13 January 2026
An Open Letter to Jonathan Davies MP

Dear Jonathan,

You will recall that before Christmas I raised the issue with you, of the prolonged Hunger Strikes by detainees still on remand for over a year, who have not been found guilty of any offence, and who are being detained under conditions usually reserved for terrorists.

I am now writing on behalf of the Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group that was formed over the course of last year, and who at our recent meeting requested that a letter be sent to you expressing our profound distress and concern over their treatment and continued detention. Each and every signature you see on this letter is a member of your constituency - these are people that you represent, reaching out to ask for your help.

Heba Muraisi has now been on hunger strike for 72 days, she is having difficulty breathing, and is on the brink of death. She was transferred from HMP Bronzefield where her family, friends and her disabled mother were able to visit her, to HMP New Hall near Wakefield, miles away from them, and has requested that she be moved back to Bronzefield.

Kamran Ahmed has been on hunger strike for 65 days now and is also becoming extremely weak with serious heart issues.

We are appealing to you to do all you can to allow them to be released on bail into the care of their families. Their crime has been to be members of an organisation that was proscribed in a highly questionable manner before they were arrested. You may consider them naïve, foolish, impossibly idealistic, but they are young people who care passionately about the genocide that continues in Palestine despite the so-called ‘ceasefire’ and are prepared to go to these lengths to bring attention to it. They are extraordinarily courageous.

The Hunger Strikers’ demands are impossible you will say: the closure of Elbit Systems in this country you will say is essential to the NATO alliance, the de-proscription of Palestine Action is a matter for the High Court (where the judge deemed to be sympathetic has been replaced). However, to deny all their requests appears at the least to be mean, at its worst to be so vindictive as to be guaranteed to cause their deaths.

Please read the letter below written just before Christmas by Jeremy Corbyn and Heba Muraisi’s MP Barry Gardiner, almost a month ago. It is astonishing that she has survived up until now, but we all dread the news that she and her fellow hunger strikers have not. Please can you communicate our deep concern with urgency, and our appeal for compassion over retribution.

instagram.com/jeremycorbyn/p/DSiFo1VjEWf/...

Yours sincerely,

Veronica West on behalf of the Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group

46
signatures
39 verified
  1. Harry Slater, Belper
  2. Isobel duckworth, Belper
  3. Mary Dwyer, Retired, Palestinian support group, Belper
  4. Kendal Greaves, Belper
  5. Catherine Mears, Retired, N/a, Belper
  6. Jorge Araya, Matlock
  7. Wendy Clarke, Belper
  8. Michael Jones, Belper
  9. Rowan Hyde, Therapist, Belper
  10. Annie Turnbull, Duffield, Belper
  11. Sally Moss, Belper
  12. Diane Stratulis, Retired, None, Belper
  13. Vivien Ring, retired, AV Palestine Support Group, Stand up to Racism, Belper
  14. Charlotte West-Oram, Milford, Belper
  15. Anne Sadler, Retired, A/V Palestinian Support Grp + Labour Member (only just!), Belper
  16. David Cook, Retired radiographer, NHS, Belper
  17. Bryony Esmat, Belper
  18. Clive Morris Newman, Retired, Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group, Belper
  19. Melodie Matkin, Belper
  20. Beate and Tim Wilmshurst, Retired teachers, Duffield, Belper
  21. Terry Conn, Retired teacher, Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group, Belper
  22. Kate Pudney, Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group, Labour Party memberp, Belper
  23. Paul Terry, Retired, @ambervalley Palestine solidarity group, Belper
  24. Valerie WATSON, Psychotherapist, Derbyshire
  25. Kate Milman, teacher, derby
  26. Milly Leigh, Retired, Belper
  27. Thomas Beggan, Train Driver, Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group, Belper
  28. Miles Halpin, Artist, BELPER
  29. Paula Browne, Nurse, Amber Valley Palestine Solidarity Group, Belper
  30. Rick Jillings, Retired, Derbyshire County Council, Belper
  31. Robert Davies, Retired, Matlock
  32. Barbara RYAN, Retired, Belper
  33. Tracy Clifton, Belper
  34. GrahamEvans, Retired, Belper
  35. David Buckley, Retired Civil Eng, AVPG, Milford, Belper
  36. Linda Rose, Youth worker, Derby
  37. Alma Naylor, Retired, Belper
  38. Peter Eley, Driver, Derbyshire
  39. Clare Bufton, Gardener, Belper
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