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Letter to the Secretary General of the OAS on the Venezuelan case

 

H.E. DR. LUIS ALMAGRO LEMES

Secretary General of the Organization of the American States

His Excellency,

The World Jurist Association (WJA), aware of the transcendental role that corresponds to it in these critical moments that affect the Venezuelan citizens, presents before you its respectful support and appreciation on behalf of the jurists who integrate it, many of them Venezuelan.

The current humanitarian crisis affecting Venezuela, as direct result of a system described as dictatorial throughout the American continent, and as result of the actions of some of the highest representatives of the Venezuelan regime, who have been qualified as members of criminal organizations with participation in Narcotics trafficking, must be repudiated and taken care of, just as you have courageously claim over the last few years. The real crisis has brought as consequence the notorious and massive diaspora of Venezuelans trying to guarantee their survival by fleeing to the American Continent and the rest of the world, which has also affected the receiving countries and, even more, the neighboring countries which have good sheltered the victims of the Venezuelan regime.

The WJA supports your repeated complaints as Secretary General of the OAS in light of the humanitarian, economic, political and social crisis in Venezuela, as well as the successive ones by multiple international organizations. Likewise, the WJA recognizes your extraordinary and strong humanist position facing the ferocious and repressive Venezuelan dictatorship, in representation of the democratic foundations that inspired the creation of the OAS in 1948. The OAS, in its principles, has always been compatible with the values ​​that guide our organization: Pax Orbis ex Jure, world peace through law; justice through the rule of law.

The WJA adheres to the request of the Independent Panel of International Experts appointed by you on September 14, 2017, who recommended in their report for their conclusions to be presented before the International Criminal Court. The WJA supports the need to process, prosecute and convict the perpetrators of the ongoing  genocide that is being committed in Venezuela, and which is, in light of the Palermo Convention, a crime against humanity.

The four World Associations that integrate the WJA unanimously support and fervently desire successful results in the process of seeking justice for the Venezuelan people during the historic OAS General Assembly that concludes today.

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Franklin Hoet Linares

Worldwide President

 

Read the original text in Spanish (here)

Access the letter in PDF format (here)

Featured image: OAS

 

 

 

Proposed Amendments to WJA 2012 Charter & By-Laws

 

Dear WJA Members,

On behalf of the Board of Governors we are glad to announce that, from the Board Meeting held on January 24, 2018, the proposal to Amend the WJA 2012 Charter & By-Laws (below) was approved. This project was presented last year by President Dr. Franklin Hoet, as his vision to enhance and revitalize the operations of the association through decentralization. The drafting counted with the support, ideas, and advice of several active WJA members and an external DC Attorney specialized in NGOs, so as to adapt our regulations to the current related DC & US laws.

During the Board Meeting, the Final Draft of the Amendments for the 2012 Charter & By-Laws was approved by the unanimity (8/8) of Members of the Board attending and/or being represented there. Only one member of the Board could not attend the meeting, perhaps owing the time difference (China). The approval, hence, exceeded the minimum of 66% votes required by the current Charter & By-Laws. It is worth mentioning that only one (01) vote from President & Past President Dr. Franklin Hoet Linares and only one (01) vote from Executive Vice President & General Counsel Garry E. Hunter were taken in consideration, even though they both held two positions within the Board.

Therefore, and following all the procedure established for amending and/or repealing the WJA Charter & By-Laws, we enclosed on an email on January 26, 2018 the approved project and the corresponding ballot to all members entitled to vote. As per the current regulations, the Amendments Draft most be published and distributed to all members in good standing at least ninety (90) days before the vote is tallied. Unfortunately, owing internet connection problems, we could not upload the document on the website the same day it was sent to those members entitled by the WJA 2012 Charter & By-Laws to vote.

We requested members entitled to vote to, after carefully reviewing the Amendments proposed, return their ballot as soon as possible, and no later than April 26, 2018. The final vote will be tallied on April 26, 2018, and a majority of all votes cast will determine the decision to adopt these amendments. As of January 24, 2018, the number of members in good standing was sixty-two (62). Therefore, the majority required for this process will be thirty-one (31) plus one (1), meaning thirty-two (32) votes. Given the case, once this amount of approving votes is received, the Charter & By-laws will take immediate effect.

Ballots enclosed in the email sent to the membership in good standing should be exclusively returned to the WJA Executive Vice-President & General Counsel, Dr. Garry E. Hunter, at:

ghunter@hunterlawoffices.us  or Fax +1 740 592 53 90

Only one ballot per member in good standing as per January 24, 2018 will be counted. Duplicates will not be accepted.

Had you recieved the aforementioned email, we are looking forward to your active involvement in this revitalization process.

Finally, we would like to extend you all an invitation to participate at the WJA Conference “IP – Protection and Trademark Rights: International Discussion with the Aim of a Worldwide Exchange” to be held in Munich, Germany on May 3-4, 2018.

 

Kind regards,

Garry E. Hunter 

Executive Vice President & General Counsel

 

Yachenka Rodríguez V.

Executive Director

WJA Charter and By Laws – Proposed Amendments 2018 – Final Version to Membership

 

Sorrow in Barcelona, Spain

Dear members,

Due to the heartbreaking recent events in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain, our Executive Vice President, Ramón Soler-Padró Canela, wants to thank all your demonstrations of solidarity and affection. We would like to inform you that he and his loved ones are in perfect health, although obviously frightened. Unfortunately, owing to the threat of subsequent attacks, he remains inside his residence as it is close to the area of the attack.

Such terrorist acts are, and will always be, repudiated by our organization. Likewise, we must be aware that our fight for peace and justice must gain more force in the face of injustice and the illegality of terrorism. In World Jurist Association, we must continue working for our great values and main objective, Pax Obi Ex Jure.

On behalf of the organization I preside, may the people of Barcelona receive our words of solidarity and blesses in these hours of pain and anguish.

Sincerely,

 

Franklin Hoet Linares

President

World Jurist Association

Amendments of the Bylaws – Charter and Bylaws Committee – Call to Membership

Fellow Members of the World Jurist Association,

charter and bylaws committee

The Charter and Bylaws Committee, appointed on 3 July if this year, consisting of three members, all nominated by the board of governors, have revised and approved the proposal attached to this email to reform the structure of the World Jurist Association’s Bylaws.

 

Members of this Committee are:

 

Dr. Ben Griffith – Legal Counsel

Dr. Ved Nanda – President of the World Association of Law Professors

Mr. Ramon Soler-Padró Canela – Executive Vice President

 

The aim of such revision and reform of the bylaws responds to the need of giving better representation to different regions and the National chapters that integrate them in our organization. The target is based on the possibility to hold every year a major event for the World Jurist Association in a different region of the world. To achieve such purpose the many national chapters will be able to gather in Regional Forums:

 

Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam)

Australia – Pacific (Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu)

Middle East  (Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey and United Arab Emirates)

 

Europe (Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,  Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,  Macedonia (FYROM), Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (UK) and Vatican City)

 

Northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morrocco, Tunis and Western Sahara)

 

Southern Africa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Ruanda, Burundi, Chad, Camerun, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabue, Benin, Burkina Faso, Camerun, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire,  Ecuatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bisau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Sudan)

Latin America (Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Falkland Islands, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela)

The Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia, Saint vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba and Curaçao, Bonaire, Bermuda, Saint Martin and Bes Islands)

 

East of North America (Eastern Canada, Northern Central US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, North East Region US and South East Region US)

 

West of North America and Alaska (Western Canada, Alaska, South West Region US, Central South US and North West Region US)

 

 

Thus, every national chapter should gather in  Regional Forums, and each regional forum should appoint a President of the Forum. Each President of the Forum will be a member at the Inter Regional Directory, being appointed president of this modality the president of the regional Forum with a proposal for a conference or Congress that takes place in the range of five years and only within the limits of his or her chapter or regional Form. Vice President of this modality can also come with plans for a future international event and thus become president after the first two years of Rotary international presidencies have concluded, and a major event has been held by his or her inter-regional directories. This supra regional modality is thought to bring neighboring regions together with the aim of creating bonds of fraternity between their different countries and facilitating an atmosphere of international cooperation.

 

On the other hand they would have more autonomy to generate and use the funds raised by themselves (special foundations created by Regional Forums or National Chapters, with legal personality).

 

The list of Inter Regional Directories is the following:

 

North America

East of North America

West of North America and Alaska

 

Latin America & the Caribbean

Latin America

The Caribbean

 

Africa

Southern Africa

Northern Africa

 

Europe & Middle east

Europe

Middle East

 

Asia, Australia & Pacific

Asia

Australia & Pacific

 

 

All five Inter Regional Directories will gather in the Global Council of Presidents (GCP). Presidencies to this council will rotate every year depending on which President is responsible of holding the major event for the corresponding year. After the first two years of Presidencies are finished, the three presidents that have already carried out their event, may appoint there vice president as new president of the Inter Regional Directory and thus member of the Council of Presidents for the rest of the term.

 

The role of the Legal Counsel has also been revised by the Charter and Bylaws Committee so that he or she will be appointed amongst WJA senior members in good standing that are registered under any bar association of a US state.

If there was to be a law firm, member in good standing of the association with interest to present a candidate to this position, and the Legal Counsel seat was to be vacant, the candidacy could be evaluated and voted by the Council of Presidents.

 

We would like to give the opportunity to all our members to give us their feedback on these amendments so the Committee can adjust the approved proposal.

 

Please address your comments to wja@worldjurist.com

 

Kind regards

Ramon Soler-Padró Canela – Executive Vice President of the World Jurist Asociation