Palestine Action prisoners are dying, warns physician

Palestine Action activists who have been on hunger strike for months while awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage are dying, according to a doctor.

- DAN HAYGARTH

Dr James Smith, an emergency physician who is a lecturer at University College London, said the group need specialist medical help, as politicians have urged the government to intervene, with some of the eight prisoners, who began the action in protest at being held in custody while awaiting trial, have been taken to hospital.

Four of the group are accused of playing roles in the break-in to an Israeli-linked defence firm in 2024 and are due to go on trial in May next year at the earliest.

The other four are accused of breaking into RAF Brize Norton in June, where it is alleged they caused damage to two military jets.

The alleged offences took place before the group was banned under terrorism legislation in July, which has made membership of or support for it a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Those on hunger strike deny the charges but have been denied bail. Yesterday, family members of the protesters held a press conference, supported by MPs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, where they sat in front of a board of seven names, listing the length of their hunger strikes.

At a press conference, Dr Smith said: “The hunger strikers are dying.” He added: “We are alarmed by accounts of substandard monitoring and treatment within the prison system.

“Last week more than 200 members of the British Medical Association wrote to the BMA to sound the alarm.”

It came after Sir Keir Starmer was asked at Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) whether he would make arrangements for the Ministry of Justice to meet the hunger strikers’ lawyers regarding their treatment.

He had been challenged by Mr Corbyn, who claimed there have been “regular breaches of prison conditions and prison rules”.