Palestine Action Activists Face Life-Threatening Hunger Strike

London, United Kingdom –

Heba Muraisi and Kamran Ahmed, British activists associated with Palestine Action, are at risk of losing their lives but remain committed to continuing their hunger strike from prison until their demands are met, friends and relatives informed Al Jazeera.

They have refused food for 67 and 60 days, respectively, as part of a protest action that began in November. Five of the eight individuals who participated in the protest have ended their hunger strike due to health concerns. Lewie Chiaramello, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Thursday, is the third prisoner still refusing food.

Muraisi, the longest-serving participant in this action, "looks very pale and weak," reported her friend, Amareen Afzal, who visited the 31-year-old woman on Wednesday. "Her cheekbones are quite prominent, and she appears very frail." Muraisi is reportedly suffering from muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, severe pain, and a low white blood cell count. She has been taken to the hospital three times in the last nine weeks.

Afzal also noted that Muraisi's memory has declined, and she now "finds it more challenging to stay engaged in conversations." "She talks about herself as if she is dying and is very aware and concerned," added Afzal. However, Muraisi is "determined to continue until their demands are met."

The group of prisoners is held for their alleged involvement in acts of vandalism at the UK branch of Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems in Bristol and at a Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Oxfordshire. They deny the charges brought against them.

Their demands include bail release, the right to a fair trial, and the removal of the terrorist organization status for Palestine Action, designated as such by the UK in July, equating it with ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda. They are also calling for the closure of all Elbit locations in the UK and demand an end to what they describe as censorship in prison, accusing authorities of withholding correspondence, calls, and books.

As of now, all eight individuals will have spent over a year in prison awaiting their trials, far exceeding the usual six-month limit for pre-trial detention in the UK.

At the time of publication, the Ministry of Defence had not responded to Al Jazeera's request for comments.