Al Jazeera has named Sami al Haj, the journalist recently released from Guantanamo Bay after six years of detention, as news producer for the newly created “Liberties and Human Rights Affairs’ desk. The creation of this position will further enhance Al Jazeera’s coverage of human rights issues, providing another avenue for the Network to put the concerns and suffering of real people back at the centre of the global news agenda.
In his new position, Al Haj will follow human rights and civil liberties issues closely, ensuring that they receive prominent coverage on Al Jazeera. Working closely with human rights groups and experts around the world, Sami will help produce features and documentaries that raise public awareness and educate people regarding human rights issues, from the international legal and political debates that take place in global centres of power to the acute suffering of those who have their rights violated.
Al Haj was detained on December 15, 2001 by Pakistani border authorities while attempting to cross into the country on assignment for Al Jazeera. He was transferred to American military custody, and after six months, was placed in Guantanamo Bay. As the only journalist detained in Guantanamo Bay, Al Haj was held without charge and without open and transparent legal hearings. Finally, in May 2008, Sami was released and returned to his family.
