Peace activists rally for hunger-strikers

And protesters are preparing to descend on the US embassy in London on Sunday in support of the prisoners.

None of them have been convicted of any crime and have refused food for almost three weeks in protest at worsening treatment and conditions under new guards.

At Menwith Hill today demonstrators held a banner bearing the words "The Shame of Guantanamo Bay."

One of them, Lindis Percy, who has been arrested hundreds of times at Menwith Hill and other military bases, wore a hooded yellow suit - the type prisoners have been forced to wear at Guantanamo, an area of Cuba occupied by the US military.

Ms Percy, a retired midwife and health visitor, leads a weekly protest at Menwith Hill organised by Yorkshire-based Campaign for Accountability of American Bases.

They are also demonstrating against President Barack Obama's weekly "kill-list" decision-making meeting.

He is reported to hold the meetings each Tuesday to agree targets for strikes by unmanned drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The emergency demonstration at the US embassy runs from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday and is is being organised by the London Guantanamo Campaign.

The hunger strike has been largely unreported in Britain. The prisoners' lawyers are spreading word of what is happening.

The US Centre for Constitutional Rights has now written to military commanders demanding action to improve conditions.

It said that camp authorities had confiscated the prisoners' personal items, everything from toothbrushes to family photos, and even legal mail.

They have also limited the inmates' exercise "seemingly without provocation or cause.

"Detainees have also expressed feeling increased stress, fear and despair. It is clear that their health will only worsen unless and until the hunger strike ends, which requires taking immediate steps to address the reasons for their protest," it said.