Halil Uysal

Germany

Halil Ibrahim Uysal (1973-April 2008) (Kurdish: Xelîl Uysal) was a journalist and film director mainly focused on reporting on the Kurdish liberation movement. He later changed his surname to Dağ. He was born in Germany to a father of Turkish origin and a mother of Kurdish origin. After having finished primary school in Germany he studied at a private college in Izmir, Turkey. After studying in Izmir he came back to Germany and began to work and take additional courses in photography. As in 1994 with MED TV the first Kurdish satellite channel was founded, he was involved as a camera man and one of its few staff members.

In 2007 he had the project of filming the journey of PKK fighters from Iraqi Kurdistan to Tunceli, a journey that usually lasted about two months. During the journey clashes broke out and he got wounded. He was saved by a comrade and continued with the journey. But he was killed in a clash with the Turkish army on the 1 April 2008 in Besta, Şırnak. His movies are Tirej (Ray of Light, 2002), Eyna Bejne (Tall Mirror, 2002), Kilamek ji Zagrosê (A Ballad for Zagros), Firmeskên Ava Zê (Tears of Zap, 2005), Bêrîtan (2006).