Another UK Palestine Action prisoner joins hunger strike over ‘systematic abuse’

A fifth prisoner held on remand in the United Kingdom for alleged offenses linked to Palestine Action activities has joined a hunger strike in protest against her detention conditions and the “systematic abuse” by prison authorities. 

The 29-year-old prisoner, named Teuta Hoxha, joined four other prisoners on Sunday in a rolling hunger strike launched on November 2 over "systematic abuse" by the prison authorities.

Currently held at HMP Peterborough, Hoxha has been on remand since November 2024, awaiting her trial, which will start in April 2026.

This is the second hunger strike Hoxha has observed within the last three months.

In August, she refused food for three weeks over worsening treatment by prison staff in the aftermath of the British government's move to ban Palestine Action under terrorism law in July.

Hoxha is one of the pro-Palestine activists connected to Palestine Action who have reportedly been refused bail and are being held on remand beyond the UK’s standard pre-trial custody limit for the Crown Court, which is 182 days.

Last week, the campaign group Prisoners for Palestine (PFP) announced the launch of the rolling hunger strike after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood failed to respond to a letter outlining their demands, including immediate bail and an end to prison interference with their personal communications, as well as the de-proscription of Palestine Action.

Qesser Zurah and Amu Gibb, prisoners currently held at HMP Bronzefield, launched their strikes last Sunday.

Heba Muraisi, who is held at HMP New Hall, joined on Monday, and Jon Cink, also held at Bronzefield, refused food on Thursday.

Media reports have previously highlighted that prisoners linked to Palestine Action have faced growing restrictions on their post, phone calls and visits since the group’s proscription in July, when the home secretary Yvette Cooper banned the organization and designated it as a "terrorist group".

UK expands police powers after sweeping arrests of Palestine Action supporters

The UK government is moving to further restrict public dissent, granting police greater powers to curb pro-Palestine protests after nearly 500 supporters of the banned Palestine Action group were detained in one day.

The ban means expressing support or membership of the group is a criminal offense that could lead to a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

The developments come as thousands have already defied the UK ban on Palestine Action in "historic" mass civil disobedience.

There are currently about three dozen prisoners being held on remand in British prisons for Palestine-related activism.

The prisoners have received widespread support from pro-Palestine activists.

Former Lebanese political prisoner Georges Abdallah - freed in July after 41 years in a French jail - sent a message to the hunger strikers, expressing his “full solidarity with the Comrades of ‘Prisoners for Palestine’” in the face of “repression.”

UK-jailed Palestine solidarity activists warn of hunger strike

Protesters in the British capital call on the government to drop the charges against tens of pro-Palestine activists jailed for targeting Israeli arms factories on UK soil.

From house arrest, US activist Jakhi McCray said he will also begin a hunger strike in solidarity and to draw attention to their case.

In his letter, McCray wrote: “These comrades have been physically isolated even within their prisons, banned from communicating with family and friends, assaulted, denied a fair trial, and harassed over their religion.”

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