Sudan security prevents Democratic Lawyers Alliance press conference

Agents of Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) prevented the Democratic Lawyers Alliance from holding a press conference at the opposition National Umma Party headquarters in Omdurman on Thursday.

Lawyer Jalal El Sayid told Radio Dabanga that the Alliance called the press conference to explain their position, before submitting a memorandum to the Chief Justice regarding a decision about the implementation of the laws governing property transfer transactions for real estate and vehicles.

El Sayid described the decisions as “contrary to other Sudanese laws and the Constitution”. He condemned the decision, saying “it will affect the independence of the judiciary, making it a legal tool for the executive authority”.

El Sayid explains that the decision requires lawyers not to carry out documentation of real estate and vehicle transfers unless the purchase price is paid by cheque.

“The lawyer is also required to only give the documentation to the parties of the sale after making sure that the check is cashed.”

El Sayid says that the alliance considers this decision contrary to the Civil Transactions Bill, which provides for the obligation to pay the price immediately at the sale, and the parties to the sale confirm their rights when they are handed the documentation, which means that the buyer receives the price.

He said: “With these decisions, the executive authority wants to deprive the seller of the price of the sale, by inserting the condition of the bank cheque in transactions. This is against the law on the one hand, and on the other, it wants to influence the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession at will.”

El Sayid stressed the adherence of the Democratic Lawyers Alliance to its position rejecting this publication, and said it is in the process of filing a memorandum to the Chief Justice on this matter.