Leyla Zana
Leyla Zana | |
|---|---|
Zana in 2007 | |
| Member of the Grand National Assembly | |
| In office 20 October 1991 – 30 June 1994 | |
| Constituency | Diyarbakır (1991) |
| In office 28 June 2011 – 11 January 2018 | |
| Constituency | Diyarbakır (2011) Ağrı (June 2015, Nov 2015) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 May 1961 Silvan, Diyarbakır, Turkey |
| Citizenship | Turkish |
| Political party | Democratic Society Party (2005–2009) Peoples' Democratic Party (2014–present) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Peace activist |
Leyla Zana (born 3 May 1961) is a Kurdish politician in Turkey. She was imprisoned for ten years for her political activism, which was deemed by the Turkish courts to be against the unity of the country. She was awarded the 1995 Sakharov Prize by the European Parliament but was unable to collect it until her release in 2004. She was also awarded the Rafto Prize in 1994 after being recognized by the Rafto Foundation for being incarcerated for her peaceful struggle for the human rights of the Kurdish people in Turkey and the neighbouring countries.