Mehdi Zana (born 20 December 1940) is an author and former

Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish language ** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji) **Central Kurdish (Sorani) **Southern Kurdish ** Laki Kurdish *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern ...

politician from

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. At: "KORT BIOGRAFI ÖVER FÖRFATTAREN OCH POLITIKERN MEHDI ZANA" He is prominent Kurdish political activist a former Mayor of Diyarbakır. Following the coup de état in 1980 he was imprisoned for more than ten years.

Early life and education

Born in Silvan, Turkey Zana went to the local elementary school but did not finish high school. He began work as a tailor at a shop owned by a prominent Kurdist intellectual, Niyazi Tatlıcı. The tailor workshop has been described as a sort of a "university" by political activists of the time. In the Eastern Meetings (''Doğu mitingleri)'' he attempted to organize a Kurdish theater tour through four villages in Diyarbakir but didn't succeed. Besides he was also involved in the Revolutionary Cultural Eastern Hearths (DDKO).

Political career

In 1963 he became a member of Workers Party of Turkey (TİP) of which two years later he became the head of the Silvan branch. While in Silvan, he supported the establishment of a theater company with the aim to draw interest on socialism and the Kurdishness. In the parliamentary election of 1969 the TIP, unsuccessfully put him forward as candidate for Diyarbakir. He was straight forward and urged the people to acknowledge their Kurdishness and changed his Turkish given name Bilici into the Kurdish equivalent. Due to his activism, he was detained for a year in the late 1960s and again between 1971 and 1974. He also undertook journeys towards Syria and Iran, during which he attempted to extend his Kurdish political network. In August 1977, he made his candidacy to the mayorship of Diyarbakir known to the public. During the electoral campaign he often held speeches in Kurdish, and focused on a Kurdish "we" and a Turkish "they". He rallied for the support of the Kurdish tribes, of which the tribes of the Omeyran and the Botan also supported him. In the local elections of December 1977 he was elected as the first independent

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

mayor of

Diyarbakır Diyarbakır is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province. Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortress, it is ...

. He won against the candidate supported by the TIP and the pro-Kurdish DDKO, Yahya Mehmetoğlu. After the

1980 Turkish coup d'état The 1980 Turkish coup d'état (), headed by Chief of the General Staff General Kenan Evren, was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been the 1960 coup and the 1971 coup by memorandum. During ...

he was imprisoned until April 1991. After his release he went to France for medical treatment until February 1992. He was imprisoned again between 1994 and 1995.

Political views

As mayor he engaged with other Kurds in the aim to foment a transnational aid network. He encouraged the use of Kurdish language in the city council and the municipality. He encouraged the use of Kurdish language in the city council and the municipality. He undertook various trips to

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

and in 1979 several socialist-run cities in France sent fifteen trucks and buses to Diyarbakir as gift. As was a member of the DDKO, and a constant defender of Kurdish rights and acknowledged the Kurdish role in the

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily t ...

Personal life

Mehdi Zana has been married to politician Leyla Zana since 1975 and the couple has two children. He was imprisoned for 16 years during his life. After his release in 1995, he went to receive the

Sakharov Prize The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, commonly known as the Sakharov Prize, is an honorary award for individuals or groups who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought. Named after Russian scienti ...

in 1996 on behalf of his imprisoned wife, Leyla Zana. Following his release, has lived for several years in exile in Europe where he lived in

and

. Mehdi changed his name from the Turkish ''Bilici'' into the Kurdish equivalent ''Zana''.

Bibliography

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References

External links

* Congressman Bob Filner discusses Leyla and Mehdi Zana. {{DEFAULTSORT:Zana, Mehdi 1940 births Living people 20th-century mayors of places in Turkey Kurdish activists Turkish Kurdish politicians Mayors of Diyarbakır Turkish emigrants to Sweden Turkish human rights activists Turkish prisoners and detainees Workers' Party of Turkey politicians People expelled from public office Kurdish writers