Leyla Zana, one of the most prominent figures in Kurdish politics since the early 1990s, has reiterated her support for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question, highlighting Abdullah Öcalan’s recent call as a “historic opportunity” for lasting peace.
Zana, who has long been recognised for her resistance against oppression—particularly during the 1980 military coup, when her husband, then mayor of Diyarbakır, was imprisoned—was also the first Kurdish woman elected to Turkey’s parliament in 1991. Her tenure was marked by controversy when she delivered part of her oath in Kurdish, referring to the “brother- and sisterhood” of Kurdish and Turkish people at a time of intense state denial of Kurdish identity, and widespread uprisings led by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority regions.
Leyla Zana delivered part of her oath at 1991’s opening session of the national assembly in Kurdish, referring to the “brother- and sisterhood” of Kurdish and Turkish peoples.
In 1994, Zana and a number of other pro-Kurdish MPs were stripped of their parliamentary immunity, arrested and sentenced to imprisonment. Zana remained incarcerated for a decade before being released in 2004. During her imprisonment, she was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought by the European Parliament in recognition of her advocacy for democracy and human rights.
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Zana later played a key role in the 2013-2015 peace process between the Turkish government and the PKK, engaging in dialogue with political leaders, which included then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. However, the negotiations collapsed unilaterally in 2015, with Erdoğan rejecting further talks, leading to a resurgence of conflict and political repression of the Kurdish movement.
Zana stressed the need for a decisive response to Öcalan’s recent appeal in a statement released on X on Sunday, coinciding with the anniversary of the Halabja massacre.
“The pain of the Halabja massacre, an instance of genocide witnessed by the whole world 37 years ago, remains fresh,” she wrote. “On this anniversary of Halabja’s unhealed wound, Öcalan’s call presents a historic opportunity to end massacres across the Middle East and Kurdistan. Bringing this call to life and implementing it under his leadership is of vital importance.”
She stressed that despite decades of massacres, repression and threats, Kurds have never submitted, and remain steadfast in their pursuit of an honourable and lasting peace.
“We must not shy away from taking responsibility to prevent these tragedies from happening again. Building something new is difficult, but it is the most realistic path forward. It requires effort, courage and determination.”
Addressing Turkey’s political leadership directly, Zana called on both government and opposition figures, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, to embrace this moment for peace.
“This historic time demands initiative for life, not death. It is a shared responsibility for all of us,” she wrote, adding, “Peace is prosperity. It is life.”
This latest statement follows a message she shared in October, after Öcalan was permitted his first family visit in over four years, in which she again stressed the urgent need for reconciliation.
Zana’s remarks add to growing calls for a political resolution to the Kurdish issue amid renewed discussions surrounding Öcalan’s imprisonment and the broader implications for Turkey’s future stability.
