Mehdi Zana
Encyclopedia
Mehdi Zana is a former Kurdish politician from Turkey
.
(TİP). Two years later he became the head of the party's Silvan branch.
In 1978 he was elected as the first independent socialist mayor of Diyarbakır
. After 1980 Turkish coup d'état, which made the Workers Party illegal, he was imprisoned in the Military Prison of Diyarbakır and incarcerated for 16 years. Zana then lived in Sweden
and Germany
, at last returning to Turkey in 2004.
After his incarceration he refused to speak Turkish again and only spoke in his native Kurdish language
.
Mehdi Zana has been married to politician Leyla Zana
since 1975 and the couple has two children.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Biography
Zana started to work as a tailor in Silvan after he graduated from elementary school. In 1963 he became a member of Workers Party of TurkeyWorkers Party of Turkey
Workers Party of Turkey was a Turkish political party, founded in 1961. It became the first socialist party in Turkey to win representation in the national parliament. It was banned twice and eventually merged with the Communist Party of Turkey in 1988.TİP was founded by a group of labor union...
(TİP). Two years later he became the head of the party's Silvan branch.
In 1978 he was elected as the first independent socialist mayor of Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
. After 1980 Turkish coup d'état, which made the Workers Party illegal, he was imprisoned in the Military Prison of Diyarbakır and incarcerated for 16 years. Zana then lived in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, at last returning to Turkey in 2004.
After his incarceration he refused to speak Turkish again and only spoke in his native Kurdish language
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
.
Mehdi Zana has been married to politician Leyla Zana
Leyla Zana
Leyla Zana , is a Kurdish politician, who was imprisoned for 10 years for her political actions which were claimed to be against the unity of Turkey. When she was a member of pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, she was banned from joining any political party for five years with the Constitutional...
since 1975 and the couple has two children.