Author: pfpeditor

Yesterday evening at least 86 people were arrested for protesting at Wormwood Scrubs to demand that 22-year-old Umer Khalid is given in writing the promises HMP Wormwood Scrubs prison governor Amy Frost made to him regarding his treatment in prison.

In response to this breaking story, a spokesperson for Prisoners for Palestine said:

“Last night, there was a violent, and wildly disproportionate response by the police to the protest outside Wormwood Scrubs, as Umer entered the second day of his thirst strike.

Attendees, including pensioners, have been punched, kicked and bound face down on the floor by the police.  A Bronze Commander has been filmed repeatedly punching a restrained protester. 

Almost one hundred violent arrests laid bare the fragility and fear of the British state. Our prisoners have shown no bars can stop their resistance, and outside no amount of violence will stop us escalating for Palestine.

Hundreds have committed to drive Elbit out of Britain with direct action following the hunger strikes, and this repression and violence will only make us stronger.”

In response to police accusations of aggravated trespass, a witness described the accusations as “all nonsense”, saying;

“There’s nothing to say you can’t go on the grounds. It was a visitor entrance with huge open gates and no security staff. Nobody was asked to leave and nobody blocked prison staff. In fact, I saw prison staff walk around us and go inside the entrance that protesters are wrongfully accused of blocking.”

Umer, who suffers from a rare genetic disorder, Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, and is currently being held on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, is the last remaining hunger striker to participate in the Prisoners for Palestine hunger strike campaign. Umer is now on day sixteen of his hunger strike and day 3 of his thirst strike. The fact that Umer suffers from Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy severely increases the risks associated with his hunger strike action. He was initially on hunger strike for twelve days before becoming seriously unwell and unable to walk.

Umer has been charged in connection to an action that took place at the RAF Brize Norton site, where two military aircrafts were spray painted. Unfiltered flight transponder data  published last summer showed that Israeli Air Force KC-707 “Re’em” aerial refuelling planes were landing in RAF Brize Norton before departing to Gaza. One Israeli plane which stopped in RAF Brize Norton was in the sky over Gaza around the time of two apparent war crimes, including in October 2024, when the IAF bombed a residential complex in the northern city of Beit Lahiya, killing 73 people. 

Eight British prisoners, all being held on remand for allegedly taking action in
solidarity with Palestine, are on an open-ended hunger strike that began on 2nd
November.

This is the biggest coordinated prison hunger strike in UK history since
the 1981 H-Block strike in the North of Ireland. Five strikers have been hospitalised
thus far. Two have not eaten for 39 days. Their demands pertain both to their own cases (end to censorship of communications, immediate bail, and ensuring the right to a fair trial), to the wider repression of Palestine solidarity protestors in Britain, and to the UK’s participation in genocide in Gaza.
The Labour government is yet to respond to their demands, communicated in writing prior to the start of the strike on 20th October, or to publicly acknowledge the strike.

In total, there have been seven hospitalisations: Kamran Ahmed and Heba Muraisi have been admitted twice. All have lost a significant percentage of their body weight. They are reaching a critical stage, as noted by medical professionals including Dr James Smith, NHS emergency Doctor (as reported in
The Observer, Sunday 7th December). Campaigners are calling on Justice Secretary David Lammy to urgently meet with representatives of the hunger strikers urgently.

Motion Ali, Zarah Sultana, and Jeremy Corbyn have both met with prisoners at Sodexo run Bronzefield Women’s Prison. Nida Jafri, loved one of Amu Gib says: “We are worried sick. David Lammy is a coward. We cannot understand why Lammy is pretending he doesn’t know about this. His own constituents have written asking him to respond and have shown up outside his office – and he has run away from them. The strikers need immediate bail, and the UK needs to address its ongoing complicity in genocide through its partnership with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer”.

Public concern and cross-party political support for the strikers is growing. An open letter calling on Lammy to respond has gathered over 5,288 signatures.
The Green Party’s leaders and MPs have written publicly to Lammy.

Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn requested a meeting over a month ago.
Both have spoken publicly on this. Labour MP John McDonnell has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for discussion of the hunger strikers’ demands; it now holds 40 MPs’ signatures, from across Labour, The Green
Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Your Party.

Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and several other UK Palestine solidarity and human rights groups have expressed support for the strikers. A bail hearing will be held Friday 12th December at the Old Bailey for hunger strikers Amu Gib, Jon Cink and Lewie Chiaramello. All are due to be held in prison for up to 18
months before their trial.

The letter addresses the Health and Justice Commissioning Team NHS England

To Whom it May Concern within the Health and Justice Commissioning Team NHS England,

As medical professionals, we are writing to draw your urgent attention to the case of six individuals who have undertaken hunger strikes across prisons in Britain. The individuals concerned in this letter are:

• Qesser Zuhrah (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Amu Gardiner-Gibson (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since July 3rd 2025)
• Jon Cink (Bronzefield Prison, on remand since July 3rd 2025)
• Heba Muraisi (New Hall Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Teuta Hoxha (Peterborough Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)
• Kamran Ahmed (Pentonville Prison, on remand since 19th November 2024)

We have written separately to the Governor of each prison to highlight our serious concerns regarding their current hunger strikes – which for some, started on 2nd November 2025.

As well as the absence of appropriate safe medical management, to our knowledge these individuals have not yet received the necessary daily clinical monitoring required for patients refusing food and are at risk of sudden electrolyte disturbance, hypoglycaemia and cardiac arrest. In addition, some are already showing signs of this.

After speaking with family, our understanding is that several prisoners conducting hunger strikes have had low blood sugar, for significant periods of time, this constitutes a medical emergency and our understanding is that this is being managed incorrectly.

Many of the prisoners have experienced significant weight loss, including Amy who lost 5 kg within one week and Kamran who upon starting his hunger strike weighed 74 kg and now weighs 68 kg.

They face significant risk of re-feeding syndrome on discontinuation of fasting; managing this complex syndrome requires specialist medical oversight.

Most urgently, there is growing concern for Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello. Kamran Ahmed’s health has deteriorated rapidly since 21st November, when he collapsed. On 23rd November, as a result of dangerously low blood sugar levels (3.2), indicating hypoglycemia, the prison administration called an ambulance. The paramedics refused to take him to hospital, claiming that there was nothing they could do for him while he continued to refuse food. On the same day, prison guards put food into his cell, ignoring their own advice on refeeding syndrome, in a blatant violation of their duty of care.

Another prisoner, Lewie Chiaramello (HMP Bristol) has announced that he will be fasting every other day despite being diabetic, a serious risk to his health. The situation has reached a level of urgency that requires the British government to enter into negotiations with the prisoners immediately, so the hunger strike can be ended safely.

As you are aware, the commissioning of prison healthcare has, since 2006, rested with NHS England Health & Justice. We therefore remind you of NHS England’s statutory responsibility to ensure that healthcare services provided within custodial environments are:

– Equivalent to community care (Healthcare Standards, PSI 6/2011);
 – Delivered in accordance with the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice and the Nursing and Midwifery Council Code;
 – Clinically independent, free from non-medical interference;
 – Sufficient to meet the obligations of the State under the Human Rights Act 1998 (Articles 2 and 3). We note that:
 – PSO 3050 (Management of Prisoners Refusing Food/Fluid) requires daily medical assessments, with hospital transfer where indicated;
 – PSI 64/2011 (Safer Custody) states that all agencies involved must act to protect life where identifiable risk exists.

Given that some of these prisoners are soon entering into their fourth week of hunger strike and is now at a critical stage, we insist that NHS England exercises its commissioning oversight to ensure that:

1. All hunger strikers receive immediate and ongoing medical review by suitably qualified clinicians, independent of prison operational staff.
 2. Appropriate hospital referral pathways are active, and transfer occurs if clinically indicated.
 3. NHS-commissioned healthcare staff are supported and protected in fulfilling their professional and statutory duty of care.
 4. A review is conducted without delay into whether current arrangements at HMP Peterborough, Pentonville, Bronzefield and New Hall meet NHS England’s commissioning standards. This situation risks imminent harm to their health and life. Failure to take immediate appropriate action would constitute a breach, not only of professional and commissioning standards, but also raise serious concerns of compliance with the United Kingdom’s human rights obligations. We would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter urgently and clarify what urgent steps are being taken by NHS England to ensure that care at HMP Peterborough, HMP Bronzefield, and HMP Pentonville meets required standards.

We, the undersigned, demand that action is taken now to prevent further harm to the health of those that you have a duty of care towards.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Busra Nalbant, Gp
Dr Muhammad Quraishi,
 GP Miss Jennifer Wood, Midwife,
 Dr Jonathan Fluxman, Retired GP
 Dr Judith Atkinson, Retired GP
 Mrs Priti Chouhan, Accountant
 Mr Abdel Montasir, IG specialist
 Ms Joanne Mcewan, Specialist community public
 Dr Paul O’Brien, Associate Specialist
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons
 Jo Hindley, Retired Midwife
 Dr Molly Davey, Anaesthetist
 Dr Hugh Hathaway, Core trainee in psychiatry
 Mrs Zainah Dulloo, Pharmacist
 Dr Rana Najim, GP
 Dr Sabina Hashmy, GP
 Andee Vaughan, Registered Nurse BA, BSN, RN
 Dr Timothy Paris, Psychiatrist
 Mr Tanzeel Abid, Biomedical Scientist
 Dr Deen Mirza GP / MRCGP
 Dr Thanos Tsapas Consultant psychiatrist
 Dr Nadine Ebeid Psychiatry CT3
 Dr Silvia Yasuda Consultant
 Dr Harriet Crook Emergency Medicine Specialist
 Ms Jerina Begum
 Dr Asif Khapedi GPST2
 Dr Huda Mahmoud NHS Consultant
 Dr Foyzur Miah MBBS
 Ms Jenni Crisp NHS employee
 Farhaana Surti MBChB
 Dr Saleha Patel GP
 Dr Naomi Adelson GP
 Dr Rhiannon Mihranian Osborne Medical Doctor
 Dr Katharine Fallon MB ChB
 Dr David McKelvey Retired GP
 Dr Habib Rahman Consultant Cardiologist
 Dr Cate Bailey Consultant psychiatrist
 Dr Kathrin Thomas Retired GP
 Miss Ruqia Gill Registration Nurse
 Dr Clare Nickalls, MB Bch university hospital
 Marion Neffgen, NHS doctor
 Dr Ida Bakar Consultant in Rehabilitation
 Doctor Paula Mulvenna, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
 Dr Alice Clack, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
 Dr Mary Hewitt, Retired GP Dr Mary Madden, Anaesthetist
 Mr Jesse Fayle, RMN
 Dr John Puntis BM(Hons); DM; FRCP;FRCA
 Ms Amanda Makin, Retired nurse
 Mr Paul Chambers, Charity Co Founder
 Dr Miranda Penman Splitt, MBBS MD FRCP
 Dr Matthew Lumley, Consultant Haematologist
 Dr Daniel Hadley, MRCPsych
 Dr James Smith, Emergency Doctor & Lecturer
 Ms Mary Light Retired Nurse
 Dr Catherine Dyer, Retired
 Dr Richard Dyer, Retired GP
 Ms Clare Jones, Retired Nurse
 Dr Lisa Lobo MBBS
 Dr Catherine Dyer, Retired GP
 Mrs Patricia Rogers, Administration
 Dr Azhar Malik, Retired GP
 Dr Juliette Brown, Consultant
 Dr Anne Read, Retired consultant psychiatrist
 Mr Chris Waites, Dementia Specialist Clinical
 Mrs Khadijah Ismailjee, Pharmacist
 Michael Foulkes, Consultant Family Psychotherapist
 Dr Faiza Malik, MBBS
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons
 Mr Roger Evans, Registered Nurse BsC Hons Sarah Alam, GP
 Mrs Mubashshira Patel, Pharmacist
 Mrs Norma Wilson, Retired Counsellor
 Dr Imrana Siddiqui, GP
 Dr Samantha Perera, Consultant Psychiatrist
 Dr Abbas Tariq, GP
Charlotte Rose, Principal Psychological Therapist in Eating Disorders, Psychotherapist (UKCP), Mental Health Nurse (NMC)
Dr Danny Vincent, GP
Dr Roghieh Dehghan, Dr med univ
Mrs Fahima Shubarna, Senior Healthcare Assistant
Dr Zein Toukan, GP
Sara Rabhi, General practitioner
Mr David Drake, MB ChB (Hons) MSc MRCS
Dr Athif Ilyas, MBBS BSc (Hons) PGDip (Oxon) AICSM MRCPysch
Dr Victoria Holt, MRCGP
Dr Romola Pocock, GP
Dr S Dar, Doctor
Dr Khalid Aziz, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Shahan Nizar, Consultant,
Omer Duqeh, Executive Director of Operations
Dr Sara Akhazzan, Resident Doctor
Dr Harshana Sangtani, Doctor
Ms Angela Taylor, Specialist Renal Counsellor
Mr Albert Nti, Registered nurse
Ms Dilly de-Ville, Retired Midwife
Miss María Valero, Hca
Mrs Carol Dean, Admin
Dr Rukyya Hassan. Consultant psychiatrist
Dr Hossam El Sheik, Consultant Gynaecologist
Dr Tennyson Lee, Consultant Psychiatrist
Mr. Andrew Keen, Data Manager/analyst
Rufus George, Deputy Nurse Manager
Dr Abrar Mohamed Mahmoud, Doctor
Mr Wail Afandi, Hospital Doctor
Mr Hussein Khambalia, Consultant Surgeon
Helen Green, Midwife
Dr. Abeer Omar, Professor
Ms Siobhan Hier, Retired health visitor
Dr Ahmad Dowedar, Consultant
Dr Adnan Siddiqui, GP partner MRCGP
Dr Musaad Qurash, Consultant
Dr Danielle James Gayle, Doctor
Dr Faiza Hassan, MBCHb MRCGP
Linnéa Freear, Clinical Scientist
Dr Winona Martell-Brown, Doctor
Dr Nadhya Qureshi, FRCA
Dr Amina Rawat, Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Lamisha Patel, MBChB MRCGP
Dr Fozia Suleman, MBChB MRCGP

Kamran’s family have still not been informed of his whereabouts as over 100 medical doctors sign letter of concern

On the morning of Tuesday 25th November, hunger-striker Kamran Ahmed, remanded at HMP Pentonville for over a year, was hospitalised, due to his rapidly deteriorating health. 

Kamran was arrested in a violent dawn raid in November 2024, accused of being involved in a Palestine Action intervention at an arms facility in Filton, Bristol, owned by Elbit Systems, Israel’s biggest weapons maker. During the action, Israeli quadcopter drones were discovered, and dismantled by the group. Eventually, 24 people were rounded up, using counter-terrorism legislation, and remanded in custody, despite not being charged with any terrorist offence. The first of the Filton 24 went on trial this week, while others can expect to wait until next summer, or later, until the allegations against them are heard.

Kamran, imprisoned since his arrest, and denied bail despite being sole carer for his elderly parents, joined the Prisoners for Palestine hunger-strike on the 10th November, becoming the sixth prisoner refusing food.

An asthmatic, Kamran has been suffering from dizziness, breathing difficulties, and chest pains, as well as low blood sugar and dangerously high ketone levels. After over a year in prison, on remand, Kamran who is nearly 6ft tall, weighed 74kg before joining the hunger-protest. When he was last weighed, this had dropped to only 68kg. On Friday, he collapsed, with low blood sugar levels indicating hypoglycemia. Kamran’s family have heard nothing further, since he was hospitalised this morning.

On Tuesday afternoon supporters marched from Pentonville Prison to the Ministry of Justice, in Central London, in order to highlight the medical neglect which has led to Kamran’s hospitalisation, and calling for the government to respond to the hunger-strikers demands. Despite the short notice, scores of protestors supported the heavily-policed march, with local people coming out to show their support. They carried huge banners reading ‘Drop The Charges’ and ‘Resistance Is Not Terrorism’. According to people on the march, the policing of a peaceful demonstration was very heavy-handed, with several marchers arrested, including an elderly woman on crutches, who was tackled to the ground by the police.

Kamran’s sister, Shahmina Amal, who organised the protest, said: “All of this could have been avoided if the government would have engaged in conversations about the demands, which they are yet to respond to. I am angry, I am sad, I don’t think there is words to put to the pain of a sister who was in a press conference last week stating that I fear the day I get a call to say Kamran has collapsed, and now I am living my worst fear. I stand by my brother and the demands of the hunger strike, the demands must be met, they are things the government should be doing and I am disgusted that the government has chosen to ignore the hunger strikers with no care or consideration to their sanctity of their health and lives”

In response to the treatment of the hunger strikers, a letter signed by over 100 medical doctors has been sent to the Health and Justice Commissioning NHS Team, expressing their growing concern over how the hunger strikers are being mishandled. 

Despite the indifference of the government to the hunger-strike, support for the prisoners continues to grow. Numerous groups and organisations have already pledged support, including Defend Our Juries, Campaign Against The Arms Trade, CAGE International, and Black Lives Matter UK. There have been solidarity protests outside prisons holding the hunger-strikers, and solidarity action by political prisoners overseas. Letters have also been sent to the government from MPs Jeremy Corbyn MP and Zarah Sultana. Prisoners For Palestine designated today an International Day of Action.

Speaking on Tuesday on behalf of Prisoners for Palestine, former Palestine Action prisoner Francesca Nadin said:​​​​​​​​​​​ “Today, 23 days since the Prisoners for Palestine hunger-strike began, and more than 5 weeks since the British government received notice, Kamran Ahmed became the first of the prisoners to be hospitalised. The callous disregard of the prison authorities, for the health and well-being of the prisoners in their care, has matched that of the British state, with medical negligence being consistent throughout the hunger protest. To avoid further harm to the quickly deteriorating health of the hunger-strikers, it is imperative that the government addresses the prisoners demands, and engages with them, to bring the protest to an end.”