The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) expresses its solidarity with the hunger strikers currently remanded in custody in the United Kingdom, and with the growing protest movement supporting the Palestinian cause. This statement affirms our commitment to justice, human rights, and the ongoing struggle of the Palestinian people.
Support for the Hunger Strikers and Their Demands
IADL supports the legitimate and urgent demands of the hunger strikers, who began their strike on 2 November 2025, a date that symbolically marks the anniversary of the 1917 Balfour Declaration—an event that laid the groundwork for the Zionist occupation of Palestine. The hunger strikers are calling for:
- An end to censorship of communications and denial of access to books, email, and correspondence.
- Immediate grant of bail asserting right to liberty.
- The right to a fair trial, including the release of all documents related to the investigation and prosecution of activists and campaigners.
- An end to the government proscription of Palestine Action.
- The closure of UK operations of the Israeli military manufacturer Elbit Systems.
- Heba Muraisi to be transferred back to HMP Bronzefield
- End to all non-association orders
- Access to all activities and courses
These demands are just and are urgently needed as demonstrated by the hunger strike.
The Hunger Strike as a Form of Protest
Hunger strikes have a long history as a protest of last resort when other avenues for justice are blocked by repressive regimes.
Notably, figures such as Nelson Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi used hunger strikes in their struggles for justice.
The Irish struggle also saw hunger strikes by Bobby Sands and 9 of his comrades in 1981. More recently, human rights lawyers in Turkey—many of whom were IADL members, including martyr lawyer Ebru Timtik who died on 27 August 2020—have used hunger strikes to highlight injustice.
In 2023, Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan died after an 86-day hunger strike in Ayalon Prison, further exposing the dire conditions inside Israeli prisons.
Condemnation of State Repression and Repressive Measures
IADL condemns the ongoing and worsening state repression in the UK, particularly the proscription of Palestine Action. This action amounts to criminalisation without due legal process. It is a violation of fundamental rights contained in numerous international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protect freedom of expression and association.
IADL stands firmly against such measures, which undermine the rule of law and the rights of individuals and organisations to protest and campaign for justice.
Call for Due Process and Justice
We echo the demands of the hunger strikers for the release of all detainees on bail and for their right to due process and a speedy resolution of their cases to be upheld.
The continued harassment of the Palestinian solidarity movement, cooperation with the Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems, and the provision of arms to the Netanyahu government, implicate the UK government in the ongoing genocide, as well as in the commission of crimes against humanity and war crimes by Israel against the Palestinian people.
International Solidarity and Call to Action
IADL calls upon human rights lawyers, organisations, and people’s movements worldwide to hold the UK government accountable for its role in the oppression of the Palestinian people and the suppression of fundamental freedoms in the United Kingdom.
We must stand together in solidarity with all those who support justice, freedom, and the struggle for Palestinian self-determination.
Let us unite in support of the people of the UK and the world who are taking a stand to end oppression and to free Palestine.