Hunger-striking prisoner’s choice to be respected

A hunger-striking prisoner’s decision to refuse food and medical intervention until death must be respected, a High Court judge has ruled.

Ms Justice Marie Baker said that while death may not be the prisoner’s intended choice, it would be the indirect result of that choice “which if freely made and fully informed must be respected”.

The prisoner, who was on hunger strike for 50 days, or the prison where he is being held, cannot be identified by order of the court. The man had been protesting over the conditions of his detention and during the three-day hearing before Judge Baker, agreed to suspend his hunger-strike action.