SECTION 1
The business and affairs of the Middle East Society for Organ Transplantation shall be managed and controlled by a board of directors, which shall be known as the Council of the Society.
SECTION 2
The Council shall consist of the President, the President-elect, the Vice President, immediate past President, Secretary-Treasurer and 10 councilors who will be evenly distributed from the various Middle Eastern, North African and Mid-Asian countries; one from Turkey, one from Iran, one from Iraq, two from the North African region, two from the Eastern Mediterranean region, two from the Saudi Arabia and Gulf States, two from the Mid-Asian region.
SECTION 3
The councilors shall serve without compensation and shall be elected as described in these bylaws.
SECTION 4
The officers of the society shall hold the same office within the council and shall have been elected to office as described in Article V of these bylaws.
SECTION 5
Councilors must be active members in good standing at the time of their nomination and election and during their term of office.
SECTION 6
Councilors shall serve for 4 years and until their successors are elected and confirmed. Councilors shall be divided into 2 classes of 5 each with the terms of the classes staggered at two-year intervals. At the earliest annual meeting of the membership of the society following adoption of these bylaws, 10 councilors will be elected. They will draw lots to determine their term of office either 2 or 4 years. At all subsequent meetings, 5 councilors will be elected for a four-year term.
SECTION 7
Councilors shall serve on committees of the council and shall perform such duties as may be delighted to them by the President.
SECTION 8
Councilors may not succeed themselves without interruption unless they have served less than the four-year term. Under no circumstances may the serve uninterruptedly for eight years.
SECTION 9
Vacancies in the council, which may occur for any reason, shall be filled by a successor appointed by a majority of the council. Such an appointee shall serve until the next regular meeting of the membership when a successor shall be elected to fill such office for any remaining term, which may exist.
SECTION 10
The President or any three members of the council may convene special meetings of the council at such times and in such manner and place as a President or desirable. Regular meetings of the Council shall be convened annually by the President.
SECTION 11
Notice of regular meetings of the council shall be given in writing at least 30 days before such a meeting unless in emergency situation.
SECTION 12
A majority of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business action required or permitted to be taken by the council or of any Committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if a majority of the members of the council or committee consent thereto in writing or by conference telephone call confirmed by written minutes submitted to the society's secretary following written notices of the proposed action to all members of the council or committee. All written consents and any dissenting views shall be filed with the minutes of the council or committee as the case may be.

SECTION 1
The members of the Society shall consist of those individuals who were on the membership roll of the society at the conclusion of its first meeting in Ankara in November 1988 and will be designated Chartered Members. All future members shall be elected to membership as prescribed below.
SECTION 2
There shall be 4 categories of membership: regular members, associate members, candidate members and supporting members.
SECTION 3
Regular members shall be limited to persons actively engaged in the field of organ transplantation and be domiciled in the Middle East, North Africa and neighboring Mid-Asian countries.
SECTION 4
Regular members shall be eligible to hold office in the society and may vote for the election of officers and all matters brought before the general assembly.
SECTION 5
Admission to REGULAR MEMBERSHIP shall be gained by submission of a membership application as determined by council and sponsored by two members of the society. The scientific, professional and ethical qualification of the applicant for membership will be determined from time to time by the Council. Minimum qualification shall be completion of basic training in surgery, medicine, immunology or a related medical field to transplantation, be active in a transplant programme as a staff member. Applications shall be evaluated by the President and the Secretary/ Treasurer, and upon approval, the membership shall be considered to be finalized. In case of denial final decision shall be made by the Membership Committee.
SECTION 6
Medical doctors during their training period shall be eligible to become CANDIDATE MEMBERS. They shall apply in the same manner as Regular Members.
Candidate Members will not have the right to vote and shall not be eligible to hold office in the society. This category of membership shall be for five years only.
SECTION 7
Persons domicile outside the Middle East, North Africa and Mid-Asia and other persons actively engaged in organ transplantation shall be eligible to become ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.
Regular members residing in regions other than MESOT member countries for a period longer than one year are to be considered Associate Members until they return to the MESOT region. Regular membership status shall be restored provided when the General Secretary is duly notified of such changes.
Associate members shall have similar qualifications and shall apply in the same manner as regular members but will not have the right to vote and shall not be eligible to hold office in the society.
SECTION 8
Individuals, institutions or organizations offering substantial financial support to the society shall be eligible to become SUPPORTING MEMBERS. Supporting members shall not have the right to vote, shall not be eligible to hold office and shall not exceed 10% of the total membership.
SECTION 9
Existing LIFELONG MEMBERS shall maintain their current status. However, starting from the MESOT 2010 Congress, Lifelong Membership shall not be made available for new members.
SECTION 10
Regular Members, Associate Members, Supporting Members and Candidate Members shall pay membership fees. This fee shall be in US dollars and will be annual. The amount is to be established by the council after consideration of reports by the secretary and the treasurer.
The new rates of Annual Membership fees in the following categories are effective as of October 2010:

• Regular Members: $60.00 USD (electronic journal)
• Associate Members: $50.00 USD (electronic journal)
• Candidate/Non-Physician Members: $30.00 USD (electronic journal)

SECTION 1
The elected officers of the society shall consist of the President, President-elect, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Councilors and Committee Chairs, all of whom must be active members in good standing at the time of election and during the terms of their office. They shall all be elected by the General Assembly as prescribed by these bylaws.
SECTION 2
All officers shall serve without compensation.
SECTION 3
The President of the council shall be the chief executive officer of the society and shall be elected for 2 years. He shall ensure respect of the constitution of the society as set forth in these bylaws and execution of the rules and regulations of the society. He shall have and exercise direct charge of and general supervision of the business and affairs of the society and shall perform all duties incident to the office of the president of a corporation including directing discussions of the council and of the general assembly, formulating propositions for the submission to the council and to the general assembly, collecting ballots and proclaiming decisions by the general assembly and the council.
SECTION 4
The President-elect shall succeed the office of the president upon completion by the president of his term of office at the time of the next general assembly during the Congress of the Society or upon any earlier vacancy in the office of the President.
SECTION 5
The Vice-President shall act temporarily in the absence of the president and he shall be elected for two years.
SECTION 6
The secretary shall be elected for four years. He shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the society and shall serve for 4 years. He shall see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws and shall keep the membership record of the society which will include identification number, date of admission to membership and payment of the required dues. He will be the custodian of all contracts, assignments and other legal documents and records including all resolutions taken with dates and exact format. He shall be responsible for the organization of the meetings of the general assembly and of the council and for written reports and printed correspondence issued in the name of the society. The Secretary shall also coordinate communications between the council and any properly constituted committees.
SECTION 7
The Treasurer shall be elected for 4 years. He shall be in charge of and responsible for all funds of the society. He shall be responsible for collecting membership fees and report defaults of payments thereof to the council. He shall keep records of expenses and accounts of the society and shall render to the president and to the council whenever requested an account of the financial condition of the society and shall report at the council and to the general assembly and shall submit financial statement certified or audited by any group of individuals chosen by the council.
SECTION 8
For the present time, duties of the Secretary and Treasurer may be performed by one person.

SECTION 1
Committees may be designated by the council by resolution to function on behalf of the council in a manner provided in the aforementioned resolution or resolutions or as prescribed in these bylaws. Committees constituted by any other means shall not be recognized as representing the Society.
SECTION 2
Each committee shall have a chairman and a secretary. The chair of each committee should be a serving council member or an ex council member. All committee chairs will be appointed by the council, except when prescribed otherwise by these bylaws, and will be accountable to the council. Committee Chairs shall inform the Council of members who have been chosen to participate in the committees. Committee membership shall be evenly representative of the various regions of the Middle East, North Africa and Mid-Asia.
SECTION 3
Minutes of all committee meetings shall be submitted to the council for approval.
SECTION 4
There shall be a MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE consisting of 6 members each to serve for 4 years. The chairman of the committee shall be the Treasurer. The Secretary of the society shall also be a member of the committee. Two new members will be appointed in the committee each two year to replace the two outgoing members. The membership committee will be responsible for receiving and studying all applications to membership and reviewing the continuation of existing membership or any other matter delegates to it by the president or by the council. The membership committee reports directly to the council.
SECTION 5
There shall be an EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE consisting of 4 members each to serve for 4 years. Two new members will be appointed to the committee each two year to replace the two outgoing members. The committee will be responsible for making recommendations to the council on all matters related to education, scientific symposia and programmes, publications, clinical trials and joint research projects.
SECTION 6
There shall be an ORGAN PROCUREMENT COMMITTEE consisting of 6 members each to serve for 4 years. Two new members will be appointed to the committee each two year to replace the two outgoing ones. The committee will be responsible for making recommendations to the council on all matters related to organ procurement and sharing between the various member countries of the society. It will also study ways and means of improving collaboration on organ sharing and possible establishment of a "Mid-East Transplant" for distribution of organs among the member countries.
SECTION 7
There shall be an ETHICS AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE consisting of 4 members each to serve for 4 years with two new members being appointed to the committee each two year to replace the two outgoing ones. The committee will be responsible for making recommendations to the council on all ethical, social and legal issues relating to transplantation including review and recommendation on the bylaws of the Society. The committee will also analyze complaints and conduct enquiries and make recommendations on the ethical conduct on the individual members of the society.
SECTION 8
There shall be a NOMINATING COMMITTEE consisting of the President, Immediate Past President, President-Elect, Secretary and Chairman of the Education and Scientific Committee. The chairman of the committee shall be the Immediate Past President. The nominating committee will send postal ballots through the council to the membership with the names of all nominated candidates after having solicited recommendations from the general membership. Nominations may also be made from the membership to the nominating committee before final voting at the General Assembly of members.
SECTION 9
There shall be a CONGRESS ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE consisting of the Immediate Past President (Chair), the Treasurer, the Chairman of the Scientific Committee, and 2 regional reps from a region outside of the congress location. These regions will change every 2 years to allow full involvement from the council representatives.

SECTION 1
The society shall meet every two years. These meetings will be organized by a Local Organizing Committee in coordination the Congress Organization Committee.
SECTION 2
The date and place of the biannual meeting is decided upon by the General Assembly of the society on the proposals by the Council and the Nominating Committee. Notices of the dates and place of each congress together with the composition of the Local Organizing Committee and a paper selection committee shall be submitted to the council one-year in advance.
SECTION 3
An international Scientific Committee will be nominated by the Local Organizing Committee in coordination with the council. It shall be required that all members of the Local Organizing Committee and Scientific Committee are members of MESOT
SECTION 4
Funding MESOT congresses will be entirely the responsibility of the Local Organizing Committee. MESOT shall receive 25% of the registration fees from every participant, in addition to the 50% of the overall net profit from the congress.
SECTION 5
Supplementary meetings on special topics may be organized within the framework of the society with the approval of the council.
SECTION 6
Notices to membership for the attendance of the meeting of the General Assembly will be carried out by the secretary on behalf of the council. Only members who have been duly admitted to the society by the General Assembly and have paid all their dues will have the right to attend and vote at the General Assembly.
SECTION 7
Notification of the meeting of the General Assembly shall be made and mailed to then membership at least 30 days prior to the date of the assembly meeting.
SECTION 8
The working rules of the General Assembly will be those adopted in parliamentary procedures and the Roberts rules of order. The members shall sign their names on the list of members attending that particular meeting. The President shall call the meeting to order and the agenda prepared by the council through the secretary will be discussed.
SECTION 9
Each member has the right to 1 vote at the General Assembly.
SECTION 10
Voting on issues, resolutions and elections shall be by open voting unless otherwise stated by the president.
SECTION 11
The number of members necessary for taking decisions, resolutions or elections at the general meeting is the absolute majority of the number of members present at that meeting.
SECTION 12
The budget and the financial accounts of the society should be kept by the treasurer showing clearly the assets and the liabilities, receipts, documents etc. The budget shall be subjected to auditing by recognized auditors.

SECTION 1
Members of the council are absolved of all legal liabilities for any action or decision taken by them on behalf of the society.
SECTION 2
The disposition or dissolution of the society shall be determined by the General Assembly at its special meeting, which will be called for that purpose.

• Immediate Past President (Chair)
• Treasurer
• Chairman of the Scientific Committee
• 2 regional reps from a region outside of the congress location. These regions will change every 2 years to allow full involvement from the council representatives.

• Regular Membership
• Associate Membership
• Candidate/Non-Physician Membership
• Supporting Membership

• Regular Members: $60.00 USD (electronic journal)
• Associate Members: $50.00 USD (electronic journal)
• Candidate/Non-Physician Members: $30.00 USD (electronic journal)

• 3 Council members shall be assigned by the MESOT Council to the Organizing Committee, to provide support for scientific, financial and organizing issues
• The MESOT Scientific Committee shall be part of the Congress Committee
• It shall be required that all members of the Congress and Scientific Committees are members of MESOT
• MESOT shall receive $100 USD of the registration fees from every participant, in addition to this; MESOT shall also receive 50% of the overall net profit from the congress.

• Regular Members : $40.00 USD
• Associate Members: $20.00 USD
• Candidate Members: $20.00 USD

• One seat for Iran
• One seat for Turkey
• Two seats for North African Region
• Two seats for Eastern Mediterranean Region
• Two seats for Saudi Arabia & Gulf States
• Two seats for Mid-Asian Region