Released Palestine Action prisoners condemn use of counter-terror powers

The press conference can be replayed here.

Released Palestine Action prisoners condemn the British government for weaponising counter-terrorism powers against them "to justify the unlawful ban of Palestine Action". Four of which were part of the largest hunger strike in British prisons since the 1981 Irish hunger strike. The released prisoners spoke out for the first time since their release from pre-trial detention to expose the violence they faced by counter-terrorism police and the prison service, the systematic violation of their rights, and the politicisation of their imprisonment.

Madeleine Norman, 31

Madeleine Norman explained how they had taken previous action with Palestine Action, but had never been treated as a "terrorist" until they were raided and arrested by counter-terrorism police in August 2024. Madeleine was transported by "men with balaclavas and shades in a convoy of 3 jeeps" and like the others arrested, was denied a phone call for two weeks, and a visit until several weeks later.

They were deemed an "escape risk", allegedly for "drawing another prisoner in the setting of the prison". This led to them having to be escorted by guards constantly, denied medication, surveilled during phone calls and denied their own clothes. Madeleine was also repeatedly moved from prison to prison, isolating them further from family and co-defendants. When they first arrived at HMP Low Newton, the prison made everyone on their wing "undergo training on how to spot and report on radicalisation". Madeleine explained how "posters were confiscated from their cell for 'extremism' that simply read 'bombing kids is not self-defence' and 'Free Palestine'".

In spite of the repression Madeleine faced for their political stance, they said "I know that nothing I had experienced, or would experience, was even a drop in the ocean compared to the unfathomable suffering endured by Palestinians held in Israeli prisons."

Teuta Hoxha, 30

Teuta Hoxha, who went on hunger strike twice whilst on remand for 15 months, said they "were violently arrested by counter terrorism police, ministers like David Lammy and James Timpson were willing to let us die on hunger strike and thousands have been arrested under the Terrorism Act for holding up placards. She added "We say to Shabana Mahmood enough damage has been done" and called on her to withdraw the appeal of the High Court judgment which ruled the Palestine Action ban unlawful.

Teuta's first hunger strike which lasted 28 days ended after her demands were met, which included being given her mail and a written justification for the further repression she faced. The justification explained that she was removed from the job due to the proscription of Palestine Action, which happened nearly eight months after she was first imprisoned.Her second hunger strike was part of a joint strike with seven other Palestine Action prisoners. During which, she lost 20% of her body weight. Commenting on the strike, she said "The hunger strike peeled back the layers of cruelty this government is capable of against its own citizens in order to protect its foreign genocidal project. They were willing to let us die for a ban that was later proved to be unlawful."

Qesser Zuhrah, 21

Qesser Zuhrah was arrested by counter-terror police on 19th November 2025 and released 15 months later. During the press conference, she explained how "the purpose of oppression is to humiliate" and "to force people into lives that are utterly inhumane through the complete theft of dignity". She said this was the "purpose of the Zionist occupation of Palestine" and "the purpose of our imprisonment".

Eight months into her imprisonment on remand, her younger brother was also arrested and remanded in connection to the same action. She described this move as the state attacking her "dignity as a big sister".

Qesser also explained how she had been repeatedly assaulted by male guards during her imprisonment and how her hunger strike was a means to "resist". She said they assaulted her "to make an example out of me, and told other prisoners "if you try to be heroes, this is what we'll do to you". She added "Under such indignity, how could we not resist?"

Qesser explained how the prison "wanted to push" her "to the point of death", leaving her on her cell floor "paralysed for 22 hours from muscle wastage, refusing to call an ambulance". Despite the brutality of the state, Qesser said "here we stand, steadfast, as custodians of this most just Palestinian cause, that we forged our bond with through struggle and sacrifice".

Kamran Ahmed, 28

Kamran Ahmed was raided by dozens of counter-terror police officers on 19th November 2025, and remained imprisoned for 15 months on remand before he was released alongside his co-defendants. He said him and his elderly parents "were being dehumanised" by the officers during the raid, which involved the police denying his mother food from her own kitchen to eat with her medication.

Whilst detained, he took part in the joint hunger strike and refused food for 66 days. During this time, he was repeatedly taken to hospital due to medical complications. Whilst in the hospital, he remained cuffed to an officer the whole time.

Despite the dehumanisation Kamran faced, his words echoed his strong sense of humanity. He said "Today, on the other side of the world in Gaza, a kid works his way through the rubble. He hopes he will find some aid or some water or in a distant dream, he hopes he might find his parents he knows are dead. Whilst I sit here, he survives there. Whilst I talk here, he silently cries there, and if given the opportunity he would probably be able to fix a car better than I ever could, but the mystery called destiny has placed him there and me here. He added "I hope we allowed one more kid in Gaza to smile for one more day".

During the press conference, Kamran also revealed that last year, he was granted bail by an experienced counter-terrorism Judge, a decision which was overturned immediately and "the judgewas removed from all future proceedings on my case". He said "if there was ever a wink-wink nudge-nudge moment, that would be it".

Heba Muraisi, 31

Heba Muraisi who was on remand for 15 months, described the violent raid she faced by counter terrorism police. She explained how dozens of officers used chainsaws to break through the front door of the residence she was in, and had undressed her on the public street. Whilst in prison, Heba faced repeated incidents of violent at the hands of the guards. She detailed one incident, in which she was "violently cuffed and dragged across the prison by 6 guards", "had my head shoved into my stomach and had the wind knocked out of me". Then "my body was then thrown into solitary confinement, with a guard pushing my face to the floor and aggressively pulling my restrained arms into an unbearable position".

Heba has family in Gaza, who at the time of her imprisonment and to this day, were facing continuous bombardment by the Israeli military during the ongoing genocide. Whilst incarcerated, she undertook a hunger strike for 73 days, the longest in British history. During the press conference, she said how her experience is "nothing in comparison to the thousands of unlawfully detained Palestinians, who are routinely imprisoned from the age of 14 onwards. They face relentless torture, rape - including by dogs and other objects". She said it is the Palestinians "courage that's inspired me and enabled me to face the abuse of the British state".