The Communist Party of Britain calls on the British government to enter good-faith negotiations with the Prisoners For Palestine and to seek an end to the hunger strike, recognising the rights of these prisoners to a fair trial and the right of the British public to know the extent of the government’s collusion with Elbit Systems to target peace activists in Britain.
The Prisoners For Palestine are a group of 33 young activists currently imprisoned without trial, charged under counter-terror legislation for their peaceful involvement in solidarity actions opposing British complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Several UN human rights experts have written to the British government expressing deep concern at the detention of the activists, even stating that the conditions around their arrest could constitute “enforced disappearance” under international law.
Six prisoners have been on hunger strike for over a month, and to date the British government, along with the vast majority of the mainstream media, has not acknowledged this protest. There has been a long history of hunger strikes in British prisons, most notably in the struggle for an end to British occupation of Ireland. It is deeply alarming that the government has failed to acknowledge these young activists or their demands. Every day their health deteriorates further, yet the state remains silent. The treatment of these prisoners, and the persecution of peaceful protestors and their supporters under anti-terror legislation, are the latest steps in a shameful campaign against civil liberties and basic democratic rights carried out by this Labour government. These actions have been met with outrage by the British public, reflected in the thousands of protestors acting in defiance and Labour’s collapsing position in the polls.
By charging peaceful protestors under terrorism offences, the government shows open contempt for the democratic rights that generations of trade unionists and civil liberties groups fought to secure. What is done to these activists today can be done to any group tomorrow. Our movement will not be intimidated into silence.
We call on the British government to negotiate with the hunger strikers, to secure the immediate release of the 33 prisoners currently locked away without trial, and to end their collusion with Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest weapons manufacturer.
Solidarity with the hunger strikers!
End the genocide! End the occupation! Free Palestine!
Communist Party
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For further information or to arrange an interview contact Johnnie Hunter, Communications Director, johnniehunter@communistparty.org.uk.