Al Jazeera staff allege harassment and bullying went unchecked

Kamahl Santamaria, a seasoned tv journalist, was conscionable 32 days into his occupation astatine New Zealand's apical broadcaster TVNZ erstwhile helium resigned.

A BBC probe - drafting connected interviews with respective existent and erstwhile employees astatine Al Jazeera, and documentary grounds of inappropriate messages and unit complaints - has recovered respective allegations of intersexual harassment against Mr Santamaria successful the broadcaster's Doha newsroom. Some accidental helium wasn't the lone one.

They besides impeach the institution of fostering a toxic enactment civilization wherever complaints of harassment, sexism, bullying and racism mostly spell unaddressed. Those who spoke to the BBC wished to stay anonymous due to the fact that they feared it would impact their careers. Their names person been changed.

Mr Santamaria did not respond straight to the BBC. But helium issued a public statement wherever helium acknowledged antecedently reported allegations, saying immoderate are "true, immoderate missing important context, immoderate outright lies and a rewriting of history".

In effect to the allegations made by the BBC, helium admitted to and apologised for "behaviour that whitethorn person made anyone consciousness uncomfortable" and what helium antecedently considered to beryllium "flirtatious, over-friendly, 'just a spot of banter', oregon simply wrong the bounds of acceptable successful the prevailing newsroom civilization was, successful fact, not".

The BBC sent Al Jazeera a elaborate database of the 22 allegations it had uncovered, but the broadcaster did not code them individually, alternatively saying it "considers its unit crossed the satellite the backbone and instauration of the institution - their information and wellbeing are of utmost importance". It added: "As an planetary organisation with implicit 95 nationalities, we continually strive to physique a steadfast and constructive enactment situation for all."

Employees besides told the BBC they conflict to rise issues successful Qatar, a tiny gas-rich authorities successful the bosom of the Gulf which has been criticised for its grounds connected quality rights and sex equality.

Many pointed to the opposition betwixt Mr Santamaria's departure from Al Jazeera - a arrogant tweet announcing the extremity of a palmy 16-year stint - and his hurried exit from TVNZ, seemingly forced by a flurry of allegations.

Mr Santamaria, who started his vocation arsenic a TV newsman successful New Zealand, was hired by Al Jazeera successful 2005 arsenic a presenter connected the English connection transmission successful Doha.

He rapidly roseate up the ranks, anchoring large stories from crossed the satellite specified arsenic the 2020 US statesmanlike predetermination and flagship programmes.

Those who knew him accidental helium was outgoing, chatty and an "exceptional broadcaster".

Tory was a young shaper astatine Al Jazeera erstwhile she says helium started paying her unwanted attention. She says helium would connection her connected Twitter saying helium was disposable for a cuddle and inquire wherefore she hadn't invited him connected her holiday. The BBC has seen grounds of inappropriate messages Mr Santamaria sent to colleagues connected Twitter, Whatsapp and interior Al Jazeera email.

"Then came the touching successful the office," Tory says. "A manus connected the shoulder, a weird hug, and the worst: the buss connected the cheek. On much than 1 juncture I had to spell to the bath to hitch Kamahl's saliva from my face."

Tory says she discussed Mr Santamaria's behaviour with astatine slightest 1 chap workfellow and a mid-level manager, some of whom person confirmed to the BBC these conversations took place.

"A nonrecreational antheral successful a superior newsroom should not person to beryllium told, much than once, not to connection his workfellow astir however blistery she looks oregon notation her 'tits' oregon invitation her to cuddle adjacent if helium thinks they are 'friends'," Tory says. More than 1 idiosyncratic has told the BBC that Mr Santamaria made comments astir his co-host's breasts.

Several existent and erstwhile colleagues allege that Mr Santamaria's behaviour had witnesses connected much than 1 occasion.

A antheral worker who presently works astatine Al Jazeera said Mr Santamaria kissed him connected the mouth, uninvited, successful the newsroom. A quality editor, present a elder leader, astatine the transmission allegedly witnessed it.

Another erstwhile inferior shaper said Mr Santamaria kissed her connected the cervix astatine enactment - successful beforehand of aggregate people. "I felt truthful embarrassed and mortified and truly disquieted that radical would deliberation I was progressive with him oregon trying to beryllium - I was inactive making friends, didn't person anyone successful absorption that I could've talked to astir it," she said.

Many of them described Mr Santamaria's behaviour arsenic brazen, but accidental they ne'er reported it due to the fact that they saw him arsenic a web star, portion they were conscionable starting retired successful the Middle East.

Fiona, who freelanced with Al Jazeera for 4 years, said Mr Santamaria tried to hug her successful the newsroom, marque intersexual comments and nonstop inappropriate texts - behaviour she called "textbook grooming".

She didn't formally complain, but she says she reported her acquisition to a mid-level manager who said, "Oh, he's not inactive doing that is he?" She says she was asked if she wanted to attack HR but did not privation to due to the fact that she was connected a short-term contract. She says she was past advised to disregard Mr Santamaria.

He stopped speaking to her aft that, she adds, but she warned caller employees astir him.

When the allegations became nationalist earlier this year, she says she had a panic attack.

"I had reported him six years ago, and thing was done," she says. "How galore much radical did helium bash this to since then?"

Fiona and others are asking wherefore their complaints against Mr Santamaria did not pb to an enquiry - dissimilar astatine TVNZ, which independently reviewed his hiring arsenic soon arsenic allegations emerged. TVNZ did not find responsibility with the recruitment process but the caput of quality who hired Mr Santamaria resigned.

A reckoning present appears to beryllium underway astatine Al Jazeera, wherever the BBC has learned that the allegations spell beyond Mr Santamaria and the newsroom.

A erstwhile shaper and analogous says astatine slightest 2 men different than Mr Santamaria harassed her. She says 1 was a manager who would inquire her implicit to his location erstwhile his woman was not astatine home, and the different was her enactment manager.

"I was truthful frightened that if I was excessively forceful successful stopping his advances, helium would descend my career," she said.

Multiple women and men successful different section astatine Al Jazeera person besides alleged harassment against a mid-level manager.

"He has said the astir inappropriate worldly - helium asks antheral employees erstwhile they are getting a 2nd woman oregon if they've mislaid their virginity yet. He talks astir enactment during Ramadan and asks hijabis what colour their hairsbreadth is," 1 of the women said.

She said astatine slightest 1 of her colleagues has resigned due to the fact that of this. The BBC spoke to different staffer who confirmed helium witnessed harassment by this man.

This antheral has present near Al Jazeera, according to members of his section - months aft allegations against him surfaced.

"People are aggravated astir each sorts of things and they don't consciousness they tin talk retired successful Al Jazeera and successful Qatar," said David, a erstwhile worker who says helium resigned due to the fact that of bullying and harassment.

He says helium and others were publically humiliated - what helium describes arsenic a "hostile dressing down" - aggregate times by 1 colleague. He says the pistillate besides "belittled" him and often "heckled" elder colleagues astatine meetings.

Everyone successful the team, including elder producers, was "terrified" of her, according to David, due to the fact that of her "domineering" and "rude" manner. But, helium adds, fewer complained astir her due to the fact that she was adjacent to a apical manager.

"We're each numb," said different existent employee. "The words 'collective trauma' are being thrown astir by erstwhile and existent staff."

Several employees person been harassed and bullied for "years and years and years", according to Liam, who works successful the Doha newsroom.

The BBC has besides learned of alleged bullying successful Al Jazeera's London newsroom. And astatine slightest 2 radical described an incidental successful different bureau, wherever a antheral bureau main pushed a young pistillate analogous causing her to autumn over.

"Kamahl was the catalyst," David says.

Current employees accidental that since the allegations astatine TVNZ emerged, absorption has held meetings on with HR - but Liam called them a "farce", adding that determination has been nary notation of an probe yet.

Everyone the BBC spoke to said they fearfulness speaking up due to the fact that each facet of their lives is linked to their jobs.

The hiring strategy successful Qatar ties the enactment visa, children's school, lodging and different benefits to a circumstantial institution - truthful workers conflict to permission abusive jobs, said Marti Flacks, a elder chap astatine the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

They are besides reluctant to study abusive and inappropriate behaviour, Ms Flacks added, due to the fact that they look "challenges accessing effectual remedy, specified arsenic compensation".

While Al Jazeera says it is independent, it is funded by the Emir of Qatar and its journalists don't study connected each facet of the state. Local laws besides restrict state of speech.

Employees accidental they person small assurance that the allegations volition pb to alteration astatine Al Jazeera, wherever they impeach managers of looking the different mode for years.

"Management and HR surely knew astir Kamahl Santamaria," said Katie Turner, a erstwhile quality exertion astatine Al Jazeera successful Doha. She was ne'er targeted but has been vocal astir what she witnessed astatine Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera HR had received complaints of harassment successful the newsroom, according to her. During her exit interview, erstwhile she hesitated earlier naming Mr Santamaria, she says the HR manager asked if it was different elder leader.

"It was astatine that infinitesimal that I realised determination was a wider problem," she adds.

The BBC has seen an email from 2016 flagging intersexual harassment, bullying, nepotism and toxic behaviour - it was sent to a quality editor, present a elder manager. He replied saying helium would instrumentality it higher, adding "I anticipation it trickles to the Sheikh," a notation to the manager of news. But astatine slightest 10 employees told the BBC the manager of quality was aware, and continued to springiness Mr Santamaria on-air opportunities.

Employees the BBC spoke to accidental that elder managers were ill-equipped to woody with bullying and harassment, and that the HR argumentation was unclear.

David says that erstwhile helium complained astir bullying and harassment successful the newsroom, helium was told absorption examined his complaint, and subsequently moved the accused to a antithetic department, albeit with the aforesaid responsibilities.

"It was lone erstwhile I resigned and had an exit interrogation that I realised HR had not been progressive successful the process astatine all," David said.

In effect to a BBC petition for comment, Al Jazeera said: "Our anti-harassment policies are clear, comprehensive, and disposable to each employees. As is evident successful respective caller cases, each ceremonial ailment by our unit is taken highly earnestly with the due remedial enactment taken aft thorough probe of the claims being made."

Victims accidental a disregard for policy, a "culture of forgiving behaviour" and the extortion of "people considered to beryllium supra the law" are peculiarly frustrating successful 2022 - particularly successful a planetary newsroom similar Al Jazeera's, and particularly successful the aftermath of the #MeToo movement, which the web reported connected extensively.

"In 2022, determination is an precocious bounds of what elder managers tin get distant with," a existent worker said.

"At Al Jazeera, determination is nary precocious limit."

All victims' names person been changed upon petition to support their identity.