The late Governor · Director General of Security

Necati Bilican

14 April 19419 November 2026

A statesman who devoted his life to his state and his nation.

Life

From Ardahan to the highest ranks of the state

Necati Bilican was born on 14 April 1941 in the village of Özbaşı, Posof, Ardahan, the son of Enver Efendi and Fatma Hanım. He completed his schooling in Ağrı, Kars and Erzurum, graduated from Istanbul University's Faculty of Law in 1965 and served as a reserve officer.

Entering the civil administration in Istanbul in 1968, he served as district governor in six districts including Bodrum, as Director General of Personnel at the Ministry of the Interior, as governor of Denizli, Edirne and the State of Emergency Region, and three times as Director General of Security. He was a graduate of the State Language School and spoke English.

38 yearsof public service, 1968 to 2006

6districts as district governor

3governorships

3terms as Director General of Security

Official CV (PDF, Turkish)

Career

A life of service

1941

Özbaşı, Posof, Ardahan

Born on 14 April. Completed primary and secondary school in Ağrı, Kars and Erzurum.

1965

Istanbul University Faculty of Law

Graduated in law.

1965

Reserve officer, Ağrı

Served two years as a reserve officer in an artillery regiment in Ağrı under Colonel Salih Pehlivanoğlu, where he came to know the colonel's daughter, Nazan.

1968

Istanbul, district governor candidate

Joined the civil administration on 22 May 1968.

1969

Marriage, Bursa

Married Nazan in Bursa on 29 March 1969.

1969

District Governor of Ladik, Samsun

Served from 1969 to 1970.

1970

District Governor of Yenipazar, Aydın

Appointed after completing the 50th District Governors' Course.

1970s

District Governor of Karahallı, Uşak

1970s

District Governor of Gürpınar, Van

1970s

District Governor of Nallıhan, Ankara

1980

Deputy Director General of Personnel

Ministry of the Interior.

1981

District Governor of Bodrum

Served in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

1983

Director General of Personnel

Ministry of the Interior, until 1985.

1985

Governor of Denizli

16 June 1985 to 15 April 1990. Led the vocational training centre to its own building; the school bears his name today.

1990

Director General of Security, first term

16 April 1990 to 9 July 1991.

1991

Governor of Edirne

22 July 1991 to 20 February 1992; the 33rd governor of Edirne of the Republic.

1992

Central Governor

Ministry of the Interior.

1996

Governor of the State of Emergency Region

Appointed on 9 April 1996, serving until 1997.

1997

Director General of Security, second term

1 August 1997 to 11 June 1998.

1998

Director General of Security, third term

18 July 1998 to 9 June 1999.

2000

Central Governor

2000 to 2006, Ministry of the Interior.

2006

Retirement

Retired after 38 years of public service, thanked by Interior Minister Abdülkadir Aksu in a letter dated 8 August 2006.

2026

Passing

Passed away on 9 November, aged 85.

The price of service

Two assassination attempts

As Governor of the State of Emergency Region and as Director General of Security, Necati Bilican was the target of two separate assassination attempts. He carried on with his duties through these years of the state's heaviest responsibilities.

Details will be added from the family archive and official sources.

Family

A family man

Parents

Enver Efendi and Fatma Hanım

Özbaşı, Posof, Ardahan.

Wife

Nazan Bilican

Daughter of Colonel Salih Pehlivanoğlu of Bursa. They married in Bursa on 29 March 1969. She chaired the Police Officers' Wives Solidarity Association during his years as Director General.

Children

Neslihan Bilican

Murat Bilican

Grandchildren

Ada Necati Bilican

Pars Bilican

Selin Güney

Siblings

Mülkiye (d. 19 March 1991), Melahat, Nevzat and Türkan Bilican

Nephews and nieces

Ertuğrul, Hatice (d. 6 August 2026) and Lübeyne Bilican; Pınar and Işıl Bilican; Ceyda.

Where it all began

In an artillery regiment in Ağrı

After law school, Necati Bilican did his two years of military service as a reserve officer in an artillery regiment in Ağrı, commanded by Colonel Salih Pehlivanoğlu. The colonel noticed the young officer early and watched his diligence with quiet admiration.

The colonel's daughter, Nazan, was at university and spent her summer holidays with her family in Ağrı. Necati Bilican saw her, but could say nothing: she was his commander's daughter.

When his service ended and he returned to his post, he found the courage to stand before Colonel Pehlivanoğlu. Having watched him for two years, the colonel said yes before even asking his daughter.

That is where the story began. They married in Bursa on 29 March 1969.

Legacy

What he left behind

Denizli

Vali Necati Bilican Vocational Training Centre

The school he championed as governor moved into its own building on 26 September 1986 and today teaches 1,625 students with 63 teachers.

Denizli · 1985–1990

A bridge between state and citizen

Remembered for building strong dialogue between the state, the military and citizens in the years of normalisation after 1980.

Edirne · 1991–1992

33rd Governor of Edirne

The Governorship of Edirne honoured him with a message of condolence after his passing.

1998

Bureaucrat of the Year

Named Turkey's Bureaucrat of the Year 1998 by GESİAD, the Gebze Industrialists and Businessmen's Association.

Scholarship

Vali Necati Bilican Scholarship

His family is preparing a scholarship in his name for students of the Denizli school. Details will be announced here.

Condolences

Messages from the state and institutions

12 November 2026

"May God have mercy on the deceased; we offer our condolences and patience to his family, relatives and all who loved him."

Governorship of Edirne (translated)

Being compiled

Other institutions

Further messages will be added in date order.

To share a memory, please use the memory book on the Turkish page.

Final journey

May he rest in peace

Following the midday prayer at Şakirin Mosque, Karacaahmet, on Thursday 12 November 2026, he was laid to rest in the family plot.

Resting placeKaracaahmet Cemetery, family plot · Istanbul

Passed away 9 November 2026Laid to rest 12 November 2026Annual remembrance 9 November

To everyone who shared our grief, attended the funeral, sent flowers, called and wrote to us, and to the esteemed institutions and officials of our state: our deepest thanks on behalf of the family.The Bilican Family