A Palestine Action prisoner on a 43-day hunger strike will die in jail if the UK government does not intervene, her family has warned this morning.
Teuta Hoxha, 29, who is currently on remand, suffers from continuous headaches, mobility issues, and can no longer stand for prayer, says her sister.
Hoxha has been awaiting trial for 13 months over alleged criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder at a factory for the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit systems in Filton, near Bristol.
The Filton action saw over £1 million in damage caused to Elbit’s research centre for Israeli weapons.
Her sister, Rahma, 17, says that Teuta has already told doctors what to do do, should she collapse or pass away.
‘She’s only 29 – she’s not even 30 yet and nobody should be thinking about that’, said Rahma.
Rahma says that despite her sister’s ill health, Teuta calls her from prison every day to help with homework.
‘She’s been on remand for over a year, her trial’s not until April next year and bail keeps getting denied, said Rahma.
Teuta Hoxha, 29, has been awaiting trial for 13 months over alleged criminal damage, aggravated burglary and violent disorder at a factory for the Israeliarms manufacturer Elbit systems in Filton
Rahma Hoxha, the sister of Teuta Hoxha who is on hunger strike while being held on remand for offences related to activism on behalf of Palestine Action, speaks during a press conference relating to hunger-striking Palestine Action activists
Protest In Solidarity With Pro-Palestine Hunger Strikers At The Department Of Health in London
‘She’s like my mother figure. Our mother passed away when I was really young.
‘Teuta took care of me and my siblings and made sure to read us bedtime stories. She’s always there for me and even from prison, she’s helping me do my homework and revise for exams,’ she added.
Teuta is among eight Palestine Action (PA) prisoners who have been on hunger strike, Sky News reports.
She has been on remand since November 19th 2024 and her trial date is set for April 2026.
Teuta is one of the so-called Filton 18, a group of now 24 PA activists currently held on remand in connection with an action at Gloucestershire, in August last year.
She was arrested in the dawn raids against Palestine activists on 19th November 2024 by counter-terrorism police in the third wave of Filton arrests on allegations of being connected to the Filton action.
The PA activist was moved to HMP Peterborough, a mixed prison, from the women’s prison HMP Bronzefield on the day MPs voted to prescribe PA as a terrorist group.
She says she’s been ‘called a terrorist’ and ‘told that I’m part of a terrorist group by prison staff.
