HALİL İBRAHİM ÖZCAN

He was born in Talas, Kayseri. He completed his primary and secondary education in Kayseri. After graduating from Kayseri Vocational School and Kayseri Education Institute, he worked as a teacher and school principal in Giresun and Kayseri for three years. Later, he graduated from the Department of Turkish Language and Literature at Anadolu University. He lived in Syria and Lebanon for some time. Between 1981 and 1991, he was held as a political prisoner in nine different prisons across the country. His early works were published in literary magazines such as Defter, Sombahar, Yaba, Yazıt, İmge Öyküler, Edebiyat Dostları, and Varlık, among others.

He compiled the “Prison Poetry Anthology” (Cezaevi Şiir Antolojisi). Subsequently, Metis Publications released his first short story collection, titled Randevu Hazırlığı (Preparation for a Rendezvous). His poetry collection Kırık Zar (Broken Die), which won the Orhon Murat Arıburnu Award in 1997, and the collection Yüzünü Temiz Tut Ecel Her An Gelebilir (Keep Your Face Clean; Death May Come at Any Moment) were published in 2000.

Second editions of these two poetry books were released by Nokta Kitap. His novel Ejderha Yılları (Dragon Years) was published by Gendaş Publications in 2001, and a second edition of this book was also released by Nokta Kitap. His poetry book Kavgalı Küçük Fener (The Quarrelsome Little Lantern) was published in 2005, followed by the novel Çankaya’nın Duvaksız Gelini Fikriye (Fikriye: Çankaya’s Veilless Bride) in 2007. His novel Küller Arasında Haçin (Haçin Amidst the Ashes) was published in November 2009, and its second edition was released by Belge Publications. (2016)

Her poems have been translated into English, Arabic, Romanian, Albanian, German, Persian, Italian, and Uyghur; her short stories into English and Arabic; and her novel Çankaya’nın Duvaksız Gelini Fikriye into Arabic and Persian. Her poetry collection Kırık Zar was translated into Romanian by Niculina Oprea in 2020.

The author has participated in poetry festivals abroad, including in Urmia (Iran); Raqqa, Damascus, and Latakia (Syria); and Tetovo (Macedonia). At the 2008 Frankfurt Book Fair, the author served on the writers’ commission and the “Reading Culture” commission during the 4^th National Publishing Congress.

As a founding member of the Ural – Altaic Network within International PEN, the author has visited and presented papers in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Crimea, Denmark, Sweden (Lund), and elsewhere.

Representing PEN Turkey, the author has traveled to and presented papers in Germany, Canada, Iceland, South Korea, Mongolia, Spain, Kyrgyzstan, and Bulgaria.

Active in various literary organizations and working as both an editor and a film actor, the author served for many years as the Second President of the International PEN Turkey Center and as Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee. The author has held the presidency of PEN Turkey since January 26, 2026.

Works: Prison Poetry Anthology. Poetry books: Kırık Zar (Broken Die), Yüzünü Temiz Tut Ecel Her An Gelebilir (Keep Your Face Clean; Death May Come at Any Moment), Kavgalı Küçük Fener (The Quarrelsome Little Lantern), Gergin Bir Yaz Gibi (Like a Tense Summer). Short story collections: Randevu Hazırlığı (Preparing for a Rendezvous), Ağlarsam Haberim Olsun (Let Me Know If I Cry). Novels: Ejderha Yılları (Years of the Dragon), Çankaya’nın Duvaksız Gelini Fikriye (Fikriye: Çankaya’s Veilless Bride), Küller Arasında Haçin (Haçin Amidst the Ashes), Rüzgâra Karşı Yürüyen Adam Nazım (Nazım: The Man Walking Against the Wind), Renklere Son Veda Tarlabaşı (Final Farewell to Colors: Tarlabaşı), Yıldırım Beyazit. Screenplay: Ejderha Yılları (Years of the Dragon).