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In accordance with articles 12 and 78 of the Law of Association (published in the “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia” no. 51/09) and article 10, paragraph 1, point 1 of the Statute of the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights from March 21st, 2016, the Assembly of the Association of Citizens- the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights, at its session held on April 23rd, 2019 in Belgrade, adopted the

S T A T U T E
of the Association of Citizens
“THE LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS”

 

AREA OF COMPETENCIES

 Article 1

The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights is a professional, voluntary, non-governmental association of citizens, founded for an indefinite amount of time, with the goal to protect and promote human rights in accordance with universally accepted civilized standards, international conventions and national laws, as well as to establish and develop institutions of the rule of law, practice of the legal state and transitional justice.

OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMITTEE

 Article 2

The objectives of the Committee are:

  • respecting, protecting and promoting human rights and freedoms;
  • advocating for the respect of the principles of the rule of law;
  • disseminating ideas and raising awareness of the need to respect, protect and promote human rights and freedoms;
  • harmonizing national constitutions, statutes, laws and regulations with international and European standards and conventions;
  • cooperating with national and international associations and organizations that are committed to promoting the ideas and practice of human rights which are compatible with the objectives the Committee is committed to;
  • realizing other objectives that are in line with the interests of promoting the ideas, practice. Protection and promotion of human rights and the rule of law.

 

MEANS OF REALIZATION

 Article 3

The objectives of the Committee are realized by the following means:

  • organizing professional, scientific and consultative conferences, public debates and other meetings with the aim of promoting and developing human rights and raising awareness of the need to respect the ideas and practice of the rule of law;
  • organizing public campaigns, presentations, seminars, courses and other forms of activities with the aim of promoting and developing human rights and raising awareness of the need to respect the ideas and practice of the rule of law;
  • coordinating educational programs;
  • elaborating projects and reports, documentation, publishing analytical assessments, research and other results of activities related to human rights and the ideas and practice of the legal state and the rule of law;
  • publishing books, brochures and other material and realizing other activities related to the dissemination of information related to the prescribed objectives of the Committee, in accordance with the law;
  • launching initiatives and campaigns and providing professional assistance to other organizations, associations and public authorities in analyzing particular legal and other expert issues related to promoting the ideas and practice of the rule of law and the respect of the human rights;
  • providing legal aid to its members and to citizens, in accordance with the law;
  • initiating legal and other kinds of procedures and/or actions before national and regional bodies of international organizations with the aim of respecting the proclaimed principles of the rule of law, constitutionality and legality, and the protection of violated human rights;
  • initiating citizens’ legislative procedure;
  • informing the public of the activities and results of the Committee as well as other forms of conducted activities, work (practice) and campaigns regarding the realization of the objectives of the Committee.

 

APPELATION AND SEAT

 Article 4

The appellation of the organization is: “Komitet pravnika za ljudska prava”.

The appellation of the organization in English is: The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights.

Acronym: JUKOM.

Acronym in English: YUCOM.

The seat of the Committee is in Belgrade.

The Committee is active in the Republic of Serbia.

MEMBERSHIP

 Article 5

Membership to the Committee is open to lawyers and other professionals that are active in the field of human rights, rule of law and transitional justice, as well as to students in their final years of legal studies who are active in the field of protecting and promoting human rights.

The Program Board renders decisions regarding membership.

RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF THE MEMBERS

Article 6

Committee members have the right to:

  • elect members and become elected members of the Committee organs;
  • receive legal protection of the Committee if, due to the member’s work or activity in the Committee he/she is exposed to prosecution or intimidation of any kind;
  • take active part in disseminating the ideas of the Committee;
  • assist, in accordance with his/her material possibilities, the Committee in its activities;
  • present critical views and suggestions related to the activity of the Committee;
  • represent the Committee upon approval by the organs of the Committee.

The duties of a Committee member are to:

  • respect the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Serbia, proclaimed objectives, Statute and decisions of the organs of the Committee, especially in the field of human rights and discrimination;
  • responsibly fulfill tasks and activities designated by the Committee.

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Article 7

Membership of the Committee is terminated on the basis of a request for terminating membership.

Membership of the Committee is terminated on the grounds of expulsion if a member does not comply with the provisions of this Statute or commits an act of damage to the reputation of the Committee. The Program Board renders a motivated decision of the expulsion from the membership. A member of the Committee whose membership is terminated can submit a complaint to the Assembly, which renders a final decision.

Membership of the Committee terminates (in the case of inactivity of a member) if a member is inactive ,if a member does not demonstrate an interest in the work of the Committee for a period longer than six months, if a member does not attend the meetings or does not assist the Committee in its activities.

INTERNAL STRUCTURE

Article 8

The organs of the Committee are:

  • The Assembly;
  • The Program Board;
  • The Statutory Agent;
  • The President;
  • The Council.

THE ASSEMBLY

Article 9

The Assembly consists of all individual members of the Committee.

The Assembly regularly meets once a year.

A special session of the Assembly can be convoked at the request of the Program Board, the Statutory Agent, and the President or upon request of at least one third of members of the Assembly.

Every member of the Committee can propose amendments to the meeting agenda, which is approved by the members of the Assembly.

SCOPE OF WORK AND JURISDICTION OF THE ASSEMBLY

Article 10

The Assembly:

  • adopts the Statute of the Committee and decides on amendments to the Statute of the Committee;
  • adopts the Plan and program of work;
  • adopts other general acts of the Committee;
  • adopts the Statute’s amendments and renders decision regarding the termination of the Committee in accordance with the law;
  • examines and adopts the financial plan and annual financial report, work report, program plan and the final financial report of the Committee;
  • deliberates and renders decisions on general issues regarding the realization of the objectives of the Committee;
  • elects and dismisses the Statutory Agent of the Committee;
  • elects and dismisses the President of the Committee;
  • elects and dismisses the members of the Executive Board of the Committee;
  • approves the election of the Council members;
  • renders decision regarding the membership of the Committee in unions and other national and international associations;
  • realizes other activities of interest related to the objectives of the Committee.

The sessions of the Assembly can be held only in presence of at least half of the total number of members;

The Assembly decides by a majority of votes of the members present.

THE PROGRAM BOARD

 Article 11

The Program Board is an organ of the Committee. Members of the Program Board are experts in the field of human rights.

The Program Board has at least three and at most five members.

The members of the Program Board are elected for a period of two years and they can be re-elected in the same function.

The Statutory Agent is the member of the Program Board by virtue of his/her functions.

The President of the Committee is the member of the Program Board by virtue of his/her functions.

The Chairman of the Program Board is elected from the group of members of the Program Board every six months.

The Chairman of the Program Board presides over sessions of the Program Board.

The Program Board renders decisions at the sessions of the Program Board by a majority of votes of the members present.

Sessions may be carried out by electronic means (internet) and via telephone, if a majority of members agrees.

SCOPE OF WORK AND JURISDICTION OF THE PROGRAM BOARD

 Article 12

The Program Board:

  • manages the activities of the Committee between two sessions of the Assembly and supervises the realization of the objectives of the Committee;
  • discusses and adopts projects and designates the person responsible for each project;
  • realizes general activities of the Committee;
  • entrusts special tasks to individual members of the Committee;
  • resolves any conflict between the Statutory Agent and the President of the Committee, in the areas in which the competencies of these two bodies are divided;
  • elects members to the Council;
  • adopts financial decisions;
  • prepares work plan, program plan and final report proposals for the Assembly;
  • decides upon a motion for amending the Statute, upon its own initiative, or upon initiative of at least 5 (five) members of the Committee and elaborates statute amendment proposal, subject to prior approval by the Assembly;
  • decides upon membership of the Committee in other national and international associations and other organizations;
  • realizes other activity of interest related to the realization of the objectives, projects and activities of the Committee.

THE STATUTORY AGENT

Article 13

The Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights elects its statutory (legal) representative of the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights.

The Statutory Agent is elected for a period of three years.

The Statutory Agent supervises the Committee in legal procedures, has financial authority related to the means and property of the Committee and he/she is responsible for the realization of the decisions of the Program Board.

The Statutory Agent approves payments, with the consent of the President of the Association.

 

THE PRESIDENT

 Article 14

The President of the Committee is elected among the members of the Committee.

The President of the Committee may be a law graduate with 10 or more years of experience in the field of human rights.

The President of the Committee represents the Committee in accordance with its objectives.

The President of the Committee expresses the decisions of the Assembly.

The President of the Committee signs the decisions of the Assembly.

The President of the Committee is a member of the Program Board by virtue of his/her function.

The President of the Committee gives consent to the decisions of the Statutory Agent on:

  • financial authorization;
  • property disposal;
  • establishing and terminating employment relationship and engaging someone outside employment relationship;
  • giving authority to certain areas of representation.

The President of the Committee is elected for a period of four years and he/she can be re-elected.

THE COUNCIL

 Article 15

The Council of the Committee is an advisory organ of the Committee.

Members of the Council are eminent experts in the field of human rights and experts from other fields of expertise related to the goals of the Committee.

The Council advises (gives suggestions and opinions) to the other organs of the Committee for a successful realization of the programs of the Committee and identifies strategic goals, aiming at the development of new programs, in accordance with the defined goals of the Committee.

ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PUBLIC

 Article 16

The activity of the Committee is public. The Program board regularly informs members of the Committee and the public about the activities and work of the Committee directly or through publications and statements on the web site and other mediums.

COOPERATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

 Article 17

The Committee may seek membership to other national and international associations and other organizations that are active in the field of respect, protection and promotion of the rule of law and democracy.

ACQUISITION AND UTILIZATION OF MEANS

 Article 18

The Committee acquires means from contributions of its members, voluntary donations, gifts, donations, projects, assistance of organizations and individuals, as well as from its own income realized through publications and other activities related to the realization of its objectives, in accordance with the law.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES FOR PROFIT

 Article 19

The Committee collects funds by performing economic activity – i.e. book publishing (code 58.11).

The Committee starts this activity after the registration into the economic entities register (public register).

The income realized through the activity described in paragraph 1 of this article, can be used solely to accomplish the purposes of the Committee, including general expenses and expenses related to the financing of determined projects of the Committee.

TERMINATION

 Article 20

The Committee terminates its activity if the conditions for the realization of the objectives of the Committee cease to exist.

The decision regarding termination of the Committee is rendered by the Assembly.

The Committee terminates its activity in other cases provided by law.

In case of termination, the property of the Committee will be transferred to a national, non-profit legal entity founded with the purpose of achieving the same or similar objectives. Namely, the Assembly shall decide upon the decision regarding the termination to which entity the property will be transferred to.

SEAL

 Article 21

The Committee has a round-shaped seal with the inscription in Serbian and English language: “Komitet pravnika za ljudska prava” – “Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights”, the acronym “YUCOM”, the logo of the organization and the seat of the Committee with the inscription in Serbian and English language: “Beograd’- “Belgrade”.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LAW OF THE ASSOCIATION

 Article 22

All other questions not regulated by this statute, will be regulated by provisions of the Law of the Association (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia” no. 51/09).

ENTRY INTO FORCE

Article 23

The Statute of the Committee enters into legal force on the day it is adopted by the Assembly and will be in effect as of the day the Committee is inscribed in the registrar.