A coalition of over 35 human rights and civil society organisations from South Africa has issued an urgent plea to the British government to address the demands of six activists on an indefinite hunger strike in UK prisons. The detainees, some of whom have surpassed 50 days without food, are reportedly suffering severe medical deterioration, including vision loss, memory failure, and life-threatening malnutrition. Their continued detention without trial, coupled with allegations of inadequate healthcare, has led the coalition to warn that the British state will bear responsibility for any loss of life, invoking the historical precedent of the 1981 Irish Republican hunger strikes.

The activists are accused of targeting an Israeli-owned weapons factory and a Royal Air Force base, actions they claimed were intended to disrupt the supply chain supporting the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza. Held on remand for over a year, a period exceeding standard custody limits, their trial is not scheduled until 2026. Their demands include immediate bail, a guarantee of a fair and timely trial, an end to prison censorship, and the removal of the "terrorist organisation" designation from the activist group to which they are linked.

Drawing parallels with anti-apartheid and Palestinian prisoners, the South African groups framed the hunger strike as a profound act of non-violent resistance and a last resort against systemic repression. They called on the UK government to learn from its own history and avoid repeating the tragedy of the 1981 hunger strikes, urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration to engage meaningfully with the prisoners' demands to prevent further human suffering and political crisis.