Statutes
§1 Name and seat
The Initiative gegen die Todesstrafe e.V. (IgT e.V.) – in the English-speaking world called German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP) – with headquarters in Hamburg is registered under its German name in the register of associations and pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes in the sense of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code.
§2 Purpose and realization of purpose
The purpose of the association is to promote the welfare of prisoners and former prisoners with the aim of abolishing the death penalty in all countries. As a prisoner welfare organization, it supports prisoners who are threatened with the death penalty and/or against whom the death penalty has been imposed. It also supports people who are being subjected to, have been subjected to, or are threatened with torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The basis for this is the general human rights and their further development.
The association pursues exclusively and directly non-profit purposes in the sense of the section “tax-privileged purposes” of the tax code. The purpose of the statutes is realized in particular by the following measures:
– to educate the population and to sensitize them for the inhumanity of the death penalty with the aim of developing a reflected moral consciousness towards it,
– to draw attention to planned executions by means of targeted actions, i.e., among other things, to make targeted contact with the responsible governments for the protection of the condemned and to ensure that the available information is published,
– to arrange pen-palships with death row inmates and thus to lend a hand to the prisoners, to stabilize them emotionally and to bring humanity into their dehumanized everyday life, to offer a support for the pen-pals on this side of the walls,
– to draw attention to current fates, new developments and currently necessary activities by regularly issuing circular e-mails,
– to support the understanding of peoples and the ideas of democracy in the national and international fight against the death penalty,
– to cooperate with the NCADP (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty) in the USA and other organizations to achieve the purpose of the association,
– by observing trials and by supporting the defense of these people.
Any resolution to amend the articles of association shall be submitted to the competent tax office prior to its filing with the registry court.
§3 Membership
Natural and legal persons can become members of the association. Minors require the consent of their legal representatives. The board of directors decides on an application for membership. A rejected member may appeal against non-admission before the general meeting.
A register of members is kept.
Persons who commit themselves to regular financial support without being members are called sponsors.
§4 Termination of membership
Membership ends by voluntary resignation, death of the member or by exclusion from the association.
Resignation is subject to a notice period of three months. The exclusion of a member takes place by the executive committee. The member can appeal against the exclusion decision of the board to the general meeting. The submitted appeal has a suspensive effect.
The exclusion of a member can take place for example with association-damaging behavior or if despite reminder neither contribution payment nor active co-operation are to be registered.
Withdrawal from the sponsorship relationship is effected by revocation of the direct debit authorization with the notice period of three months. Already paid sponsorship fees will not be refunded.
§5 Obligation to contribute
The amount of the membership fee is determined by the general meeting.
§6 Organs of the association
The organs of the association are the board and the general meeting.
§7 Board of directors
The board in the sense of §26 BGB consists of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson, the treasurer and the minute taker. The association is represented by two board members jointly.
§8 Duties and responsibilities of the board
The board of directors is responsible for all affairs of the association. Its tasks include in particular
– preparation and convening of the general meeting as well as preparation of the agenda
– execution of resolutions of the general meeting
– preparation of any budget, bookkeeping, preparation of an annual report, presentation of the annual plan
– adoption of resolutions on applications for membership, exclusion of members
§9 Election of the board
The board is elected by the general meeting. Only members of the association can become members of the board.
Members of the board are elected for a period of one year. The board remains in office until a new election is held.
Upon termination of membership in the association, the office of the board of directors shall also terminate.
Members who are willing to assume an office on the board of directors of the association may be elected in absentia if they are unable to attend the general meeting, provided they have given their written consent prior to the annual general meeting.
§10 Board meetings
The board decides in meetings convened by the 1st or 2nd chairperson. It is not necessary to submit an agenda. Resolutions may also be passed by telephone, e-mail and fax. The board shall constitute a quorum if at least two of its members are present or participate in the vote by telephone conference, e-mail or fax, provided that all members of the board have been invited in due time and have been given the opportunity to participate.
The board decides with majority of votes. In the event of a tie, the chairperson shall have the casting vote; in his absence, the vice-chairperson shall have the casting vote.
§11 General meeting
The general meeting is chaired by the chairperson of the association or, if he is unable to do so, by his vice.
In the general meeting, each member has one vote. Members who are unable to attend the general meeting can transfer their voting right in writing to a member of the association of their confidence. The transfer authorization, signed by hand and to be presented at the general meeting, should, if possible, contain instructions on how the authorized representative is to vote on the resolution items. A member of the association present at the general meeting may assume powers of attorney for a maximum of two members who are unable to attend.
The general meeting is responsible for the following matters:
1. election, dismissal and discharge of the executive board and the auditors,
2. passing resolutions on amendments to the articles of association and on the dissolution of the association,
3. appointment of particularly meritorious members as honorary members,
4. other tasks, as far as they are considered according to the statutes or according to the law.
A duly convened general meeting shall constitute a quorum irrespective of the number of members present.
Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of the valid votes cast.
The general meeting must be held at least once a year. It is convened in writing with a notice period of four weeks by sending the invitation and the agenda to the individual members. The statutes may only be changed with 2/3 of the valid votes.
The general meeting can be held as a face-to-face event or as a virtual online conference or in a combination of both options by virtually connecting members during the face-to-face event. The board of directors decides on the form of the general meeting. The access data valid exclusively for the general meeting shall be made available to the members of the association at the latest one hour before the start of the virtual conference or connection to the face-to-face event. They may not be passed on to third parties.
Travel expenses to the general meetings are reimbursable upon presentation of the certificate of the most favorable travel option. The treasurer decides according to the cash situation.
§12 Protocol
Minutes shall be taken of the proceedings of the general meeting and shall be signed by the chairperson of the meeting and the minute taker. The minutes shall be sent to all members by circular e-mail.
§13 Auditors
The two auditors elected by the general meeting for two years check the cash transactions of the association for arithmetical and factual correctness. An examination has to take place at least once a year, the result is to be reported in the meeting of the members. Cash auditors may not be members of the board.
§14 Non-profit status
The association is selflessly active; it does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes. Funds of the association may only be used for the statutory purposes of the association.
Members are entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred in the course of their voluntary work on behalf of the German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. If they choose not to be reimbursed, they may receive a donation receipt upon request.
Expenses of more than 250 € for a project require the prior consent of the board of directors for reimbursement.
The members do not receive any benefits from the association’s funds.
No person may benefit from expenditures that are alien to the purpose of the association or from disproportionately high remuneration.
All holders of association offices are volunteers.
§15 Dissolution of the association
The dissolution of the association is to be brought about by a resolution of the general meeting with a simple majority of the members entitled to vote.
In case of dissolution or abolition of the association or in case of discontinuation of tax-privileged purposes, the assets of the association shall be transferred to a legal entity under public law or to another tax-privileged corporation for the purpose of promoting the welfare of prisoners and former prisoners.
Version of April 17, 2021