Florian Irminger resigns from PRI as Executive Director

Penal Reform International (PRI) regrets to announce that Florian Irminger has chosen to resign as Executive Director from the end of October 2020. Florian will be taking up the position of Secretary General of the Green Party in Switzerland.

Florian Irminger commented: ‘I have a high esteem for PRI’s work, am grateful to have been able to play a role in its unique history, and express my warm thanks to the members of the Board and the staff who all trusted me as Executive Director. I want to acknowledge the dedication PRI’s staff shows to the organisation, its mission and its values. All of them promote fair and effective criminal justice in extremely challenging contexts. I am excited about my future endeavour, yet am saddened to leave PRI, an organisation I will always look at with admiration and love.’

During his tenure, Florian developed the organisation’s new strategy, embracing fresh thematic areas, such as the protection of human rights of people in contact with criminal justice systems in times of crisis, natural disasters or in conflict affected countries, and working in parts of Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, where PRI had not been active. He also skillfully steered PRI’s response to the outbreak of COVID-19, highlighting the risks that it posed to people in prisons worldwide.

Professor Dirk van Zyl Smit, the chair of the Board of PRI, thanked Florian warmly for his excellent contribution to PRI and wished him well in his new position.

The Executive Board has appointed Olivia Rope as Executive Director ad interim of PRI. Olivia joined PRI in October 2012 and currently serves as its Director of Policy and International Advocacy.