Mehmet Ali Birand

Mehmet Ali Birand
Born 9 December 1941
Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey
Died 17 January 2013 (aged 71)
Şişli, Istanbul, Turkey
Nationality Turkish
Ethnicity Turkish
Education Galatasaray High School
Occupation Journalist, political commentator and writer.
Years active 1964–2013
Religion Islam
Spouse(s) Cemre Birand
Children Umur Birand

Mehmet Ali Birand (9 December 1941 – 17 January 2013) was a Turkish journalist, political commentator and writer.

Biography

He was born to İzzet and his wife Mürvet on 9 December 1941 in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. He completed his high school education at Galatasaray High School.[1]

Career

Birand began his journalistic career in 1964 by writing in the newspaper Milliyet. In 1992, he joined Show TV and presented the news. Birand began hosting a political show titled 32. Gün (The 32nd Day), which was first on TRT in 1985 and then moved to other private TV channels as CNN Türk and Show TV. He also presented the daily news on CNN Türk. Before his death in 2013, he worked at Kanal D, hosting the news.[1]

He also authored several books including 30 Sıcak Gün, Diyet, Türkiye'nin Avrupa Macerası, 12 Eylül 04.00 and Emret Komutanım.

Birand was also a member of Galatasaray's board and uncommitted governance council.[2]

In 2006 he said that JITEM had asked Mahmut Yıldırım (Yeşil) to assassinate him, but that the operation was later cancelled, after Yıldırım had already investigated Birand's home security. Birand said that MIT chief Şenkal Atasagun was one of those who had told him of this episode.[3]

Death

Birand died on 17 January 2013 from complications of gallbladder surgery to replace a stent at the American Hospital in Istanbul. He had been receiving cancer treatment for a while. He was 71 years old.[4]

Newspapers worked for

Works

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Mehmet Ali Birand Biyografisi". Son dakika (in Turkish). Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. "Yönetim Kurulu Üyeleri". Kamuoyunu Aydınlatma Platformu (in Turkish). 21 September 2012.
  3. Today's Zaman, 14 May 2006, JITEM Wanted to Kill Birand
  4. "Prominent Turkish journalist, HDN columnist Birand passes away". Hürriyet Daily News. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.

External links