Author calls for fair treatment of Palestine Action hunger strikers

Sally Rooney has pleaded with the UK government to address the “shocking mistreatment” of Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners who are on hunger strike, saying she fears for their welfare.

- Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent

Six prisoners awaiting trial are refusing food, including two who have been on hunger strike for more than two weeks and are already said to be struggling physically. Their demands include improved jail conditions, release on bail and lifting the ban on Palestine Action.

Rooney, the bestselling Irish author of Normal People, said: “The shocking mistreatment of these prisoners - including censorship and withholding of letters, prolonged use of solitary confinement, and years-long imprisonment without trial - constitutes a serious violation of human rights.

“I urge the British government to take action to engage with the prisoners and address their demands.

“It is a basic principle of justice that no one should have to spend years in prison awaiting trial when they have not been found guilty of any offence.

“Books, letters and other reading material should not be withheld or censored. These are not extravagant demands, but fundamental human rights.”