Independent MP Zarah Sultana has written to Justice Secretary David Lammy to demand the release of twenty-four Palestine Action (PA) anti-genocide activists. The group have already been held in prison for more than a year without trial. And, they face a wait of up to another two years before they even actually come to trial.

In her letter she wrote:

Opposing genocide is the moral duty of our time.

Yet Palestine Action activists have been held in prison for over a year without trial. Six are now on hunger strike.

Detaining peaceful protesters under counter-terror powers is indefensible. This is political imprisonment in all… pic.twitter.com/x3FJjDYXOY

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) November 11, 2025

Sultana stands up for Filton 24

The ‘Filton 24’ have been imprisoned since mid-2024 – well before the Starmer regime banned Palestine Action via counter-terror laws.

Six of the Filton 24 are now on hunger strike in protest at the government’s abuses of them and of legal process: Qesser Zuhrah, Jon Cink and Amu Gib at Bronzefield prison in Kent, Heba Muraisi in New Hall prison, in Bronzefield, T Hoxha, at Peterborough prison, and now by Kamran Ahmed in Pentonville.

Now Sultana has demanded an end to the Starmer regime’s abuse of legal process against the twenty-four political prisoners, telling Lammy about the mistreatments perpetrated against them and demanding an end to those abuses and restoration of the British civil and human rights on which his boss has been waging war:

Dear Justice Secretary,

Re: Detention Conditions or Palestine Action Activists

11 November 2025

I am writing to express deep concern over the continued detention of Palestine Action activists who have been held on remand well beyond the standard 182-day pre-trial custody limit for the Crown Court. Six of these activists have reportedly begun an open-ended hunger strike in protest at their detention conditions and the government’s recent proscription of Palestine Action.

Members of ‘Filton 24′ have now been imprisoned for over a year, with trials scheduled as far ahead as 2026 and 2027. It is profoundly troubling that individuals accused of non-violent direct action are being detained without trial for such extraordinary periods. The prolonged and punitive use of remand in these circumstances risks amounting to political imprisonment in all but name.

The activists have reported facing “systematic abuse” and “politically-motivated treatment” by prison authorities – including segregation, the withholding of mail, denial of medical care, restrictions on visits and the forcible removal of a keffiyeh worn as a hijab during prayer’.

It is a matter of grave national concern that UN Special Rapporteurs have felt compelled to raise these issues with your government, expressing alarm over the alleged mistreatment of Palestine Action activists and the misuse of counter-terrorism legislation to impose harsher detention conditions.

While none of the activists have been charged with terrorist offences, the prosecution has alleged a “terrorism connection,” invoking counter-terrorism powers to extend their detention. The proscription of Palestine Action in July 2025 cannot lawfully or ethically be applied retrospectively to conduct that occurred before that date.

In light of these concerns. I urge you to:

1. Order an immediate review of all remand and bail decisions in these cases, ensuring full compliance with the 182-day custody time limit and the principle of liberty before trial.
2. Guarantee that no retrospective or indirect application of counter-terrorism powers is being used against defendants whose alleged actions predate the proscription of Palestine Action.
3. Ensure humane detention conditions, including access to legal counsel, correspondence, visitation and healthcare – especially given the hunger strike now underway.
4. Initiate an urgent review and reversal of the proscription of Palestine Action, to uphold the UK’s commitment to the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful protest.

I would be grateful for your urgent response detailing the steps your department is taking to address these concerns and 10 ensure that the rights and wellbeing of those currently detained are fully protected.

The Prisoners for Palestine group is holding protests outside each prison holding the Filton activists this weekend as follows:

Saturday 15th November HMP Pentonville, London N7 8TT — 4pm HMP Newhall, Wakefield WF4 4AX — 4.30pm HMP Styal, Wilmslow SK9 4HR — 5pm HMP Low Newton, Durham DH1 5YA — 5pm HMP Bronzefield, Ashford TW15 3JZ — 5.30pm

Sunday 16th November HMP Peterborough PE3 7PD — 4pm HMP Eastwood Park, South Gloucestershire GL12 8DB — 4.30pm

Starmer, to protect Israel’s political and corporate interests and in consultation with its embassy, has been waging an ever-escalating ‘lawfare’ war on journalists and activists who expose and oppose Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its attempted eradication and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people ever since he got into Downing Street with the help of neo-fascist Reform UK, taking Labour to its lowest ever levels of support.

Featured image via the Canary

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