UK starvation striker says demise is ‘worthwhile’ as he reaches 42 days with out meals
Palestine hunger striker Kamran Ahmed, who has since been hospitalised after reaching 42 days without food, said dying for his cause would be ‘worthwhile’
HMP Pentonville inmate Kamran Ahmed, who has declined food for 42 days, declared that dying for his cause would be “worthwhile” during a phone call from his cell on Friday.
Ahmed, 28, from London, stands accused of smashing his way into the UK site of an Israel-based defence company near Patchway, Bristol, using sledgehammers in August 2024, allegedly causing £1 million worth of damage.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “Every day I’m scared that potentially I might die. I’ve been getting chest pains regularly… There have been times where I felt like I’m getting tasered – my body’s vibrating or shaking. I’ll basically lose control of my feelings.
“I’ve been scared since the seventh day when my blood sugars dropped. The nurse said: ‘I’m scared you’re not going to wake up (when you go to sleep). Please eat something.'”
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“But I’m looking at the bigger picture of perhaps we can relieve oppression abroad and relieve the situations for my co-defendants… Yes, I’m scared of passing away. Yes, this may have lifelong implications. But I look at the risk versus reward. I see it as worthwhile.”
Ahmed has since been hospitalised after his health reached a critical point. He had been suffering from intense chest pains and tremors, which he likened to being tasered, as well as slurred speech before he was hospitalised in an emergency for the second time during his hunger strike.
On Thursday, emergency doctor James Smith warned journalists that Ahmed and fellow Palestine Action campaigners “are dying” and require urgent specialist medical intervention.
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Nearly 900 healthcare workers have backed his concerns in a letter to Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, top NHS bosses and prison chiefs, demanding immediate action.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously defended his administration’s actions, stating that the “rules and procedures” are being adhered to, in response to queries in the Commons about why his ministers had declined to engage with representatives of the striking individuals.
The prisoners’ demands include immediate bail, fair trials, and the closure of Elbit Systems’ UK sites. Their legal team, Imran Khan and Partners, has warned Foreign Secretary David Lammy that “young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence.”
Lord Timpson, the Prisons minister, tells The Mirror that while very concerning, “hunger strikes are not a new issue for our prisons.”
“Over the last five years, we’ve averaged over 200 a year and we have longstanding procedures in place to ensure prisoner safety,” he said. “Prison healthcare teams provide NHS care and continuously monitor the situation. HMPPS are clear that claims that hospital care is being refused are entirely misleading – they will always be taken when needed and a number of these prisoners have already been treated in hospital.
“These prisoners are charged with serious offences including aggravated burglary and criminal damage. Remand decisions are for independent judges, and lawyers can make representations to the court on behalf of their clients.
“Ministers will not meet with them – we have a justice system that is based on the separation of powers, and the independent judiciary is the cornerstone of our system. It would be entirely unconstitutional and inappropriate for Ministers to intervene in ongoing legal cases.”
As stars like The Pogues and Kneecap join the call for intervention, the Ministry of Justice maintains that the protest is “unacceptable” and that prisoner health is being managed according to policy. However, with each passing hour, the “point of no return” draws closer.
The Mirror has reached out to Lord Timpson, David Lammy, Wes Streeting, and Keir Starmer for comment, but no response was received at the time of publication.
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