President Barzani pays tribute to late Kurdish activist Mehdi Zana
Shafaq News- Erbil
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Saturday mourned Mehdi Zana, a prominent Kurdish politician in Turkiye, hailing his decades-long political career and the sacrifices he made in advocating for Kurdish rights.
Barzani extended his condolences to Leyla Zana, his wife, as well as to the family, relatives and friends of the late Zana.
Ji bo koça dawî ya siyasetmedarê naskirî yê Kurd Mehdî Zana, sersaxiyê li xanim Leyla Zana û hemû malbat, kesûkar û hevalên wî dikim.Xwedêjêrazî yek ji kesayetiyên diyar ên karwanê xebata siyasî ya Kurd li Tirkiyeyê bû, salên dûr û dirêj ji temenê xwe ji bo parastina mafên gelê…
— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) August 29, 2026
Born in 1940 in Silvan, Turkiye, Zana was elected mayor of Diyarbakir in 1977. He remained in office until the Sept. 12, 1980, military coup, after which he was imprisoned for 11 years. Following his release, Zana lived in exile in Sweden before returning to Turkiye in 2004.
