Matthew Luke, former director of Al Jazeera America’s media and archive management, is suing his boss at the network, in Manhattan Supreme Court, for “overt misogynistic behavior and bias against women,” as well as “anti-American and anti-Semitic” diatribes suggesting “whoever supports Israel should die a fiery death in hell.”
Luke is seeking $15 million from Al Jazeera and his boss, one Osman Mahmud.
The suit claims that Mahmud’s M.O. was to replace women executives with Arab Muslim men, and an Israeli cameraman with a Palestinian; that he was moved up in the organization—owned by the House of Thani, the ruling family of Qatar—”because of his religion, nationality” and connections; and that he made anti-Semitic and anti-American statements around the office.
Luke believes he was fired because—as the company allegedly told him—he “did not fit into the company culture.” Luke’s attorney said in a statement:
“When Mr. Luke, an exemplary and loyal employee at Al Jazeera, reported the biased and discriminatory conduct of a high-level newsroom executive, the response was to circle the wagons and fire the messenger. This is a clear violation of the law. One would expect more from an organization whose mission statement is ‘to be recognized as the world’s leading and most trusted media network.’”
Speaking to the Erik Wemple Blog, Mahmud denied the allegations, and suggested the real problem was that Luke likes “yelling” at people. “He’s an aggressive person. He yells at you. He wants to have the plan according to his way of working.”
