Ilham Sami Çomak is finally free after serving 30 years in prison. Accused of terrorism, his prosecution was declared illegal by the European Court of Human Rights. Despite this, Ilham’s appeals were repeatedly denied, and even his parole request was rejected last August by the parole board at Marmara Prison in Istanbul. It was only on November 26, 2024, that a Turkish court finally ordered his release.
Now 51 years old, Ilham was just 21 when he was incarcerated. During his imprisonment, he wrote eight collections of poetry and received prestigious awards, including the Sennur Sezer Poetry Prize in 2019 and the Norwegian Writers’ Union’s Freedom of Expression Prize in 2022. His poetry, rich with themes of memory, family, and a deep connection to nature, reveals the resilience of the human spirit and the power of beauty to endure even in the darkest times.
Caroline Stockford, PEN Norway’s Turkey Advisor and Ilham’s translator expressed her joy at his release:
“We are very happy to see him reunited now with his freedom, family, and friends. Ilham is a great poet who suffered an even greater injustice, and we are thrilled that he can finally enjoy his freedom.”
Earlier this year, on his birthday, Ilham shared a heartfelt message:
“Dear friends, I will soon leave behind me 30 years of imprisonment, and it won’t be long until I get out. This will be the last birthday I will experience in prison. Freedom really is very close now—so close that I’ve begun to almost smell it as if it were right next to me.”
Pressenza, which has supported the campaign for Ilham’s freedom since 2020, joins in celebrating his release. We hope to meet Ilham soon, interviewing him not from behind prison walls, but anywhere in the world where his words can echo freely. May his poetry continue to touch hearts everywhere and celebrate the triumph of freedom.
İlhan Sami Çomak, “Uzun süre mahpus olmanın getirdiği o mağduriyetin tanınmamda bir katkısı var ama esas olarak yazıp çizdiklerimle bir şair ve yazar olarak bilindim. Bundan sonraki süreçte de hayatımın odağında şiir, edebiyat olacak.”pic.twitter.com/VtBRcUjs9t
— Türkan Güneri (@guneristann) November 28, 2024