Lives Less Ordinary

Painting, prison and two decades in Guantanamo


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Mistaken for a terrorist, and detained without trial. Art became his refuge.

Pakistani taxi driver Ahmed Rabbani was arrested in 2002, labelled a terrorist and spent 21 years in US detention, including time in a CIA secret prison. Incarcerated without trial or charge, Ahmed was subject to enhanced interrogation, or what he describes as 62 different types of torture. When he was transferred to a cell in Guantanamo Bay, Ahmed would pick up paint and pastels and find solace through art – creating vistas he could only imagine.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar

Producer: Maryam Maruf
Voiceover: Mohammed Hanif

Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784

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Lives Less OrdinaryBy BBC World Service

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