A female deputy from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party
(DTP) who was elected to Parliament as an independent, said on Tuesday that
there were eight “Leyla Zanas” in Parliament, referring to Leyla Zana, a Kurdish
legislator who was ousted from Parliament in 1994 for speaking Kurdish on the
floor of the house.
The DTP’s Sebahat Tuncel, who was released from prison upon her election, said
she appreciated the importance of freedom and democracy much more after her nine
months stint in jail. The deputy had been being tried on charges of having ties
to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Tuncel was speaking to a meeting of the Women’s Council of the
DTP which was evaluating the election results and planning future policy.
Stating that her constituents getting her out of prison by sending her to
Parliament was an important message, she said: “Sixteen years ago there was only
a single Leyla Zana in Parliament. Now there are eight.” She continued: “Our
real work starts at this point. Everybody’s eyes are fixed on us. We will be
under very closely monitored.”
Remarking that DTP deputies had made a good start, Tuncel expressed the hope for
drastic changes in Turkish politics.
