Former Directors File Lawsuit Seeking New Elections at Islamic Center of Riverside

(Riverside, CA, June 29, 2016) – Two former directors of the Islamic Center of Riverside yesterday filed a class action lawsuit seeking new elections. The complaint, filed on behalf of all the mosque’s members, alleges that at least 234 of the members were unlawfully removed from the center’s membership list before elections in May. It also alleges that the elections breached a prior settlement agreement, as they were not independently observed, and violated the organization’s bylaws, as they were conducted without proper notice or a chance for members to nominate candidates. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages from the Islamic Center, but asks the judge to order new elections which are appropriately supervised and include all members.

The lawsuit follows protracted mediation conducted by the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, an umbrella organization for local mosques who was also supposed to oversee the elections. That mediation resulted in the appointment of an interim board with limited powers for the purpose of conducting new elections. The interim board, however, fired the mosque’s long-time religious director, Dr. Mustafa Kuko, and waited almost a year before holding the illegal elections.

“It is unfortunate we had to bring this lawsuit, but current leadership has refused to allow full community participation,” said Dr. Abdouelaziz Ahmed, a plaintiff and a former chairman of the mosque’s board of directors. “We tried every other option, but they just would not hold new elections or even come to the table and negotiate.” Todd Gallinger of Gallinger Law, attorney for the plaintiffs, added, “Nonprofit managers must be held responsible by the community they are supposed to serve. Being a leader in a religious group does not exempt one from the law.”

The full complaint is available at:
http://www.gallingerlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ICR-Complaint-Final.pdf

Gallinger Law is a Southern California Firm Serving Global Clients. We Provide Transactional Legal Services in the areas of Business, Immigration, and Trusts. Gallinger Law is committed to community and represents numerous nonprofit and public interest organizations.

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Press contact:
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This release was published on openPR.