‘I fear for his life’: Pro-Palestine remand prisoner admitted to hospital

London Remand Prisoner's Family Left in Dark Over His Condition

The family of a pro-Palestine remand prisoner has expressed concern over his health as he remains hospitalized, raising fears for his life. Umer Khalid, 22, had been on hunger strike for 17 days before being rushed to intensive care due to a dangerously slow heart rate and organ failure.

Khalid's mother, Shabana, reported that her son sounded tired during their last phone call and complained of a dry mouth. He was also refusing liquids in an escalation of his protest. The family is not receiving updates on Khalid's condition from the prison authorities, despite repeated calls and emails.

The UK Ministry of Justice stated that prisoners are managed according to policy, which includes regular medical checks, heart monitoring, and support to eat and drink again. However, Khalid's mother expressed her frustration with the lack of information about her son's health.

Khalid is part of a collective of eight remand prisoners linked to Palestine Action who started a rolling hunger strike in November. All have since ended their protests. His trial date has been set for January 2027, by which time he would have spent over a year and a half in prison – well beyond the standard six-month pre-trial detention limit.

The situation highlights concerns about the treatment of remand prisoners, particularly those with health conditions. Khalid suffers from limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a condition that causes muscle weakness and wasting.

Khalid's case has drawn attention to the need for better support and care for prison inmates, especially those who are engaged in peaceful protests and activism.

omg u know whats even crazier?? this guy umer khalid is literally risking his life on hunger strike 4 a cause he believes in & now hes family is getting ignored by the prison authorities?! thats lowkey shocking. u think its just about the hunger strike but no ppl need 2 know if ur loved one is ok or not, esp if they hav a pre-existing medical condition like him limb-girdle muscular dystrophy sounds super serious 4m what i've googled lol. anywayz gotta wonder how many other remand prisoners r in similar situations & dont have access 2 proper care

I'm shocked that Umer Khalid's family isn't getting any updates on his condition ... like, what's going on here? The UK Ministry of Justice is all like "prisoners are managed according to policy" but really they should be more transparent about these things . I mean, a dry mouth and refusing liquids can lead to serious health issues, you know? Khalid's trial date is set for January 2027 which is, like, so far away... what if something happens to him in the meantime? It's crazy that he's been on hunger strike for 17 days already. Someone needs to look into this ASAP . And, honestly, I don't think a six-month pre-trial detention limit is standard at all... there should be more flexibility with that kinda thing . Anyway, this whole situation just highlights how messed up the system can be for remand prisoners

Man... this is some heavy stuff . I'm watching this guy Umer Khalid struggle on a hunger strike and it breaks my heart. He's got a pre-existing condition already, and then you add the stress of being imprisoned to the mix? It's like they're playing Russian roulette with his life .

And what really gets me is that his family doesn't even know what's going on with him. They're trying to get updates from the prison authorities, but it's like they're getting shut down at every turn . I mean, I get that there are policies in place, but come on... can't we find a way to make this work without breaking someone?

It's also crazy to think that this guy will have spent over 18 months in prison by the time he even gets a trial date . It's like they're just keeping him locked up for the sake of locking him up.

I don't know what the solution is, but we gotta do better here. These people are fighting for their rights and their lives, and we should be supporting them, not putting them through this kind of hell .

OMG, this is so worrying ! The UK government needs to step up their game when it comes to supporting prisoners like Umer Khalid who's going through a tough time. His condition is so dire that he's almost lost his life over a protest for something he believes in. I mean, can you imagine if we didn't have free speech or the right to protest? It would be super restrictive and controlling . We need to talk about how we support our activists and prisoners who are fighting for their rights. Maybe they could get some better medical care or at least more info from the prison authorities? I'm all for a good debate, but not when it comes to someone's health!

omg this is so unfair! 17 days without water or food and his fam is still not getting any updates from the prison? like what even is going on over there?! u need to get him some help ASAP! he's got a serious condition and you're treating him like dirt... meanwhile, his trial is almost here in january and he's gonna be stuck in there for another year and a half with no medical care . u should be ashamed of the way you're handling this situation

man this is so sad ... umer khalid's family dont know what's goin on with him in that hospital and its like they're bein left in the dark... how can a familiy not get any updates from the ppl in charge? its like hes just a number or somethin. his mom is literally worried sick about him and his condition sounds really bad too... limb-girdle muscular dystrophy is no joke , but addin to that a hunger strike and intensive care? thats a recipe for disaster. we gotta do better for ppl like umer khalid who are just tryin to speak out against injustice . prison authorities need to step up their game and make sure familes get the info they deserve

I'm so worried about Umer Khalid's health right now his family is being completely left in the dark by the prison authorities it's not fair that they're not getting any updates on his condition, especially with him having a serious medical condition like limb-girdle muscular dystrophy . The UK Ministry of Justice needs to do better in providing support and care for prisoners, especially those who are engaged in peaceful protests . I'm also frustrated that his trial date is already set for January 2027, which means he'll have been in prison for over a year and a half . Can't they see how this is affecting him? His family deserves more transparency and support during this difficult time .

I think its super concerning that Umer's family is being left in the dark about his health... but on the other hand, shouldn't they be told if something bad happens while he's protesting? I mean, its only fair that they get updates, right? But at the same time, the prison authorities are just doing their job and following policy... which is probably to keep things calm and orderly in there. But is that really enough for Umer's health? And what about all those other prisoners with health conditions who might be getting similar treatment?

Ugh, this is just so sad ... I mean, can't they at least give his family some updates? Like, a bit of compassion or something? It's been 17 days, for crying out loud! My heart goes out to Umer and his family - that poor kid has already had to spend over a year in prison and now he's fighting for his life on top of it . And can we talk about how crazy this system is? He's got a pre-existing condition, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy... like, shouldn't they be taking extra care of him? It's just another example of how our justice system can go from being broken to utterly heartbreaking . I'm all for free speech and protest, but not when it puts people in harm's way . We need to do better, guys .

I mean, come on... 17 days without water or food and they're still not saying anything? It's like they're trying to keep the family in the dark, you know? That's not right. The UK Ministry of Justice is all about following policy, but what if that policy puts people's lives at risk? Khalid's condition sounds serious, and his trial date is already set for 2027... that's like, forever! What if he doesn't make it? The fact that he's got a pre-existing medical condition and they're still putting him through this... it's just not fair. And the prison authorities are all about following policy, but what if that policy is just plain stupid? We need to have a better system in place for people like Khalid who are just trying to make their voices heard.

this is so concerning! u can feel bad 4 Umer Khalid & his family, being left in dark about his health condition is really unfair . as a society, we need to think twice before sending people to prison for protesting or speaking out against injustice. it's not just about freedom of speech, but also about basic human rights . prison systems are supposed 2 be supportive & caring environments, not places where u get left behind . Umer's health situation is a stark reminder that we need 2 improve our treatment of remand prisoners, especially those with pre-existing medical conditions . can't we find better ways 2 resolve conflicts without putting people's lives at risk?

I'm telling ya, something fishy is going on here... all this talk about Umer Khalid's health being managed according to policy, but his family ain't gettin' no updates? It's like they're tryin' to keep somethin' under wraps. And what's with the trial date bein' set for 2027, just after he's been in prison for over a year and a half? That sounds like a pretty convenient timeline if you ask me...

And have you seen the conditions they're talkin' about, heart monitoring and all that jazz? It's almost like they're tryin' to keep him healthy enough to stand trial. I'm not sayin' it's bad, but somethin' don't add up here. Maybe there's more to this story than we're bein' told...

Ugh, this is just so depressing . I mean, can't they at least give his family some basic updates on what's going on with him? It's like they're just ignoring them altogether. And 17 days without water? That's crazy talk. My cousin used to go on a hunger strike during the Brexit protests and he was in hospital for like 2 days, not 17. And now his trial is in like 5 years... that's just ridiculous . What if something happens to him before then? Like what if his heart gives out or something? The system is just so broken .