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Mohammed Al BahishA man living at the airport
Date of Birth: 01.01.1987
Country:  Iraq |
Content:
- The Man Living in the Airport
- A Refugee's Journey
- Deportation and Transit Limbo
- Airport Residence
- Seeking Asylum
- A Real-Life Terminal
The Man Living in the Airport
Muhammad Al Bahish, a 26-year-old Palestinian born in Iraq, resides in a tiny, windowless room at Almaty Airport. His plight echoes the character played by Tom Hanks in the movie "The Terminal."
A Refugee's Journey
Al Bahish, a refugee, lost his mother and father to violence. He holds a degree in interior design and previously worked in Dubai, where he met Olesya Grishenko, a Kazakhstani woman. They fell in love and planned to marry, but bureaucratic hurdles and visa issues made it difficult.
Deportation and Transit Limbo
Al Bahish left Kazakhstan to renew his visa in Turkey, but was denied re-entry due to a violation of visa regulations. He found himself stranded in Almaty Airport, unable to return to Palestine (denied by Israel), Iraq (his former refugee status), or Turkey (visa refusal).
Airport Residence
Trapped in the airport transit zone, Al Bahish relies on Air Astana for daily meals and weekly visits from Olesya, who brings clean clothes and homemade food. He faces deportation from Kazakhstan in four years for violating visa laws.
Seeking Asylum
Al Bahish's case is under review by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He and Olesya hope to be granted asylum in Europe. However, the duration of his airport residency remains uncertain.
A Real-Life Terminal
Al Bahish's story parallels that of Tom Hanks' character in "The Terminal." While the film character eventually found a happy ending, the outcome of Al Bahish's plight remains unknown. His fate lies in the hands of governments and international organizations as he waits in a strange and uncertain limbo within the confines of an airport.
