Codename:Act
We see ourselves as a group of activists who share ideas on how to improve the situations of those who are being oppressed by the systems that we live in. These activities vary depending on current events. We do not have a fixed organization with one field of action but rather a more fluid system of information and exchange where people can join, exchange information, activities and new ideas can be realized.
Who are we? What are our core principles?
“We are all Human. Our purpose is to ensure that asylum seekers have access to correct, timely information to help navigate the confusion of bureaucracy regardless of origins, irrespective of religions. We seek to ensure the means to satisfy government levies and legal fees are available to all.
We advocate on the behalf of those who seek out a safe haven, political safety, respite from war. We work towards achieving an end to the systems that create and perpetuate the need to seek asylum politically and encourage deterrence.
Our core principals are grounded on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
Goals, Tasks and activities in Turkey
Goal: Improve the access to information and legal aid for refugees and empower them to change their own situation.
The activities and efforts have been the following:
- – Implementation of an information system successfully that has enabled detainees to be released with the help of Codename:Act and the legal support of its associate lawyers.
– Information on the legal system and the necessary steps to end detention have been gathered and will be provided on our website.
– An information hotline for refugees established and about to be live.
– Legal steps against the unlawful conditions during the detention of A.T. and the unlawful deportation order have been filed on three levels:
- European Court of Human Rights (Yilmaz and team)
- Turkey’s constitutional court, against detention in an inhumane situation (A.Yilmaz and team)
- Administrative court, against detention & the repatriation (deportation) order (Z.Risuan and partners)
*These efforts in Turkey can be extended to other countries. Trustworthy partner organizations providing accurate information in other countries can be accessed and linked on the website.
App development
Goal: develop a mobile application to link all the efforts in the field together, increase exchange and cooperation and bundle all the existing information, transnational.
- – Creating an application with a registration platform for both volunteers and NGOs, a volunteer database which links these two together according to needs and skills.
- *If you have skills and interest in this area please contact contact@vo.tc
Lesvos
Goal: help to alleviate the suffering of refugees on Lesvos
- – Art auction to collect funds
– Supply needed items to the field, we have sent one shipment of socks and gloves.
– We have sponsored 2 local NGOs.
– Further understand the situation, what is lacking and how it can be improved, network with organizations and people on the ground (via Slack, personal connections and video conferences)
Awareness tourism
Goal: the idea is to make the other side of Istanbul, the side of detention, homelessness and the lack of prospects accessible and visible to tourists
Medical tourism/ medical refugees
Goal: help families who travel to other countries in order to get better treatment for family members
We are working on access to free housing via a network within Istanbul.
Website
A website has been created with several aims:
- – Providing information
- – Publishing blog posts from our team members and invited guest blogers.
- – Fundraising
– Forum — Is running in the website but hosts only registered members (to ensure quality of the information)
– A Wiki for asylum seekers and refugees
Short overview on different activities and ways to engage
Fundraising
Goal: collect funds to cover legal expenses for refugees, send items which are needed to Lesvos
- – Art auction on Facebook
– Personal networking
– Fundraising via homepage
Networking
Goal: avoid the development of parallel structures, better understand the field and what is lacking, cooperate, exchange, expand the reach, establish a flow of information, join conferences and discussions around the topic.
- – Recruitment of volunteers (possibly eventually paid staff)
– NGOs
– Lawyers
– Journalist
– Researchers
Facebook and Twitter
- Stay up to date, what’s happening where? Who is important? Network?
Increase range
Expand to other countries
- – USA: housing for refugees (cooperation with www.fluechtlinge-willkommen.de)
– Germany: possibly opening a branch centralizing information for refugees (extend this to other countries, especially those on the Balkan route)
We greatly appreciate your interest in this organization and hope you join our activities.
Codename:Act is a 501(c)3 non-profit organized under the U.S. IRS tax code.