On the basis of the Articles 9 and 12 of the Law on Associations and Foundations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Official Gazette of BiH No. 32/2001) at the Assembly held on 26 of April 2002 the following

STATUTE

OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS – HELSINKI COMMITTEE
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

has been passed

I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

The association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereinafter referred to as: HC in BiH) shall be established as the association on the basis of a freely expressed will of its members to be organized pursuant to the law, in order to continue the activities and conduct the objectives on the promotion and protection of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina that were adopted at the Founding Assembly on 11 of February 1995.

Article 2

This Statute shall regulate the objectives of the Association, mutual rights, obligations and responsibilities of the members of the organs and other bodies, election of bodies, and other matters of importance for the work of and interests of the HC in BiH.

Article 3

The Association of Citizens - Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina has the capacity of legal entity, with rights, duties and responsibilities arising from the Constitution, laws and other regulations and arising from this Statute. The HC in BiH is an autonomous, independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization and a voluntary association of citizens pursuing for protection and promotion of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the basis of the international standards prevailing in this field.

Article 4

The Association of Citizens - Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abbreviated name: HC in BiH.

The seat of the Association of Citizens - Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina is in Sarajevo, at 14 b, Ante Fijamenga Street.

II OBJECTIVES

Article 5

For the purpose of realising this objective, the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH shall be particularly engaged in:

• systematic monitoring of the state of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• recognising the cases of violation of human rights and undertaking protective measures;

• collecting and disseminating information on practical solutions in the field of protection of human rights throughout the world;

• giving proposals for improvement of the state of human rights in BiH, including proposals for the change and amendments to the applicable laws;

• rendering professional legal aid to citizens in the area of human rights;

• training citizens and professionals in the field of realisation and protection of human rights;

• publishing regular and interim reports and publications relating to human rights;

• establishing the database;

• making contacts with media in order to promote all aspects of the human rights;

• establishing cooperation with domestic and international organisations in order to promote and protect human rights.

III MEMBERSHIP

Article 6

Everyone who accepts the Statute and expresses desire to work on the realisation of the objectives of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH can apply for membership.  His/her activities in the field of protection of human rights on the basis of the internationally recognised standards in this field should be taken into consideration.

Article 7

A person shall become a member by signing the declaration on admission of the aforementioned conditions.

Article 8

Membership in the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in BiH shall cease by giving written statement forwarded by a member of the Committee himself to the Steering Board or by exclusion.

Article 9

The Steering Board can exclude a member who acts contrary to the objectives of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The excluded member can ask from the Assembly of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina to review the decision on exclusion.

Article 10

Members of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina who perform duties and jobs that are incompatible with the membership to the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the members of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina who have been living abroad for longer period can, on their own request, freeze their membership for a certain amount of time.

While performing the functions incompatible with the membership in the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a member can not be elected in the bodies of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

Article 11

The rights of a member shall be:

• to elect bodies of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to be elected;

• to inform the bodies of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the cases of violation of human rights and to suggest how to react in such cases;

• to give proposals for the realisation of the objectives and for improvement of the work of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

The obligations of a member shall be:

• to be active in promoting and protecting human rights and in realising goals of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• to react in cases of violation of human rights and to inform the bodies of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina of such cases;

• to fulfil the obligations in the bodies of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

IV BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 12

Bodies of the Association are:

1. Assembly
2. Steering Board
3. President
4. Supervisory Board

1. Asembly

Article 13

The Assembly is the highest body for decision-making. The Assembly is composed of the founders and members of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Assembly shall have a meeting at least once a year, following the invitation of the President of the Assembly.

The session of the Assembly can be regular and extraordinary.

An extraordinary session can be convened by the Steering Board at its own initiative or upon a request of one fifth of members of the Assembly.

The invitations for the session of the Assembly should be sent at least seven days in advance.

The Assembly of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be convened if the majority of members are present.

The Assembly shall decide by majority of votes of the present members.

Article 14

The Assembly shall:

• establish basic goals and tasks of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• pass the Statute, its changes and amendments;

• adopt report of the bodies of the Committee;

• adopt the financial report and financial plan;

• elect and dismiss the President of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who, by his/her function, chairs the Steering Board meetings;

• elect and dismiss the members of the Steering Board of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• appoint and dismiss the President and two members of the Steering Board;

• decide on manner of its work and nominate the working presidency for the session;

• decide on cessation of membership in the second instance;

• decide on transformation, cessation of the work of the Committee, as well as on other statutory changes;

• deliberate and adopt decisions of the Supervisory Board;

2. Steering Board

Article 15

The Steering Board is composed of 7 members elected by the Assembly for the two-year term.

The composition of the Steering Board will be ethnically balanced in accordance with the recent census in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Article 16

The Steering board shall:

• prepare session of the Assembly;

• prepare draft documents, reports and other acts to be decided on by the Assembly;

• propose personnel to the Assembly;

• appoint and dismiss Vice President and Secretary General;

• appoint persons to represent the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• conduct policy, implement conclusions and other decisions passed by the Assembly;

• deliberate and make assessment of the current state of human rights;

• submit to the Assembly a report on its work;

• decide, on the President’s proposal, on admission to membership;

• decide on cessation of membership in the first instance;

• have at its disposal the property of the association;

• pass the rules for creation, use and disposal of funds of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• decide to employ and shall establish the height of money to be paid for the work in line with the financial plan passed by the Assembly;

• establish plans of cooperation with partners in the country and abroad;

• have permanent and provisional working bodies;

The mandate of the members of the Steering board shall last for two (2) years.

Article 17

The Steering Board shall pass the decisions by simple majority of votes of the present members. There shall be quorum if majority of members of the Steering board are present.

The Steering Board shall meet when necessary, at least once in two months.

Secretary General

Article 18

The Secretary General shall:

• be, as an executive body of the Committee, responsible for organisation of the administration of the Committee and for providing conditions for efficient work of the bodies of the Committee and for realisation of  goals and tasks of the Committee, including decisions and conclusions of the Assembly and Steering Board;

• be responsible for the realisation of the financial plan;

• be directly cooperating with the President;

• give statements for public in the agreement with President;

• be responsible for his/her work to the President and Steering Board;

The mandate of the Secretary General shall last for two years.

3. President

Article 19

The President shall:

• by his/her function chair the session of the Steering Board as its member;

• chair the sessions of the Assembly until election of the Working Presidency;

• represent and present the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• act in the public, in a consultation with the members of the Steering Board, shall make contacts with the governmental authorities, international and other agencies, in order to realise goals and tasks of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• inform the Steering Board, in between its two sessions, of the work;

• inform the Assembly on the realisation of the program aims, planned tasks and conclusions of the Assembly and on the activities of the Steering Board as well as on his work in between two sessions;

• take care of the property of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• be responsible for current financial transactions;

The mandate of the President shall last for two years.

Article 20

Vice President (or Vice Presidents) shall assist the President in fulfilling the tasks and shall replace President when he/she is absent.

4. Supervisory Board

Article 21

Supervisory Board shall:

• review the legality of acts and decisions of the Assembly, Steering Board, President and their harmonisation with the Statute;

• oversee the material-financial operations of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the legality of use of financial funds;

• inform the bodies of the Committee on the observed irregularities and of its standpoints;

• be entitled to inspect the complete work of the Committee;

• submit the annual report to the Assembly;

The mandate of the President and of the members of the Supervisory Board shall be two years.

V WORKING MEANS

Article 22

Financial resources of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina shall be as follows:

• donations of members;

• gifts, legacies and foundations’ funds;

• sponsorship and donations;

• funds given as assistance by the individuals, institutions, non-governmental organisations from the country and abroad.

A financial plan has to be passed on the distribution and use of funds, and the Steering Board shall be responsible for conducting financial operations in line with the laws and other regulations. 

VI TRANSPARENCY OF WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 23

The work of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina is public.

In order to ensure the principles of public and transparent work, the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina shall enable the representatives of media outlets to monitor its work, and it can issue statements, publications, and bulletins.

The President shall take care of the realisation of the principles of public and transparent work, and in the agreement with him, the members of the Steering Board of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Article 24

The association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina shall have a seal.

The seal shall be of round shape, with diameter of 2,5 cm, containing the following text written in the Latin alphabet:

U.G. HELSINŠKI KOMITET ZA LJUDSKA PRAVA U BOSNI I HERCEGOVINI, and in the middle part of the seal the seat of the Committee shall be written: SARAJEVO.

The association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina has a logo, being a little man in yellow colour and it is used on the official documents of the association.

VII CESSATION OF WORK OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 25

The association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina shall cease to work on the basis of the decision of the members of the Assembly, or on the basis of the decision of the competent state body.

The decision on cessation of the work of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina shall be passed by the Assembly of the association with two-thirds majority of the total number of the members of the Assembly.

In a case that the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina cease to work, the property and means of the association shall be transferred to a new beneficiary, on the basis of the decision of the Assembly.

VIII TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Article 26

Changes and amendments to this Statute shall be made in the manner and under the procedure for its passage.

Article 27

The interpretation of the provisions of this Statute shall be given by the Assembly, between the sessions of the Assembly by the Steering Board of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Article 28

This Statute shall come into effect on the day of its passage, and shall be applicable from the date of the registration of the association of citizens – Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the competent Ministry.

No: 02-04/2002
Sarajevo, 26 April 2002

Srđan Dizdarević