Last Palestine Action-linked hunger striker to launch ‘thirst strike’
A Palestine Action-linked prisoner on hunger strike is set to refuse fluids on Saturday if his demands, including immediate bail, are not met.
Muhammad Umer Khalid, 22, is the last of seven prisoners linked to the now-banned direct action group, who launched a hunger strike over their detention conditions and the group’s proscription. Some refused food for as long as 73 days.
On 14 January, three hunger strikers announced they would end their food refusal after the government decided not to award a multi-billion-pound contract to the UK subsidiary of Israeli arms company, Elbit Systems.
But Khalid, who has been held on remand at HMP Wormwood Scrubs on charges in connection with an alleged break-in by Palestine Action activists at RAF Brize Norton air base in June last year, resumed his hunger strike after a pause on 10 January.
He announced on Friday that he would be escalating to a thirst strike on Saturday if his demands - which include immediate bail and an end to alleged prison restrictions on his mail, calls and visits - are not met.
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Khalid told Middle East Eye via an intermediary: “After witnessing the level to which the government allowed [the hunger strikers] to deteriorate, it’s clear that they do not value our lives, and our suffering does not affect them."
Khalid halted a previous hunger strike after his health deteriorated rapidly 12 days in, as he suffers from muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic condition that causes worsening muscle weakness.
He said that the prison authorities have since been heavily restricting his personal mail, calls and visits. He reported that he had received one visit, a postcard and two emails in three weeks.
“People are sending him so much stuff, I’ve sent him 16 things and he’s only received one item,” Danyal Osman, Khalid’s friend told MEE.
Osman also reported that the restrictions had impacted Khalid’s communications with his lawyer, resulting in delays to legal proceedings.
The Ministry of Justice told MEE: “We do not recognise these claims. All prisoners are subject to the same national rules on post and communications, and legal visits and access to legal paperwork are never withheld from prisoners.”
According to the UK's prisoner communications policy, letters between prisoners and their legal advisers, as well as people responsible for inmates' welfare in custody, are treated as privileged and must be handled in confidence.
“Legally privileged correspondence must not be stopped, opened and/or read” except in “exceptional circumstances,” the policy states.
The ministry noted that “all convicted terrorist prisoners and prisoners on remand for terrorism offences” will have their contacts vetted under the enhanced contact vetting scheme “if judged necessary and proportionate”.
‘This is not about death’
Osman reported that Khalid was in good spirits and faring better than he was during his first hunger strike, as he is now taking electrolytes.
“But come Saturday, if there’s no response, he will stop drinking completely," Osman said, adding that he is “extremely” worried for his friend.
James Smith, a doctor who has supported and advised the hunger strikers and their families, told MEE that he was particularly concerned about Khalid’s escalation, noting that “in the case of deprivation of water, the body deteriorates very quickly in the context of rapid dehydration, which precipitates multi-organ failure”.
Khalid’s mother, Shabana Khalid, who is recovering from cancer, relied on her son as her primary carer before his imprisonment.
“He was my main support. After he was taken to prison, I started deteriorating very quickly,” Shabana said.
“Just trying to come to terms with it is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I already suffer from depression, so it’s not helping,” she said, adding that she hasn’t slept for three days.
Shabana said she had only managed to see her son twice, as she lives in Manchester and the journey to Wormwood Scrubs in London is difficult to manage on her own.
Osman said that Muhammad’s strike does not stem from a death wish.
“He loves life, this is not about death,” Osman told MEE. “This is why he’s being what everyone would consider to be so extreme with his escalation.
“He’s a very loving person,” Khalid's mother said. “When he puts his mind to something he will do his utmost to fulfil that.
“He might deteriorate very quickly now, he could be in a wheelchair before he leaves prison,” she added, her voice breaking.
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