Day of the Imprisoned Writer

İlhan Sami Çomak is a prize-winning poet, recipient of the Sennur Sezer poetry prize (1999), the Metin Altıok prize (2022) and the Norwegian Authors’ Union Freedom of Expression award (2022) member of the Writers’ Union of Turkey, prize-winning playwright and honorary member of the following PEN Centres:  PEN Norway, Wales PEN Cymru, Irish PEN Na H’Eireann, PEN Sydney and PEN Austria.  He has been in poetic conversation by letter with over 80 world-renowned poets and has a huge poetic family extending all over the globe.

Liz McManus is a novelist and short story writer. She was born in Montreal, Canada. She grew up in Ireland and has worked as an architect in Derry, Galway and Dublin. She was a columnist for seven years with The Sunday Tribune newspaper. Her literary  awards include Listowel, Irish Pen (Short Story awards) and the Hennessy Award for New Irish Writing. Her first novel, Acts of Subversion (Poolbeg) was shortlisted for the Aer Lingus/Irish Times award. A Shadow in the Yard (Ward River Press) her second novel was published in 2013 and her latest novel When Things Come to Light (Arlen House) was published in 2013. She was a member of Wicklow Co Council and was elected to Dail Eireann in 1992 and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal (1994-97). She chaired the Commission on the Needs of Travellers and has been a long-time campaigner for Women’s Rights. She has an MPhil with Distinction in Creative Writing (TCD 2012). Residencies include the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig and the Hienrich Boll cottage on Achill Island. In July 2024 she was awarded outright a PhD in Philosophy (Creative Writing) at the University of Limerick. Currently she is Co Chair of Irish PEN/PEN na hEireann.

Ipek Ozel is an academic at the faculty of law, with a focus on human rights, law and prison studies. Lecturing for the last 27 years. Advocating for students in prisons for the last 15 years.  Ipek has served as a McKenzie Friend to 8 students who were long term prisoners and has followed up on many trials of students charged with political crimes. She has been one of Ilhan Sami’s staunchest supporters and friends.