Dear David Lammy,

I write to you with serious concerns about your refusal to meet with the legal team and the families of eight political prisoners who are currently on hunger strike, two of whom are now in hospital.

These prisoners have been on hunger strike to draw attention to what they describe as "systematic abuse and repression by prison authorities". They have been held on remand for prolonged periods without bail, denied basic legal rights, and faced severe restrictions on communication, censorship of letters and books, and harsh conditions in custody. They are also calling for their right to a fair trial and an end to restrictions that they and their legal team say are designed to break their morale and silence their voices.

Their lawyers have warned:

“We are concerned that, should this situation be allowed to continue without resolution, there is the real and increasingly likely potential that young British citizens will die in prison, having never even been convicted of an offence.”

You must meet with the legal team and families to resolve this situation immediately before it is too late.

Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.