Posts Tagged ‘Olive Moore’

Alan Glasgow new Executive Director of Front Line Defenders

April 23, 2024

On 17 April 2024 Front Line Defenders announced that Alan Glasgow will take up the role of Executive Director of the organisation in late May 2024.

The appointment follows a competitive, international recruitment process led by Front Line Defenders’ Board and an external recruitment agency.

“As a longtime admirer of Front Line Defenders, I am delighted to have this opportunity to progress its work in supporting and protecting human rights defenders at risk,” said Alan Glasgow, incoming Executive Director of Front Line Defenders. “I feel privileged to work with human rights defenders from all around the world, in addition to our partners in civil society and government, and our supporters and donors.”

“There is no doubt that human rights defenders in many parts of the world face an increasing danger and a stark reality. I hope to draw on decades of work on some of the world’s most challenging contexts – as well as the strength of Front Line Defenders’ existing skills, its remarkable global team, and knowledge base built over two decades – to help bring positive change for defenders and their crucial work.”

Alan has worked for 25 years in development, humanitarian, and human rights contexts. He joins Front Line Defenders from the position of Regional Director for Asia and Europe with the international aid agency, Mercy Corps. Prior to this, he served as Mercy Corps’ European Migration Director. He has also worked with International Rescue Committee in New York and West Africa and with GOAL as Country Director and Director of Global Business Development.

Alan’s leadership experience has focused on work at the frontlines of the world’s most challenging human rights environments, including Afghanistan, Gaza, Liberia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.His career has demonstrated a profound commitment to the rights of the marginalised and his work has been underpinned by a belief in human rights principles.

Alan will be Front Line Defenders’ third Executive Director since the organisation was founded in 2001. He follows in the footsteps of Front Line Defenders’ founder Mary Lawlor who served from 2001 until 2016, and former Executive Director Andrew Anderson, who held the role from 2016 to 2023. Olive Moore, who held the role of Interim Director for the last year, will resume her role as Deputy Director.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/statement-report/alan-glasgow-appointed-executive-director-front-line-defenders?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=Zoho+Social&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=Zoho+Social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0uD1M8a8Mh8eTG6_R6LxP31vaITT54kGWkp386xmZ-XxcUsPj3t6AnAUY_aem_Ac1ZDLje1eeciqOeVtT6mYfE1z7wuplnjiEKV4VqMBewrV4cAI211hMoWDDyLHdVM4oUcHZfDXpyRurDIF2BoO3Q

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British Airways ends solidarity trip for al-Khawaya

September 18, 2023

Maryam Al-Khawaja (second right) with members of the human rights delegation who were denied boarding a flight to Bahrain. (c) AI

Bahrani activist Maryam al-Khawaja said on Friday she was denied boarding on a flight to Bahrain by British Airways as she tried to return home to raise awareness of the condition of her imprisoned father. [see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2023/09/14/more-join-maryam-al-khawajas-solidarity-trip-to-bahrain-to-be-continued/]

In a video message posted on X, Khawaja said she was not allowed to board a flight at London’s Heathrow Airport “despite being a Bahraini citizen”.

“I was told I have to speak to Bahraini immigration if I want to get a boarding pass to Bahrain. So effectively we are being denied boarding by British Airways on behalf of the Bahraini government,” she said.

Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, was among those accompanying Khawaja and said on X that she had also been denied boarding. “Our human rights delegation members are all denied a boarding pass. We are told that British Airways has been instructed by the Bahrain immigration authorities not to give us a boarding pass,” she posted.

A spokesperson for the British Airways Press Office said: “All airlines are legally obliged to comply with immigration control laws and entry requirements for customers as set by individual countries,” he told Middle East Eye in a statement and a government spokesperson in Bahrain added: “…as with other countries, Bahrain reserves the right to refuse entry, if deemed necessary.”

Sayed Alwadaei, a Bahraini activist, and the director of advocacy at the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), raised concern over al-Khawaja being denied boarding the flight.

“If a Bahraini citizen gets their rights denied at Heathrow airport, in London, in front of international observers and in front of heads of international rights organisations, then imagine what happens to prisoners behind bars, what is happening to Maryam’s father and other political prisoners who are suffering torture and systematic medical denial and slow death without anyone monitoring,” he told MEE. See: https://www.adhrb.org/2023/10/adhrb-at-hrc54-al-singace-al-khawaja-and-naji-fateel-face-reprisals-including-medical-neglect-2/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

Campaigners and the heads of human rights organisations informed MEE that they are planning to peacefully protest outside the Bahraini embassy in London later today in response to not being allowed to travel to Bahrain. 

Responding to the news, Olive Moore, the Executive Director of Frontline Defenders said that the decision not to let her board the flight was “unjustifiable“.

See also: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/09/bahrain-un-expert-alarmed-health-human-rights-defenders-prison

https://www.theguardian.com/law/2023/sep/15/bahraini-human-rights-defender-stopped-from-travelling-to-kingdom-to-visit-imprisoned-father

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/bahrain-activist-denied-boarding-british-airways-manama

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Andrew Anderson steps down as head of Front Line Defenders

January 29, 2023

On 27 January 2023, it was announced that Andrew Anderson is stepping down as Executive Director of Front Line Defenders, after two decades of leading the organisation’s work to support and protect human rights defenders at risk.

Andrew joined the organisation as Deputy Director in 2003 and has since 2016 served as its second Executive Director.

“This February marks my 20th anniversary with Front Line Defenders, an organisation I have been honoured to lead. I think it is a good time for others to take on the leadership of this exceptional organisation,” said Andrew Anderson. “I am confident I am leaving an organisation that is in excellent shape with a hugely dedicated and talented staff team, a strong new Strategic Plan for 2023-27, robust funding and a track record of delivery on behalf of human rights defenders at risk.”

“Last year, the organisation delivered another record of over 1,000 protection grants to the most at risk HRDs around the world, including in severe crises such as Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran and Myanmar. With over 100 defenders in attendance, the 2022 Dublin Platform last October was again a brilliant manifestation of the range and diversity of human rights defenders we are providing support to.”

See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/05/22/andrew-anderson-the-dangerous-game-of-sportswashing/ and https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2017/10/18/repressive-governments-and-ophelia-compete-to-prevent-hrds-to-travel-to-dublin/

Front Line Defenders expanded significantly in size and scope during Andrew’s tenure as Executive Director, further establishing the organisation as a trusted and central partner for HRDs at risk globally In 2018 the organisation was awarded the UN Prize for Human Rights.

The Board of Front Line Defenders has asked Olive Moore to take on the role of Interim Director, supported by the organisation’s management team. Olive has served as Deputy Director of Front Line Defenders since 2020, prior to which she held a range of roles working on human rights and humanitarian issues for Trócaire, Amnesty International, The World Bank and the Irish Government.  

The Board will oversee a competitive, international recruitment process for a new Executive Director of Front Line Defenders to take forward the organisation’s work to support and protect human rights defenders.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/en/profile/andrew-anderson-former-executive-director

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