Association Statutes

DENİZ FENERİ

ASSOCIATION FOR SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION

STATUTES

FIRST SECTION

NAME, HEADQUARTERS, PURPOSE, AND SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES

ARTICLE: 1 NAME AND HEADQUARTERS

The Name of the Association: Deniz Feneri Yardımlaşma ve Dayanışma Derneği. Deniz Feneri is used as an abbreviation.

Headquarters of the Association: Istanbul. The address of the Association within Istanbul may be changed by decision of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE: 2 OBJECTIVES

Providing all kinds of material and spiritual aid in the form of goods or money to those in need during natural disasters, wars, and in normal times both in our country and other countries, in the areas of food, clothing, health, education, fuel, rent, shelter, marriage, setting up a home, establishing a family, setting up a business, housing, and all other matters. Carrying out activities that will support any kind of work beneficial to society.

ARTICLE: 3 WORKING AREAS, ACTIVITY METHODS

To achieve the aim stated in Article 2 of the statute, engage in all kinds of activities:

Taking care of and providing all kinds of material and monetary aid to homeless, widowed, orphaned, street children, those separated from their homeland, refugees, and anyone of any age living on the streets. Establishing and operating nursing homes, shelters, refuge centers, soup kitchens, slaughterhouses, nurseries, guesthouses, tent cities, logistic centers, social-purpose stores, and similar facilities to contribute to this purpose and providing all kinds of material and monetary aid to such institutions.

Providing all kinds of education and training support to Turkish and foreign students in the country and abroad. Additionally, establishing and providing all kinds of material and monetary aid to hostels, libraries, study centers, courses, institutes, scientific research and development centers, and schools at all levels through collaborations.

Arranging for the treatment of poor patients in need of health care, contributing to all medication, medical supplies, and treatment expenses in cases of childbirth, illness, and accidents. Arranging for treatments both domestically and internationally. Establishing or providing assistance to establish dispensaries, clinics, maternity hospitals, hospitals, mobile healthcare teams, health cabins, pharmacies, and similar facilities that contribute to this purpose. Providing preventive healthcare services and patient transportation services. Collaborating with all institutions operating in the healthcare field and purchasing services.

Providing aid in the form of equipment and materials to disabled individuals and organizations related to disabilities. Establishing care, rehabilitation, education, and housing centers for all disabled individuals, providing all kinds of aid to such establishments, and conducting joint activities. Providing funeral support to the deceased with no next of kin.

Providing all kinds of material and spiritual aid to disaster victims in need of assistance due to floods, earthquakes, fires, landslides, and any other type of disaster occurring in our country and other countries. For this purpose, preparing teams to be assigned in case of emergencies and maintaining storage facilities with necessary supplies.

Covering the expenses of events such as circumcision, engagement, wedding for the poor and destitute; providing material, monetary, and similar aid.

Providing aid such as food, clothing, cleaning supplies, business establishment, fuel, rent, housing, household goods, and similar assistance to those in need.

Establishing scientific, benevolent, and commercial institutions, premises, and foundations that will serve the purposes of the Association, and also collaborating with other natural and legal persons' institutions and foundations.

Organizing or participating in fairs, bazaars, exhibitions, trips, concerts, and similar social and cultural activities for the purpose of generating income for the Association and/or promotional purposes.

Collaborating with national and international organizations in Turkey and abroad on any issue that could be beneficial for our country and our nation. Organizing national and international scientific meetings and conferences, participating in congresses and conferences, conducting research in collaboration with scientists or universities, preparing reports, and making them available to the public and stakeholders. Organizing competitions related to their fields of activity and awarding prizes.

Accepting, purchasing, leasing, and using immovable property donations for the purposes of the Association.

Conducting activities aimed at protecting nature by engaging in activities intended to protect all living and non-living beings in natural balance, contributing to these activities, or actively participating.

Presenting the aid mentioned in the objectives through written and visual publications to draw the attention of the public, making printed, audio, or visual publications in line with national and spiritual values that encourage social solidarity for the purpose of drawing attention to this humanitarian issue. Additionally, conducting cultural and artistic activities such as press releases, cinema films, TV films, commercials, theater works that serve this purpose or getting them done. Utilizing the Internet for activities that will achieve its purpose. Issuing statements, declarations on behalf of the Association, publishing newspapers, magazines, etc., similar publications.

Building roads, bridges, fountains, water networks, resting places, playgrounds, schools, social and cultural facilities, places of worship, etc., or undertaking repair work or assisting in their construction.

Establishing and operating any kind of economic enterprise, fund in places deemed necessary, in accordance with the principles of tax and financial legislation, without distributing the income obtained from activities to its members, recording it as income for the Association, and using it in line with its objectives.

Selling items with historical value, antique features that cannot be considered as aid materials as donations to the Association through auctions or bidding to be used in line with the objectives of the Association.

Accepting, purchasing, leasing, covering the expenses of all kinds of vehicle donations to be used in Association activities.

Collaborating on joint projects with public institutions and organizations related to their areas of work.

Accepting all kinds of sacrificial donations for evaluation in accordance with the objective, organizing sacrificial activities within the country and abroad.

SECOND SECTION

MEMBERSHIP, HONORARY MEMBERSHIP, RESIGNATION AND DISMISSAL FROM MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLE: 4 BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION

Membership is divided into General Assembly Membership and Honorary Membership.

General Assembly Membership: Any Turkish citizen, both real and legal persons, who has the capacity to act, endorses the purpose of the Association, and possesses qualifications that will contribute to achieving this purpose, except those legally prohibited from membership, can become a member of the Association. However, those legally barred from membership cannot become members of the Association. Non-Turkish citizens can become members of the Association provided they meet the requirements of Turkish citizens and have the right to reside in Turkey. The Board of Directors decides on the membership application within a maximum of 30 days, either accepting the membership or rejecting it. No reason needs to be provided for rejection. Membership rights, which are strictly personal, cannot be divided or transferred. No one can be forced to become a member of the Association or remain a member. Every member has the right to resign.

Honorary Membership: Persons who have served or are believed to serve the purpose of the Association, who have made extraordinary contributions and benefits to the Association, both domestically and internationally, with scientific, intellectual, or artistic works, may be granted the title of honorary membership by the decision of the Board of Directors. Honorary Membership is completed with the acceptance

ARTICLE: 5 WITHDRAWAL FROM MEMBERSHIP

Any member can withdraw from the Association by written notice. A resigning member is obliged to settle any accrued membership dues.

ARTICLE: 6 REMOVAL FROM MEMBERSHIP

A member who fails to pay membership dues despite written warnings, a member who without valid excuse fails to attend two consecutive ordinary general assembly meetings, or a member for whom there is conclusive evidence of acts such as abusing their role in Association bodies, violating internal peace within the Association, taking hostile actions against the Association, distorting or corrupting the Association's purpose, or behaving in a manner that offends the spiritual personality of the Association shall be removed from membership by the proposal of the Disciplinary Committee and the decision of the Board of Directors. In case of objection by the member, the final decision shall be made by the General Assembly. During the period between the removal process by the Board of Directors and the General Assembly, the powers of the members shall be suspended.

ARTICLE: 7 OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS

There are obligations between the Association and each member within the framework of personal freedom, public order, and general moral principles. These include personal obligations such as striving to achieve the purpose of the Association, participating in the management and activities of the Association, adhering to the rules of the Association, and loyalty to the Association, as well as financial obligations such as paying membership fees, fulfilling any service or contribution that can be quantified in money, and contributing to the expenses of the Association.

ARTICLE: 8 ENTRANCE AND ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES

The entrance fee and annual membership fee are determined annually by the General Headquarters Board of Directors in January.

THIRD SECTION

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, BRANCHES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND ORGANS

FIRST SECTION

ARTICLE: 9 CENTRAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND STRUCTURE

The Central General Assembly consists of 6 members elected by the Central General Assembly Principal Members.

ARTICLE: 10 MEETINGS

Central General Assembly meetings are of two types: ordinary and extraordinary.

ORDINARY MEETINGS

Ordinary meetings are held every three years in April at the Association's Headquarters in Istanbul.

EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS

Extraordinary meetings of the Association are held:

By the decision of the Central Board of Directors,

In cases deemed necessary by the Inspection Board,

Upon written request by one-fifth of the Central General Assembly Members.

The General Assembly shall be called by the Board of Directors within one month at the latest. If the Board of Directors, upon written request by one-fifth of the Inspection Board or Association members, fails to call the General Assembly within a month, a local Civil Peace Judge, upon application by one of the Inspection Board members or the members requesting the meeting, appoints a committee of three among the Association members to call the General Assembly.

DECISIONS MADE WITHOUT A MEETING OR CALL

Decisions made by the written participation of all members or decisions made by all members of the Association without complying with the statutory call procedure are valid. Making decisions in this manner does not replace ordinary meeting procedures.

ARTICLE: 11 CALLING PROCEDURE

The board of directors prepares a list of members entitled to participate in the general assembly according to the association's bylaws. Members entitled to participate in the general assembly are invited at least fifteen days in advance through publication in a local newspaper, specifying the day, time, place, and agenda, or by written or electronic mail. If a meeting cannot be held due to a lack of quorum, the date of the second meeting is also indicated. The time between the first and second meeting cannot be less than one week and more than two months. If the meeting is postponed for a reason other than the lack of quorum, this situation is announced to the members in compliance with the call procedure for the first meeting, stating the reasons for the postponement. The second meeting must be held within six months at the latest from the date of postponement. Members are invited again to the second meeting according to the principles specified in the first paragraph. The general assembly meeting cannot be postponed more than once.

ARTICLE: 12 QUORUM

The general assembly convenes with the simple majority of members entitled to attend; in cases of amending the statute and dissolution of the association, the presence of two-thirds is required. If the quorum is not achieved, no quorum is required for the second meeting. However, the number of members attending this meeting cannot be less than twice the full membership of the board of directors and the supervisory board.

ARTICLE: 13 AGENDA

The agenda is prepared by the Central Board of Directors. Matters requested to be included in the agenda by the Central Inspection Board are also included. Only items on the agenda are discussed at the General Assembly meeting; however, if at least one-tenth of the members present request, the topics they wish to discuss must be included in the agenda. The General Assembly can change the order of the agenda items.

ARTICLE: 14 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS AND VOTING

Each General Assembly Member has one vote and equal rights. The candidates receiving the most votes in the elections gain the status of principal and substitute members in order.

ARTICLE: 15 PROCEDURE

The General Assembly Meeting is held on the day, time, and place specified in the announcement. Members attending the General Assembly sign their names against the list prepared by the board of directors to enter the meeting venue. After verifying the signatures on the list to ensure the quorum, the situation is determined by the Board of Directors with a report. The meeting is opened by the President of the Board of Directors or a Board member appointed by them. Following the opening, a congress council consisting of a chairman and two secretaries is elected to manage the meeting. The management of the meeting belongs to the Chairman of the Council. Secretaries prepare the meeting minutes and sign them together with the chairman. At the end of the meeting, all records and documents are submitted to the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE: 16 DUTIES AND POWERS

The following issues are discussed and resolved by the General Assembly:

Election of association organs,

Amending the Association's statute when necessary,

Discussion of reports of the Management and Inspection Boards, approval of the Management Board's activities and accounts,

Discussion and acceptance, as it is or with changes, of the budget prepared by the Board of Directors,

Granting general or special authority to the Board of Directors regarding the realization of the association's purpose, the purchase of necessary real estate, or the sale of existing real estate and the preparation of regulations governing the association's activities,

Association's participation in or withdrawal from international activities and federations,

Dissolution of the association when necessary,

Fulfillment of other duties required by law or the statute by the General Assembly.

Granting the authority to the General Headquarters Board of Directors to open or close association branches.

Determining the fees for the members of the Management and Inspection Boards.

SECTION TWO

ARTICLE: 17 FORMATION OF THE CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors, consisting of 5 principal members and 5 substitute members, elected by secret ballot from among the Association members to serve for a term of three years, as decided by the General Assembly.

If the number of Board members falls below half of the total member count due to vacancies being filled by substitutes, the General Assembly shall be convened within one month by the existing Board of Directors or the Inspection Board. If the call is not made, any Association member can apply to the local civil peace judge to request the convening of the General Assembly.

ARTICLE: 18 DUTIES AND POWERS

The Central Board of Directors performs the following tasks:

Strive to achieve the purposes and subjects specified in the statute,

Administer and represent the Association and authorize its members or third parties in this regard,

Fulfill the accepted activity program, budget requirements, and General Assembly decisions,

Handle income and expense transactions of the Association, make necessary transfers from the Central budget to the branches based on budget planning, and present the budget for the upcoming period to the General Assembly.

Make transfers between items in the Central budget,

Hire and dismiss employees and staff in the Central office,

Decide on the establishment of Association branches and delegate authority to their founders, supervise branches, close them if necessary, invalidate their Management Boards, and appoint temporary Management Boards in their place,

Approve or reject branch activity programs and budgets as submitted or amended, or hold individuals responsible for damages in case of rejection (rights of Branch General Assemblies are preserved),

Make decisions regarding real estate transactions, transactions of all kinds, mortgages, and similar matters, and manage all commitments and expenses,

Create commissions for the realization and execution of the Association's purposes,

Convene extraordinary meetings of branch General Assemblies when necessary,

Request opinions from relevant individuals or institutions as required by the statute or other necessary matters,

Prepare regulations governing the Association's activities,

Perform other tasks specified by the statute and the law and exercise the powers,

Decide on the publication of announcements, statements, or similar publications on behalf of the Association. No publications can be made or distributed without the decision of the Board of Directors.

Establish representations in necessary locations within the scope of the authority granted by the General Assembly.

Issue authorization documents for collecting membership fees and donations and hand them to the respective parties.

Create platforms in line with the Association's objectives, participate in established platforms, and join civil society organizations.

ARTICLE: 19 DIVISION OF DUTIES

The Central Board of Directors assigns roles and determines working procedures at their first meeting after the election.

ARTICLE: 20 ACTIVITY

The Central Board of Directors holds meetings at least once a month unless decided otherwise. Upon necessity perceived ex officio, or upon written request from three members or the Inspection Board, the President calls for a Board meeting. The quorum for discussion and decisions is a simple majority.

A member who unjustifiably misses three consecutive meetings may be considered resigned by the Board of Directors.

SECTION THREE

ARTICLE: 21 FORMATION AND DUTIES OF THE CENTRAL INSPECTION BOARD

The Central Inspection Board, consisting of three principal members and three substitute members elected from among the Association members to inspect and control the Association's transactions and accounts on behalf of the Central General Assembly for a term of three years. The Inspection Board elects a chairman at its first meeting and determines its working procedures and program. Re-election of expired inspectors is possible.

The duties and powers of the Inspection Board include:

Examining compliance of transactions and accounts with statutory, statutory, and regulatory provisions,

Reviewing the status of money, valuable papers, other assets, tangible and intangible assets, and checking the safe at uncertain times,

Submitting reports containing observations, examinations, and inspection results to the Central Board of Directors at least every six months,

Presenting annual reports containing opinions on the activity and account report provided to the Central General Assembly, the budget proposal, and final accounts,

Requesting the convening of an extraordinary meeting of the Central General Assembly when necessary.

Inspectors can attend Board of Directors meetings and provide observations and opinions but cannot vote.

The Inspection Board's powers encompass the entire organization. If irregularities requiring investigation and rectification are observed during checks, the situation is reported to the Central Board of Directors.

SECTION FOUR

ARTICLE: 22 FORMATION AND DUTIES OF THE CENTRAL DISCIPLINARY BOARD

The Central Disciplinary Board, consisting of 3 principal and 3 substitute members elected from among the General Assembly members to serve for a term of three years. The election procedure is subject to the Inspection Board.

The Central Disciplinary Board issues warnings and reprimands according to the nature and importance of the acts against the Association's objectives or acts detrimental to the Association, by the Central and branch General Assembly members. It proposes the expulsion of General Central and Branch General Assembly members who lose their

FIFTH SECTION

ARTICLE: 23 NOTIFICATION TO AUTHORITIES OF ELECTED MEMBERS

Within thirty days following the general assembly, associations must inform the civil administrative authorities about the elected primary and substitute members of the executive board, supervisory board, and other organs of the association. Any changes occurring within the association's organs or location must follow the same procedure.

SIXTH SECTION

ARTICLE: 24 BRANCHES AND ESTABLISHMENT

Branches can be established in locations approved by the General Assembly. Authorization is granted by the Central Executive Board, and at least three individuals are required to apply in writing to the highest local administrative authority. The application includes details about the founders, the association's statute, and an authorization document. The initial organs are formed by the founders.

ARTICLE: 25 BRANCH RESPONSIBILITY AREA

The geographic area of a branch's operation is determined by the Central Executive Board.

ARTICLE: 26 BRANCH ORGANS

The branch general assembly consists of eligible members. The branch's executive board is elected by the general assembly and acts as the executive body. The branch has specific responsibilities and powers as outlined in the association's statute.

ARTICLE: 27 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRANCH AND ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS

The branch is represented at general assembly meetings by its members. The branch is subject to the oversight of the Central Executive Board in terms of its establishment, operations, decisions, and finances.

FOURTH SECTION

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Details the various sources of income for the association, including membership fees, publications, events, and donations.

ARTICLE: 29 INCOME AND EXPENSE PROCEDURES

Income is recorded with receipts, and expenses are made with expenditure documents. Proper records must be maintained for a minimum of five years. The association's accounting period is from January 1st to December 31st.

ARTICLE: 30 BORROWING PROCEDURES AND EXPENSES

At least 50% of the association's income must be used for the purposes outlined in the statute. No commitments or expenses can be made without the approval of the executive board.

FIFTH SECTION

ARTICLE: 31 RECORDS AND REGISTERS

Apart from legal records, other necessary registers can be maintained as required by the association's needs.

SIXTH SECTION

ARTICLE: 32 INTERNAL AUDIT METHODS

Internal audits are essential. The general assembly, executive board, or supervisory board can conduct these audits or hire independent auditors. However, the existence of audits conducted by external entities doesn't absolve the supervisory board of its obligations.

SEVENTH SECTION

RULES REGARDING BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE: 33 BYLAW AMENDMENTS

The bylaws can be amended with the participation of at least two-thirds of the total membership in an ordinary or extraordinary meeting.

ARTICLE: 34 DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

The association can be dissolved by a decision of the General Assembly with a two-thirds majority vote. The assets of the association, after dissolution, will be transferred to an entity with a similar purpose as per the decision of the General Assembly.