Statute of the Iranian Refugee Solidarity Council in Turkey

Statute of the Iranian Refugee Solidarity Council in Turkey

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We, as a group of vulnerable asylum seekers who have been forced to set on this compulsive route for some time. In order to ease the suffering and hardship of this serious and vague path to some extent, we decided to find a way out of this crisis by sharing efforts with other people who are in the same situation as us. We particularly believe that with establishing solidarity and collaboration amongst asylum seekers, if not all, at least in part, we can overcome these problems. May our actions compensate for the last few years of the vacuum of a platform and lead to the foundation of a permanent council.

Defining the objectives and organisational structure are described as follow:

Definition: The solidarity council for Iranian asylum seekers in Turkey is an independent, non-ideological and democratic organisation. It would consist of individuals who act on part-time or full-time basis in accordance with the agreed criteria to achieve the set forth shared objectives.

Note: From now on (The Solidarity Council for Iranian Asylum seekers in Turkey), in short is called (The Solidarity Council):

Objectives: 

Targeted reflection of the situation of Iranian asylum seekers (Present in Turkey) at the international level.

Persuasion and encouragement to create the sense of working together and support to establish solidarity among asylum seekers in Turkey.

Representing and pursuing the interest and needs of asylum seekers with the United Nation  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Turkish government and other relevant bodies. 

Efforts to recognise the right to asylum as one of the principles of human rights and ensuring its adherence and implementation by the local, regional and international institutions.

Efforts to help improve the welfare and security of the asylum seekers in Turkey.

Efforts in order to establish a common ground for collaboration and performing activities with other refugee organisations in Turkey.

Organisational structure:

Article 1: Membership requirements;

Any individual who accepts the statute as well as the stated objectives in the statute of Council is able to request to become a member.

Verification from at least two members of the council.

No history of any affiliation or cooperation with the Iranian Intelligent and Security Services.

All members are entitled to participate during election process as a voter or the recipient of a vote.

The membership of individuals is determined by the Executive Board and is firmly ascertained at the General Assembly.

Members pay membership fees.

Article 2: General Assembly

The General Assembly is the highest official body of the Council.

Fundamental policies, objectives and the election of representatives would be determined in the General Assembly for one year.

The Assembly sitting would be held in the presence of half plus one of the members once a year.

It is the responsibility of the Executive Board to hold the meeting, which must be announced at least 15 days prior to the annual meeting and the exact date and the working order ought to be communicated to all members.

Article 3: Executive Board

The Executive Board consists of 5 members, who are elected at the General Assembly and the direct vote of members for the duration of one year.

The Executive Board is responsible for the progression of the Council’s work.

The Executive Board consists of 5 working units, and each member of Council would be responsible for one of the units. 

The Financial Unit – collecting membership fees and endeavour to raise funds from human rights, refugee organisations and trade unions and also allocating financial resources to advance the agreed plans.

The Communication Unit – all contacts and liaisons with individuals and active refugee organisations shall be done through this unit.

The Special Unit for Women and Children - due to the sensitivity and vulnerability of women and children in the asylum process, the existence of such unit is necessary and essential in order to reflect better and realistically on their issues.

The Coordination and Education Unit – this unit has the duty to provide the necessary training for asylum seekers as well as making arrangements between the members.

The Procurement Unit – responsible for providing necessary logistics, provisions for holding meetings within the group as well as agreed collective plans.

The elected members of Executive Board will hold a meeting and assign the authorities of 5 units in a consultative or electoral manner among themselves one day after the General Assembly.

Members of the association, depending on their abilities and interests, shall perform their duties in one of the Units.

The Executive Board shall meet once a week.

Units shall submit their monthly report to the Executive Board and their annual report to the assembly.

The authorities of the units are able to assign two members of the relevant Unit as their colleagues after introducing them and obtaining approval from the executive board.

The minutes of all Executive Board and the Working Units to be prepared.

Article 4: Supervisor

In order to supervise the performance of the affairs of all Council bodies, one person would be elected as a supervisor at the general election.

Note: The supervisor is within his rights to access all minutes of the meetings and reports.

Article 5: The Extraordinary General Assembly

If, for any reason, one-third of the members object to the performance of the Executive Board or the incompatibility of the General Policies of the Solidarity Council with the objectives set forth in this Statute, they may submit a request to the Executive Board for an extraordinary General Assembly. The executive board is also required to provide the mechanism as soon as poss