The sister of a Palestine Action hunger striker being held on remand has said she will die unless the UK government intervenes.
Teuta Hoxha, 29, is among eight Palestine Action supporters who are awaiting trial accused of break-ins or criminal damage.
She is charged with criminal damage and aggravated burglary in relation to alleged action at Israeli-owned company Elbit Systems and has gone without food for 43 days.
The hunger strikers are demanding immediate bail, an end to the UK's hosting of weapons factories supplying arms to Israel and an end to what they say is the mistreatment of prisoners in custody. They also demand the removal of the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.
“Our concerns are that that she might die and we obviously don’t want her to die,” Ms Hoxha’s younger sister Rahma told Sky News on Monday.
“I know that she's already instructed the doctors on what to do if she collapses and what to do if she passes away.
“She's been on remand for over a year, her trial's not until April next year and bail keeps getting denied.”
Another imprisoned Palestine Action activist who has refused to eat for 50 days was taken to hospital at the weekend.
Amu Gib is charged with breaking into RAF Brize Norton and vandalising two RAF Voyager planes with spray paint in support of Palestine Action.
Prisoners for Palestine said Gib’s health has “deteriorated rapidly” since joining the hunger strike on November 2 and said the activist has been taken to hospital and now needs to use a wheelchair.
“At this trajectory, the hunger strikers will die unless there is urgent intervention by the government,” the organisation said. “It is completely unacceptable and deliberately negligent to pretend the hunger strike is not happening, or to dismiss the prisoners’ demands.
“They are in the custody of the state, and any harm that comes to them is a deliberate outcome of the Government’s negligence and the politicisation of their detention.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously said the “rules and procedures” were being followed, after facing questions in the House of Commons about why his ministers had refused to meet representatives of those striking.
Prisons Minister Lord Timpson has previously said the service is “very experienced” at dealing with hunger strikes and has “robust and working” systems in place. The service “will not be meeting” any prisoners or their representatives, he added.
