to tell them otherwise. The prisoners lead the way with the resolve and moral clarity and we must heed their call. We are here today with Defend Our Juries to show the British state that we will not be intimidated into silence, on the contrary, we are fighting for the same cause and will continue to escalate. For justice, for freedom, to stop the genocide in Palestine.”

“This is a historic moment. It is up to the government to choose how to react. We will continue to escalate and we call on the public to support the hunger strikers in any way possible.” 

In a pre-recorded video , John McDonnell MP said that he voted against the proscription of Palestine Action because he believed it was a misuse of the existing legislation. He said that he was very concerned about the arrest of so many people, simply for holding up a placard, and was really worried about the imprisoned activists, and the fact they could be on remand for up to 2 years, supporting their release on bail, and their right to a fair trial. John concluded, “I would urge the government to lift the proscription, end the prosecutions, and make sure that in future, we are treating protest as a civil liberty, a basic human right, and not an act of terrorism.”

For media and press enquiries, contact us at prisoners4palestine@proton.me

20th October 2025

To the Home Secretary,

We are writing on behalf of prisoners for Palestine in Britain, regarding their false imprisonment as a direct result of the UK’s direct involvement in Israel’s ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.

After exhausting all legal avenues to win our basic rights, you leave us with no choice but to take drastic action. On Sunday 2nd November 2025, to commemorate the anniversay of the Balfour declaration, we, Prisoners for Palestine, will begin an open ended hunger strike, and other prisoners may join the hunger strike if the demands are not met.

It is morally and legally imperative that the government immediately fulfils the following demands in order to end the hunger strike:

1. End all censorship 

We demand to be able to send and receive communications without restriction, surveillance, or interference from the prison administration. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right that is vital for prisoners, whose voices are already systematically silenced. Censorship inside prisons is a tool of control used to punish resistance. Letters, phone calls, political statements, books and all other forms of expression must be respected. 

2. Immediate bail

We demand that we be released from custody while awaiting trial. Holding people on remand, in some cases indefinitely, is a deliberate abuse of power, used to punish prisoners before they have even faced a court or been convicted of any crime. Some of us will have been imprisoned for nearly two years without a conviction. The right to a fair trial must include the right to prepare for it in freedom, not behind bars.

3. Right to a fair trial

We demand the right to a fair trial, which cannot happen until all relevant documents related to our cases are released in full. This includes all meetings between British and Israeli state officials, the British police, the attorney general, Elbit Systems representatives, and any others involved in coordinating the ongoing witch-hunt of actionists and campaigners.

We also demand the release of government records of all Elbit Systems UK exports from the last five years. We have the right to know what arms are being made and exported from the UK, especially when they are used to commit genocide.

4. Deproscribe

We demand the immediate dropping of all terror-related charges and ‘links’, and an end to the use of the Prevent strategy. The government’s use of counter-terror laws to target those engaged in protest and direct action is unjustified and unprecedented, and must be stopped.

In light of this, we demand that the British government deproscribe Palestine Action. Direct action is not terrorism. It is a legitimate tactic deployed when democratic channels fail to reflect the will of the people. When the government breaks the law, citizens have the moral responsibility to act in defence of life, human rights, and collective dignity. 

We also demand an apology from Yvette Cooper for spearheading a smear campaign in a cynical attempt to justify her decision to proscribe Palestine Action. Her claim that Palestine Action was a violent organisation “possibly funded by Iran” has no basis in fact.

5. Shut Elbit down

Many of us are imprisoned for allegedly taking action against Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. Since 2012, Elbit has won 25 public contracts in the UK totalling more than £355m. Now, the Ministry of Defence is preparing to sign a £2.7 billion contract with Elbit that would designate it as a “strategic partner” and see the company train 60,000 British troops each year.

We demand that the government does not use taxpayer´s money to fund the machinery of genocide, and scrap this contract. Furthermore, we demand that all Elbit systems’ sites and its subsidiaries in the UK are permanently shut down.

Some prisoners who are being held on remand for taking direct action for Palestine in Britain will be held for up to two years without a conviction, breaking the pre-trial custody time limit of 182 days. This is an unprecedented attack on protest in this country. The majority of these prisoners were arrested under counter-terror legislation before the proscription of Palestine Action, even though they are being prosecuted under criminal, not terror, legislation. This evidences the fact that their treatment is completely disproportionate.

It is clear that anti-terror legislation is being used in these cases as an intimidation tactic against activists, and that their imprisonment was part of a carefully conceived plan to proscribe Palestine Action. The prisoners are now being retrospecitvely punished for the proscription, for example with the use of the Prevent strategy and JEXU. The ‘terror link’ that has been introduced to their cases will not be put before the jury, denying them the right to a fair trial. Government advisors have explicitly stated that these cases do not reach the threshold for the definition of terrorism, being based solely on property damage. This seriously calls into question the integrity of our legal system and judicial process.

This state persecution occurs while the UK government continues to assist the Israeli military with intelligence in real time during its ongoing genocide in Gaza, and allows companies such as Elbit Systems UK to export millions of pounds worth of arms to Israel.The harsh treatment of the prisoners is a direct result of the close relationship between Elbit Systems and the British government, since they dared to interrupt the production of the miltary-industrial complex. Evidence clearly shows that there is collusion between Elbit systems, the British government, police, attorney general and Israeli officials through undisclosed meetings. The British state manipulates the machinery of justice to incarcerate prisoners with no reasonable justification, following the example set by British colonisers who introduced administrative detenion to Palestine during the British mandate. This continues to be used today to illegally detain and oppress the Palestinian people.

From the time of the British mandate and the Balfour declaration, the British state has been instrumental in the subjugation of the Palestinian people, denying them the right to exist. As the original colonisers of Palestine, Britain continues to see it as a duty to maintain this colonisation through its open and well-documented collusion with Elbit and the rogue state of Israel. On the contrary, it is our duty as citizens, both inside and outside prison, to do everything in our power to end the illegal occupation of Palestine and uphold international law, something that the British state has roundly failed to do.

Please respond to this letter by 24th October 2025.

Sincerely,

Prisoners for Palestine

prisoners4palestine@proton.me