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By Opheera McDoom

KHARTOUM, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Eight Darfur rebels convicted of terrorism offences for attacking the Sudanese capital have appealed against their death sentences, a member of the defence team said on Tuesday.

Lawyer Muez Hadra also told Reuters they had lodged a case at Sudan's highest Constitutional Court asking it to stay the execution orders on the basis that the special courts formed to try them contravened Sudanese laws.

"We have made one appeal for the eight people from the Khartoum court," Hadra said. "The rest we will appeal in the coming two days," he added.

According to the rules of the special courts trying the rebels they have one week to make their only appeal against their sentencing before the execution order is signed by President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

Last week, three courts sentenced 30 accused rebels to death by hanging.

More than 200 people were killed and hundreds of others injured in the unprecedented May attack on Khartoum, where rebels were stopped at a bridge over the river Nile leading to the presidential palace and army headquarters.

Bashir last month pardoned children Sudan said had taken part in the attack by the Darfur rebel Justice and Equality Movement. JEM denies having any child soldiers and the minors remain in custody.

Of the eight rebels convicted, Hadra said the appeal was based on the fact their lawyers were not allowed access to them. "Also there is no evidence against these men - it's all based on the testimony of children who said they were tortured," he said.

The defence team of Sudan's most high-profile rights lawyers say the rules of the special courts contravene the constitution of Sudan with trials allowed to continue even in the absence of the defence lawyers or the accused.

The lawyers had previously petitioned the land's highest court to stop the trials saying they were unconstitutional but that request was refused.

International experts estimate some 200,000 people have died and 2.5 million have been driven from their homes since mostly non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing central government of neglect. (Editing by Mary Gabriel)

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