A live performance charting the final 24 hours of a death row prisoner before execution –– LIVESTREAM ENDED
A live performance charting the final 24 hours of a death row prisoner before execution –– LIVESTREAM ENDED
Actor Sarmad Khoosat, who played the role of Prisoner Z in No Time To Sleep, released a video message on Twitter to address the momentous response to his performance and thank viewers for engaging with a difficult subject.
Khoosat added that forming an opinion or taking a position on a subject as complicated as the death penalty is not easy, but the response to his endeavour reinforced his belief in hard work, intention and the power of art.
Watch his video message here:
Here's part two:
Take a look behind the scenes of No Time To Sleep, a groundbreaking 24-hour live performance charting the final day of a death row prisoner.
Starring Sarmad Khoosat as Prisoner Z, the performance went on without breaks for 24 hours and was streamed live across the world and right here on Dawn.com.
View the entire album here.
No Time to Sleep was covered in both national and international press, including by various desks at Dawn. Here are some of the notable publications that picked up the performance. Keep visiting the live blog for more updates in the coming days.
Times of India:
Outlook India: 24-hour Pak play depicts life of death row prisoners
Pakistan Today: Celebrities laud Sarmad Khoosat’s #NoTimeToSleep
The News: No Time To Sleep keeps audiences riveted
The News on Sunday: The final hour
Mangobaaz: The Final Moments Of Sarmad Khoosat’s Powerful Performance Are Making Me Question The Death Penalty
Images: No Time To Sleep is an emotionally charged look at capital punishment
ICON: Dead man streaming
Dawn.com: No Time to Sleep demonstrates the power of silence in performance art
Franceinfo: Une performance artistique pour sensibiliser à la peine de mort
Kuwait Times: #NoTimeToSleep: In the shoes of a dead man walking in Pakistan
MSN Asia: #NoTimeToSleep: In the shoes of a dead man walking in Pakistan
Yahoo News Singapore: #NoTimeToSleep: In the shoes of a dead man walking in Pakistan
Gulf News: #NoTimeToSleep: In the shoes of a dead man walking in Pakistan
Prisoner Z received a temporary stay of execution one hour before he was due to be hanged.
Z was brought back to the general population of the prison. He spent the following weeks educating his fellow inmates.
This story is inspired by the real life experience of Zufilqar Ali. Hours before dying, Zulfiqar asked a guard to tell his lawyers that he felt as though he lived another lifetime in that precious month.
Do you know the terrifying 24 hours a death row prisoner goes through before execution?
No Time to Sleep seeks to portray the same for audiences by charting the final days of Prisoner Z.
The role is played by Sarmad Khoosat and the performance goes on without any breaks.
No Time to Sleep is primarily about the tyranny of time that is both long and short – running slow and running out – while the ropes are tested.
The play is a project of Justice Project Pakistan, in collaboration with Olomopolo Media and Highlight Arts. The concept is by Ryan van Winkle. It will be directed by Kanwal Khoosat and has been produced by Iram Sana.
Scroll down the live blog for more.
UPDATE: Two lawyers from the Justice Project Pakistan have arrived outside the prison with a member of the victim’s family, who says he is willing to testify to forgive Prisoner Z — but the guards are not listening.
The guard’s four-hour shift has ended. A new guard will arrive to replace him.
Prisoner Z offers his Isha prayers.
Prisoner Z offers his Maghrib prayers
Prisoner Z offers his Asr prayers.
It is time for the change in the guards' shift.
The guards' shifts change every four hours. Each guard has a different relationship with Prisoner Z and a different level of comfort with him.
Prisoner Z offers his zuhr prayers.
A victim's family can forgive a death row prisoner. Here's one example:
Hanging Iqbal is detrimental for society. He was a boy, and he made a mistake and we are always more than the worst thing we have done.
Read the rest here.
UPDATE: Justice Project Pakistan are mediating conversations between the victim’s family and Prisoner Z’s family. Negotiations over the sum of blood money required for forgiveness are often arduous.
Prisoner Z is served his simple meal of tea and biscuits. This is the last time he will be allowed to eat today.
A new guard arrives to look over Prisoner Z.
The guards' shifts change every four hours. Each guard has a different relationship with Prisoner Z and a different level of comfort with him.
Prisoner Z’s family have arrived at Lahore Central Jail.
UPDATE: JPP’s application to the high court has been rejected.
Justice Project Pakistan are bringing their appeal for a stay of execution for Prisoner Z to the high court.
You can learn more about JPP and their work here.
The guards’ third shift of the day begins. Guards watch over the prisoner all day, right up until the moment he is taken to the gallows. Prisoner Z will never be alone as he waits for his execution.
The guards' shifts change every four hours. Each guard has a different relationship with Prisoner Z and a different level of comfort with him.
Prisoner Z’s simple breakfast of tea and biscuits is served after sunrise. Prisoners are denied all other food, in an effort to avoid any illness that may render them "unfit" for execution.
Prisoner Z rises for the first call to prayer of the day.
A prison guard arrives to continue the watch over Prisoner Z.
The guards' shifts change every four hours. Each guard has a different relationship with Prisoner Z and a different level of comfort with him.
Follow Prisoner Z live as he prepares for his execution
The guard’s four-hour shift has ended. It is time for another guard to come and watch over Prisoner Z.
The guard’s four-hour shift has ended. A new guard will arrive to replace him.
Prisoner Z offers his Isha prayers.
Prisoner Z is served dinner — a packet of biscuits and tea. This is all he can eat until his execution as per the jail manual.
Prisoner Z offers his Maghrib prayers
The assistant superintendent has visited Prisoner Z and has confirmed that prison regulations are being followed.
Executions weigh heavily on those carrying them out too, often leading to alcohol and substance abuse as a coping mechanism.
Prisoner Z offers his Asr prayers.
It is time for the change in the guards' shift.
The guards' shifts change every four hours. Each guard has a different relationship with Prisoner Z and a different level of comfort with him.
A formal acknowledgement of forgiveness will likely require a payment of blood money.
Some families choose to forgive. The family of the victim of a convicted death row prisoner named Iqbal forgave him and explained their decision.
UPDATE: Justice Project Pakistan have just now managed to find and contact a member of the victim’s family to discuss reconciliation.
The family member has still not confirmed their willingness to participate.
The ropes have been successfully tested at the jail by the executioner, using sandbags.
Here, an executioner describes how to tie the knot on a rope.
Family members do whatever they can to save the life of a loved one who is on death row. Prisoner Z’s father has vowed to offer nazarana at the Data Darbar shrine if his execution is halted.
The neighbourhood has arranged a Quran khwani for Z.
In the video below, a family prays and prepares to visit a family member on death row for the last time.
Prisoner Z’s brother has managed to borrow enough money from friends and neighbours for his father and Z’s daughters to get to Lahore.
Prisoner Z’s daughters are preparing to see their father for the final time. Zulfiqar, the inspiration for Z, was very worried about this daughters before his execution.
The assistant superintendent has visited Prisoner Z and has confirmed that prison regulations are being followed.
Prisoner Z offers his zuhr prayers.
Prisoner Z’s brother attempted to contact the victim’s family to try to arrange reconciliation with them. Their number was disconnected.
Justice Project Pakistan will be going to the high court tomorrow morning to petition for a stay of execution for Prisoner Z.
Prisoner Z’s father sacrificed the family goat when he heard about his execution. Z’s daughter is cooking mutton biryani, his favourite dish, to bring to him when they visit.
Meanwhile, Z is served his simple meal of tea and biscuits to keep him from gaining weight or getting ill.
