Political prisoner Umer Khalid’s family “terrified for his life” and still unable to visit

Political prisoner Umer Khalid, one of 24 ‘Filton 24’ prisoners jailed for up to 19 months and counting for opposing genocide, ended his hunger strike last month. His decision came after prison authorities agreed to review the punitive conditions in which he is being held. These included banning his religious observance and restricting visits.

But his family say little or nothing has changed and they’re still being blocked from seeing him. In fact, it’s worse than before as he’s now deprived of meetings with his lawyer.

Umer Khalid: desperate situation

In a statement, they asked supporters not to call or visit the prison or risk anything outside “formal routes” that his family is pursuing. However, they say they can no longer remain silent over Umer Khalid’s situation as they are “terrified for [his] life”:

For now, we please request that nobody calls into the prison, tries to locate Umer, or escalates this beyond the formal routes being followed by Umer’s legal team. Updates with actions you can take will follow as they are received.

We’ve stayed silent long enough, but now I’m terrified for my son’s life. My son has been on remand for seven months. During this time, we have had daily contact. After a 17-day hunger strike and four days without water, he was hospitalised on Monday, 26 January.

Since then, the prison has kept him incommunicado. We have had zero contact for over 10 days now. They are blocking him from his family and, alarmingly, from his solicitor.

A mother should not have to wonder whether her son is alive or dead while he is in state care. Access to his solicitor and contact with his family are basic human rights — especially during a medical crisis. We are demanding answers and the right to hear his voice. Please share this and amplify our voices. We cannot let him be forgotten in that hospital bed.

The Starmer regime’s political persecution of the Filton humanitarians has been further exposed and disgraced recently by the refusal of a jury to convict the first six to go on trial on any of the trumped-up charges against them. The trial exposed the lies of the state and of arms manufacturer Elbit to smear and criminalise them.

Yet despite this, the regime continues to hold the others – and even one of those acquitted – in prison without trial. This is as clear a case as could be of ‘making the process the punishment’ and Starmer wants to end jury trials to withhold justice. All of this is to protect Israel and its ethno-fascist genocide.

Enough is enough. It’s long past time for Starmer’s authoritarianism and collaboration in genocide to end. He and his cronies are the ones who should be behind bars.

Featured image via the Canary