# Kamran Ahmed: STATEMENT *Kamran was arrested in a violent dawn raid by counter-terrorism police on 19th November 2024 during which his elderly parents were also denied food and medication for hours. He was then remanded to prison after being charged with a non-terrorism related offence on allegations of being connected to the Filton action, which saw over £1 million in damage caused to Elbit’s research centre for Israeli weapons- making him one of the Filton 24\. During his time in prison, Kamran’s fundamental rights have been consistently abused by the prison, including restrictons on visits and mail, being arbitrarily subjected to isolation and limited access to the prison library.* *In his reflections after his court hearing in March 2025, Kamran shares how he would have responded to the judge: “As with your decision about how to proceed with our case, you spit in the face of many before me who fought against oppression. You spit in the face of the suffragettes, who like us, sat in jail, some 15 minutes down from here, at the now closed Holloway Road Prison. You spit on the face of Anne Frank, who wished someone would put a halt to that genocide (Holocaust). You spit on the face of every American who refused to pillage Vietnam. What the 3 events have in common is that people like you had the power to stop or end it. But it took those with a bit of humanity instead to step in and outnumber those who care more for their job or the vehicle they drive. Before I was remanded I remember reading something along the lines of, ‘You ask what you would’ve done then? You’re doing it now.’”* ## \-STATEMENT- This is not a speech, it’s some thoughts. As I battle myself in chess I actually wonder whether the movement for Palestinian liberation is at a stalemate. With the ceasefire supposedly holding, I question whether it means if I should silently see my time through prison? But would that mean that I agree that anyone who opposes the government when they are wrong, should not only be imprisoned, but subject to an unfair trial? And if some of my comrades’ positions be further stripped, not in the clothing sense, although that happened to one\*, but stripped of what basic prisoner rights we have, does that mean that in the future an alleged protestor should be held in remand in the same breath as the Manchester bomber? If so, then I refuse to set the precedent with my silence. On the 10th November, I plan to commence my hunger strike, insha’Allah, in line with the demands sent to the home office but also in solidarity with those who are having a harder time on remand than me, as it fills me with a sense of guilt, due to my time being relatively peaceful compared to others, alhamdulilah. I remind myself that many Palestinians sit in Israeli jails unlawfully detained, namely Siham Abu Salem, a 71 year old woman ripped from her hospital bed and declared an unlawful combatant (Recently released after a 2 year detention). You are not forgotten, along with all the other political prisoners who are voices for the oppressed. I hope my hunger strike acts as a symbol for people in the future so they remain undeterred to stand up for what’s right. I finish with, I hope they do not silence our voices, like I feel we are being silenced in court. Perhaps for the government committing the genocide is one big chess game but it is only their game when we refuse to play.