No. H.K/UA/06/017
1st September 2017
URGENT ACTION
UNLAWFUL EVICTION OF CHURCH LEADERS’ HOUSES
On 14th August 2017, court police forced pastor/ Yahya Abdurrahman and Pastor/
Sediq Abdalla to vacate their houses due to adjudication which was wrongfully
implemented. The families of the two pastors stayed on the roadside (open
space) as police objected to the family’s’ pleas and explanation. Pastor/ Yahya
Abdurrahman; 44 years old, married with one child is the president/ head of the
Presbyterian Evangelical Church Synods (Sudan). Pastor/ Sediq Abdalla; 43 years
old, married with two children is the vice president of the Presbyterian
Evangelical Church Synods (Sudan). Both of their families live (reside) in the
church houses at Mulazmein neighborhood of Omdurman town. On 14th August 2017,
a group of court police came to the pastors’ homes and ordered them to
immediately vacate their two houses. The police presented (had) a court order
from the justice of Omdurman Centre Court instructing the families to leave the
premises/houses in favour of Mr.Husham Hamadeneil (the investor). According to
the court order from Justice of Omdurman Centre Court, the plot in question (to
be vacated) is Plot 567 – square3/4 at Isbitalia Neighborhood of Omdurman. This
is different from Plot 527 – square 3/6 and 514 – square 3/6 at Mulazmein neighborhood
of Omdurman where Pastors’ houses are located. The police could not consider
the pastor’s explanation and objections hence forcefully evicting them. The two
pastors’ families and their property/luggage were thrown out to the
road/street. The pastors’ appealed to the Court of Appeal and on 22nd August
2017; the Court of Appeal issued its verdict stating that, the two plots (527 –
square 3/6 and 514 – square 3/6 at Mulazmein Neighborhood) were not subject to
the Court order issued by Omdurman Centre. HUDO Centre calls on Sudan
government
· To practice the rule of
law.
· To respect the church and
Christian leaders constitutional rights.
· To unconditionally allow
the two pastors access to their houses.
· To investigate the wrong
implementation of the court order so that those responsible are held to account
· To compensation the
affected families morally and financially. HUDO Centre 2 More information Time
after time the police implements court orders wrongly particularly against
church buildings where they ignore any kind of correction. On 1st July 2015,
Police arrested Mr. Muhanad Mustafa the lawyer of Khartoum North Evangelical
church who appeared to challenge wrongful implementation of the court order. On
this day, Police came at (Estate 5D) to implement a court demolish resolution,
whereas the resolution was meant for (Estate 5H). Advocate Mustafa presented to
the police a copy of the court resolution which indicated that, they were going
to implement the order in a wrong Estate. The Police reacted by arresting him
and accused him of objecting official orders and they took him together with
Pastor. Hafiz Faseiha Mangestu to Khartoum North police station. The police
filed a case against them under article (99 – Obstructing public servant from
performing the duties of his office) of Sudan Code Penal – 1991. Mr. Mustafa
and the Pastor were detained for six (6) hours and later the court dismissed
the case. Nonetheless, the order was wrongly implemented and the building was
demolished.