Leyla Zana

Overview

Leyla Zana born Silvan, Diyarbakır May 3, 1961. Turkish Kurd politician; first Kurdish woman elected to national parliament, 1991. Sentenced to 15-year prison term for wearing Kurdish colors, 1994.

Quotations

"As human beings, naturally, Kurds also demand to be trained and educated in their mother tongues." (accepting Sakharov Prize from prison, Jan. 17, 1996; photo malpress.com)