MUMBAI: Middle East news broadcaster Al Jazeera has named Sami al Haj as news producer for the newly created 'Liberties and Human Rights Affairs' desk.

Sami al Haj, a journalist by profession, was recently released from Guantanamo Bay after six years of detention.

The creation of this position will further enhance the broadcaster's coverage of human rights issues, providing an avenue for the network to put the concerns and suffering of real people back at the centre of the global news agenda, claims Al Jazeera.

In his new capacity, Sami will follow human rights and civil liberties issues closely with an aim to produce features and documentaries that raise public awareness and educate people regarding human rights. The features and documentaries will encapsulate issues raising from international, legal and political debates that take place in global centres of power.

Sami al Haj says, "I am thrilled to be working for Al Jazeera again and to be working on issues that matter so dearly to me. Obviously, the protection of human rights and civil liberties is extremely important, and I hope to use my new position as a vehicle to show the world that human rights abuses still occur all over the globe. Hopefully, through this work, Al Jazeera can play some role in helping people around the world who have suffered too long in silence."

"We are pleased to have Sami back at work, performing a role that is very important to Al Jazeera. The network has always strived to provide a voice to the voiceless and to tell the story of the weak and abused, and by creating this new position, we are further demonstrating this commitment. We hope that our work will help those who feel alone and realize that they have friends and allies who care about their plight," adds Al Jazeera Network DG Wadah Khanfar.