Al Jazeera has restarted the process of opening a new bureau in Madrid, Spain. The opening of the bureau was initiated over two years ago by Al Jazeeras correspondent Tayseer Allouny but was interrupted following his arrest and imprisonment. From the jail near Madrid, Allouny has sent a letter urging Al Jazeera to proceed with the opening of the bureau in Spain, and efforts are currently underway to have a fully functional bureau open within the near future.
Al Jazeera has announced that Allouny will head the Madrid Bureau as planned, and an acting bureau chief will be appointed until Tayseer Allouny’s release.
When earlier this year, the Spanish Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Spain, despite the fact that he was acquitted over alleged links with Al Qaeda, the channel stated that it was considering an appeal to the Constitutional Court to help Allouny regain his freedom.
“Tayseer is recognized by the journalistic community as a distinguished correspondent known for his integrity and commitment to the profession and Al Jazeera will continue to fully support him and the efforts to appeal his case, said Wadah Khanfar, the Director General of the Al Jazeera Network.