The only thing I need is a house to stay with my wife, says Ismael


Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) dictates that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. However, this is not the case for people like Ismael. Ismael was forced to leave Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, after being persecuted by the police forces, on account of forming a protesters’ group, while studying at university, seeking to raise awareness by speaking the truth about government’s corruption. Police forces arrested him and imprisoned him. There, he underwent several tortures, which left him with severe wounds to his legs and waist. ‘’One of my friends died in the prison from the tortures’’ says Ismael.

Ismael’s first arrival in Greece was in 2010, staying for two years. At that time, Ismael claimed asylum, waiting for a whole year until the attendance of his desirable interview. The outcome was negative, leading Ismael back to Khartoum. There, he spent three months in prison, until the day he fled to Greece for the second time with a friend’s help. He travelled through Egypt, Libya and Turkey, until he reached Mytilinis’ port and from there to Piraeus.
Ismael has been hosted along with his wife in a friend’s house in Athens since November 2014. He claimed again asylum and he has already attended his scheduled interview.

‘’The only thing I need is a house to stay with my wife’’ says Ismael.

Panagiotis Bourgazas
Social Scientist
Intern SolidarityNow