Palestine Action-linked protesters end their weeks-long UK hunger strike
By Kara Fox, CNN
(CNN) — Two pro-Palestinian activists ended their hunger strikes Wednesday, marking the conclusion of an action believed to be among the longest in UK history.
Heba Muraisi refused food for 73 days and Kamran Ahmed for 66.
Muraisi, 31 and Ahmed, 28, began their hunger strike late last year, as part of a group of eight imprisoned pro-Palestinian activists protesting their lengthy pre-trial detention and what they see as a crackdown on political dissent related to the war in Gaza.
A third hunger striker, Lewie Chiaramello – who fasted on alternate days due to diabetes – concluded his protest after 46 days.
Campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said they have now all begun refeeding in accordance with health guidelines. Muraisi and Ahmed are currently in hospital, their family and friends told CNN.
The pair were arrested in November 2024 as part of the so-called “Filton 24,” a group of activists linked to the now- banned group, Palestine Action. They are accused of breaking into and vandalizing a UK research and development site near Filton, west of London, belonging to Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer. Muraisi and Ahmed have been charged with burglary, criminal damage, and conspiracy. They deny the charges and are awaiting trial.
Palestine Action aims to disrupt the operations of weapons manufacturers connected to the Israeli government. It was proscribed as a terror group last summer, with the then-UK Home Secretary framing the move as necessary to safeguard national security. Rights groups and civil liberties campaigners accuse the government of a grave overreach to clamp down on legitimate protest in the country.
Muraisi and Ahmed ended their hunger strike following the British government’s decision not to award Elbit Systems UK a £2 billion ($2.7bn) British defense ministry contract, campaign group Prisoners for Palestine said late Wednesday.
One of the hunger strikers’ key demands was the closure of the 16 sites where Elbit Systems operates in the UK.
The hunger strikers were also calling for their immediate release on bail, an end to what they say are restrictions on their communications, the reversal of the government ban on Palestine Action, and a fair trial. They allege that the government has withheld relevant documents related to their case.
A justice ministry spokesperson told CNN earlier this week that Muraisi and Ahmed would receive a fair trial and that the ministry had organized a meeting between health officials and the prisoners’ lawyers on their healthcare last week.
“They face serious charges, and no government could agree to their demands, many of which relate to ongoing legal proceedings, including immediate bail, which is a matter for independent judges,” the spokesperson said.
Muraisi, who was also asking to be transferred closer to her family in London after being moved to a prison hundreds of miles from her disabled and seriously ill mother last year, will now be moved back to HMP Bronzefield, west of the capital, Prisoners for Palestine said late Wednesday.
The group added that additional “victories” had been achieved throughout the duration of the hunger strike.
CNN has reached out to the Ministry of Justice for updated comment.
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