Emergency hunger striking prisoners rally organised by Derry Palestine Solidarity Campaign

The Derry Palestine Solidarity Campaign has called an emergency rally in support of the 'Prisoners for Palestine' hunger strikers.

The rally will take place on Friday, December 19, at 6.30pm, at Free Derry Wall in the city.

Derry IPSC spokesperson, Janine McLaughlin, said: "Six young people are facing death on hunger strike in British prisons as Starmer’s government ignores their doctors’ advice and refuses to meet their MPs.

"By Friday, the hunger strike will be on day 48 and we know how dangerous a situation they are now in. We in this city are no strangers to hunger strikes with the deaths of two Derry political prisoners, Patsy O’Hara and Mickey Devine in 1981," she added.

"The Palestine prisoners are accused of destroying the tools and weapons used to massacre the Palestinian people, for which the state has subjected them to “internment by remand”. Some have been in prison already for over 18 months and their trials are not due to start for another year.

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"Even when their trial comes around, it will not be fair if their demands are not met. Crucial evidence which shows foreign and political interference in their cases is being redacted.

"The state is refusing to provide them with the basic healthcare to which they have a right and their condition is not being monitored in the way, for example, Bobby Sands was in 1981.

"This has been seen most starkly in the case of Qesser Zuhrah, a young woman of just 20 years old who is in Bronzefield prison. On Wednesday, Day 46 of her hunger strike, Qesser became very ill but the prison refused to call an ambulance for her for nine hours and only after Zarah Sultana MP and supporters occupied the prison’s lobby," said Ms McLaughlin.

"It is vital that all who support Palestinian rights unite in support of the hunger strikers. We have invited speakers from all the political parties on the Council, as well as from the O’Hara and Devine families.”