Leyla Güven

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Leyla Güven

| image = Leyla Guven (cropped).jpg

| office = {{GNAT MP}}

| birth_place = Yapali, Cihanbeyli, Konya, Turkey

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1964|05|6}}

| termstart = 24 June 2018

| termend = 4 June 2020

| constituency = Hakkari (2018)

| office2 = Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Congress

| termstart2 = 2016

| occupation = Politician

}}

Leyla Güven (born 6 May 1964, Cihanbeyli, Konya, Turkey) is a Kurdish politician and HDP MP for Hakkari, co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and former mayor of the municipality of Viranşehir in the Şanlıurfa Province of Southeast Anatolia of Turkey, where she represented the former Democratic Society Party (DTP).

Early life and education

The seventh and youngest child of her family, Güven entered into an arranged marriage, in which she had two children who she brought up alone.{{cite web

|title = Leyla Güven

|publisher = Uçan Süpürge

|year = 2009

|url = http://www.ucansupurge.org/arsiv/www.ucansupurge.org/index6d8d.html?option=com_content&task=view&id=1762&Itemid=69

|accessdate = 2010-01-01

}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In 1980 she moved to Germany for family reasons, returning to Turkey in 1985.{{cite web

|title = Şanlıurfa - Viranşehir

|publisher = Güneydogu

|date = 2009-06-11

|url = http://www.guneydogu.org/haberler/sanliurfa_viransehir_2.html

|accessdate = 2010-01-01

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726134754/http://www.guneydogu.org/haberler/sanliurfa_viransehir_2.html

|archivedate = 2011-07-26

}}

In 1994 she set up the Konya branch of Peoples Democracy Party (HADEP) She was active for several years as the Provincial Woman Branch Chairwoman of HADEP, until the party was dissolved in 2003. This involved numerous brushes with the law. In 2000 she was arrested during a HADEP demonstration.{{cite web

|title = Annual report 2000

|publisher = Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (HRFT)

|year = 2001

|url = http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/docs/hrft2000report.pdf

|accessdate = 2010-01-01

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120226204605/http://www.tuerkeiforum.net/enw/docs/hrft2000report.pdf

|archivedate = 2012-02-26

}} She was elected Mayor of Küçükdikili, Adana in the 2004 local elections, when she stood as a candidate for the Social Democratic People's Party (SHP){{cite web

|title = Women in power and decision-making

|publisher = Turkey, Prime Ministry, General Directorate on the Status of Women

|year = 2008

|url = http://www.ksgm.gov.tr/Pdf/kararalma_ing.pdf

|accessdate = 2010-01-01

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090824061839/http://www.ksgm.gov.tr/Pdf/kararalma_ing.pdf

|archivedate = 2009-08-24

}}

In 2006 she was again prosecuted as one of the signatories of the ROJ TV petition to the Danish Prime Minister.{{cite web

|title= Construction of Kurdish Identity in the context of Globalization

|publisher= Roj TV Blogspot

|date= 2006-01-31

|url= http://rojtv.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html

|accessdate= 2010-01-01

|archive-date= 2019-02-04

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190204014750/http://rojtv.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html

|url-status= live

}} In October 2007, she was one of five mayors arrested for expressing solidarity with the arrested mayor Osman Keser.{{cite web

|title= Five DTP Mayors Arrested

|publisher= Info Turk

|year= 2007

|url= http://www.info-turk.be/350.htm

|accessdate= 2010-01-01

|archive-date= 2020-06-16

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200616161305/https://www.info-turk.be/350.htm

|url-status= live

}} On 20 May 2008 she was one of the signatories of the "Call for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish question in Turkey", published in the International Herald Tribune.{{cite web

|title= Call for a peaceful settlement of the Kurdish question in Turkey

|publisher= Institut Kurde

|date= 2008-05-20

|url= http://www.institutkurde.org/activites_culturelles/appels/imza/pdf/call_kurdish_question_in_turkey.pdf

|accessdate= 2010-01-01

|archive-date= 2011-09-27

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110927205952/http://www.institutkurde.org/activites_culturelles/appels/imza/pdf/call_kurdish_question_in_turkey.pdf

|url-status= live

}}

Politics

In the 2009 Turkish local elections Güven was elected Mayor of Viranşehir.{{Cite web|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/199077-court-rules-for-continuation-of-hdp-mp-leyla-guven-s-detention|title=Court Rules for Continuation of HDP MP Leyla Güven's Detention|date=11 July 2018|website=Bianet|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=15 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715210454/http://bianet.org/english/politics/199077-court-rules-for-continuation-of-hdp-mp-leyla-guven-s-detention|url-status=live}} She was appointed a member of the Congress of the Council of Europe in September 2009 and was a key speaker during the Congress Plenary session debate, 14 October 2009, on the situation of local democracy in Southeast Anatolia.{{cite web

|title= Speech by Mrs. Leyla Güven, Mayor of Viransehir, on the situation of local authorities in Southeast Anatolia

|publisher= Council of Europe

|date= 2009-10-14

|url= https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1533645&Site=Congress&BackColorInternet=e0cee1&BackColorIntranet=e0cee1&BackColorLogged=FFC679

|accessdate= 2010-01-01

|archive-date= 2016-03-03

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303205205/https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1533645&Site=Congress&BackColorInternet=e0cee1&BackColorIntranet=e0cee1&BackColorLogged=FFC679

|url-status= live

}}

On 24 December 2009, she was detained in a large crack-down of Kurdish politicians.{{cite web|title=Anti-PKK operations lead to detention of Kurdish mayors |publisher=Today's Zaman |date=2009-12-25 |url=http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/mobile.do?load=wapDetay&link=196573 |accessdate=2010-01-01 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Her trial began in October 2010. Commenting on these arrests, the head of the BBC office in Istanbul suggested that the Turkish prosecutors were "closing down the already limited opportunities for dialogue between the state and its largest minority".{{cite web

|title= AntTurkish anti-PKK op nets dozens

|publisher= BBC

|date= 2009-12-22

|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_8430000/8430044.stm

|accessdate= 2010-01-01

}}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In May 2010 Thomas Hammarberg, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, visited her in prison in Diyarbakir and issued a declaration expressing his concern at the continued detention of so many Kurdish local elected representatives.{{cite web

|title= Turkey: Commissioner Hammarberg concludes his visit to Diyarbakir and Ankara

|publisher=Council of Europe

|date=2010-05-26

|url= https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=PR420(2010)&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=DC&BackColorInternet=F5CA75&BackColorIntranet=F5CA75&BackColorLogged=A9BACE

|accessdate=2010-05-27}}

In July 2014, after four years of detention, Güven was released with 30 other local elected representatives held in Diyarbakir.{{cite web

|title= Congress pleased by release of Leyla Güven and the other elected representatives detained in Turkey

|publisher= Council of Europe

|date= 2014-07-03

|url= http://www.coe.int/t/congress/files/topics/leyla-guven/default_en.asp

|accessdate= 2014-09-24

|archive-date= 2017-07-15

|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170715114050/http://www.coe.int/t/congress/files/topics/leyla-guven/default_EN.asp

|url-status= live

}} On 26 March 2016 she was elected co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress together with Hatip Dicle.{{Cite web|url=http://www.kcd-dtk.org/english-2/|title=English – DEMOKRATİK TOPLUM KONGRESİ|language=tr-TR|access-date=2019-02-06|archive-date=2020-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427050815/https://www.kcd-dtk.org/english-2/|url-status=dead}}

On 22 January 2018, Güven was detained and nine days later arrested for her criticism of the Turkish Military Operation Olive Branch in Afrin.{{Cite web|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/203647-former-diyarbakir-co-mayor-kisanak-goes-on-10-day-hunger-strike-in-prison|title=Former Diyarbakır Co-Mayor Kışanak Goes on 10-Day Hunger Strike in Prison|last=Istanbul - BIA News Desk|date=18 December 2018}} It was alleged that the Democratic Society Congress, of which she is a co-chair, is part of the Kurdistan Communities Union and therefore she was accused of the foundation and leadership of a forbidden organization.{{Cite web|url=https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/tuerkei-unzensiert/burhan-ekinci-wo-bleibt-die-justiz-fuer-leyla-gueven-de-100.html|title=Wo bleibt die Justiz für Leyla Güven?|last=WDR|date=2018-11-16|website=www1.wdr.de|language=de|access-date=2019-02-07|archive-date=2019-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190119230729/https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/tuerkei-unzensiert/burhan-ekinci-wo-bleibt-die-justiz-fuer-leyla-gueven-de-100.html|url-status=live}}

In the Parliamentary Elections of the 24 June 2018, Güven was elected an MP for Hakkari. According to the Law as an MP she was granted parliamentary immunity and her release was issued by a judge on 29 June 2018. The prosecution appealed the verdict and the decision was reversed before she was released.{{Cite web|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/198740-verdict-of-release-issued-for-hdp-hakkari-mp-leyla-guven-reversed|title=Verdict of Release Issued for HDP Hakkari MP Leyla Güven Reversed|last=İstanbul - BIA News Desk|date=29 June 2018|website=Bianet|access-date=30 December 2018|archive-date=3 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703074044/http://bianet.org/english/politics/198740-verdict-of-release-issued-for-hdp-hakkari-mp-leyla-guven-reversed|url-status=live}} After a hunger strike and an international solidarity campaign{{Cite web|title=Statement of solidarity with HDP Deputy Leyla Güven|url=https://www.guengl.eu/statement-of-solidarity-with-hdp-deputy-leyla-guven/|access-date=2020-06-05|website=GUE/NGL|date=10 January 2019 |language=en|archive-date=2021-04-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416003226/https://www.guengl.eu/statement-of-solidarity-with-hdp-deputy-leyla-guven/|url-status=live}} she was released in January 2019 and on July of the same year she entered the parliament.{{Cite web|title=HDP lawmaker Güven sworn into Turkish parliament one year after election|url=https://ahvalnews.com/leyla-guven/hdp-lawmaker-guven-sworn-turkish-parliament-one-year-after-election|access-date=2020-06-04|website=Ahval|language=en|archive-date=2023-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230218001259/https://ahvalnews.com/leyla-guven/hdp-lawmaker-guven-sworn-turkish-parliament-one-year-after-election|url-status=live}}

In September 2019, a sentence over six years and 3 months was confirmed by the Supreme Court,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=24 September 2019|title=Supreme Court of Appeals Upholds Prison Sentences of 3 HDP MPs|url=http://bianet.org/english/law/213474-supreme-court-of-appeals-upholds-prison-sentences-of-3-hdp-mps|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312155919/https://bianet.org/english/law/213474-supreme-court-of-appeals-upholds-prison-sentences-of-3-hdp-mps|archive-date=12 March 2023|access-date=5 June 2020|website=Bianet|url-status=live}} but she was not arrested due to her parliamentary immunity. As an MP she supported the HDP mayors who were dismissed from their posts.{{Cite web|title=Leyla Güven: AKP is facing collapse|url=https://anfenglish.com/news/leyla-gueven-akp-is-facing-collapse-37565|access-date=2020-06-04|website=ANF News|language=en|archive-date=2024-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115103242/https://anfenglish.com/news/leyla-gueven-akp-is-facing-collapse-37565|url-status=live}} Due to the statement "Raise your voice against war in Rojava" during the Turkish invasion of north eastern Syria she is investigated for terrorist propaganda since 2019.{{Cite web|title=Pro-Kurdish leaders investigated by Turkey for opposing Syrian offensive|url=https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-politics/pro-kurdish-leaders-investigated-turkey-opposing-syrian-offensive|access-date=2020-10-21|website=Ahval|language=en|archive-date=2020-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024082727/https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-politics/pro-kurdish-leaders-investigated-turkey-opposing-syrian-offensive|url-status=dead}} The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) condemned her prosecution and demanded that the Turkish authorities comply with the human rights standards provided by the United Nations.{{Cite web|title=Turkey: Harassment of several HRDs as a reprisal for their calls for peace and respect of human rights in the context of the "Operation Peace Spring"|url=https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/turkey-harassment-of-several-hrds-as-a-reprisal-for-their-calls-for|access-date=2020-10-21|website=International Federation for Human Rights|language=en|archive-date=2020-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022233407/https://www.fidh.org/en/issues/human-rights-defenders/turkey-harassment-of-several-hrds-as-a-reprisal-for-their-calls-for|url-status=live}} On the 4 June 2020, she was dismissed from parliament together with fellow HDP politician Musa Farisoğulları and the journalist and Republican People's Party (CHP) politician Enis Berberoğlu and subsequently arrested due to her former conviction.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=5 June 2020|title=Stripped of MP Status, HDP's Güven and Farisoğulları, CHP's Berberoğlu Arrested|url=http://bianet.org/english/print/225268-stripped-of-mp-status-hdp-s-guven-and-farisogullari-chp-s-berberoglu-arrested|access-date=|website=Bianet}} On the 9 June she was released as two of her prison sentences were adapted in order to enable her release.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Stripped of MP Status, HDP's Leyla Güven Released|url=http://m.bianet.org/english/human-rights/225482-stripped-of-mp-status-hdp-s-leyla-guven-released|access-date=14 June 2020|website=Bianet}} On 21 December 2020, she was sentenced to over 22 years imprisonment on grounds that she encouraged the holding of and participated in manifestations and allegedly was a member of an illegal organization which supported Kurdish rebels.{{Cite web|title=Former Kurdish MP Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/europe_former-kurdish-mp-sentenced-22-years-prison/6199810.html|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Voice of America|date=21 December 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2020-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221131615/https://www.voanews.com/europe/former-kurdish-mp-sentenced-22-years-prison|url-status=live}} The next day she was arrested.{{Cite web|title=DTK Co-Chair Leyla Güven arrested|url=https://www.bianet.org/english/human-rights/236376-dtk-co-chair-leyla-guven-arrested|access-date=2020-12-25|website=Bianet - Bagimsiz Iletisim Agi}} On the 17 March 2021, the Turkish state prosecutor before the Court of Cassation Bekir Şahin filed a lawsuit before the Constitutional Court demanding for her and 866 other HDP politicians a five-year ban to engage in politics.{{Cite web|title=HDP indictment seeks political ban for 687 members, including Demirtaş, Buldan and Sancar|url=https://www.bianet.org/english/politics/241005-hdp-indictment-seeks-political-ban-for-687-members-including-demirtas-buldan-and-sancar|access-date=2021-03-19|website=Bianet|archive-date=2021-03-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210318130959/https://www.bianet.org/english/politics/241005-hdp-indictment-seeks-political-ban-for-687-members-including-demirtas-buldan-and-sancar|url-status=live}}

= Hunger strike =

File:8 mars 2019 - Paris République (40356000093).jpg

While in detention, on 7 November 2018, Güven declared she was going on a hunger strike to protest the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan, who was imprisoned on the island İmralı,{{Cite web|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/203647-former-diyarbakir-co-mayor-kisanak-goes-on-10-day-hunger-strike-in-prison|title=Former Diyarbakır Co-Mayor Kışanak Goes on 10-Day Hunger Strike in Prison|last=İstanbul - BIA News Desk|date=18 December 2018|website=Bianet|access-date=30 December 2018|archive-date=15 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115161542/https://bianet.org/haber/former-diyarbakir-co-mayor-kisanak-goes-on-10-day-hunger-strike-in-prison-203647|url-status=live}} who was a central figure in the Kurdish-Turkish peace process, About 250 political prisoners joined Güven with an indefinite hunger strike. During her hunger strike she only consumed Vitamin B and salty and sugary liquids. On 25 January 2019, after 79 days, Güven was released pending trial.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46999128|title=Kurdish MP free after 79-day hunger strike|date=2019-01-25|access-date=2019-01-25|language=en-GB|archive-date=2020-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200829170923/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46999128|url-status=live}} After her release she declared she would continue her hunger strike as her aim was not her own release but that of Öcalan.{{Cite news|url=https://www.taz.de/!5568464/|title=Kurdische Politikerin im Hungerstreik: "Ich setze meinen Protest fort"|last=Demir|first=Hayri|date=2019-01-28|work=Die Tageszeitung: taz|access-date=2019-01-29|language=de|issn=0931-9085|archive-date=2019-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422034947/http://www.taz.de/!5568464/|url-status=live}} On 4 February 2019 she was awarded an Honorary Citizenship of Paris.{{Cite web|url=https://anfenglish.com/news/paris-awards-leyla-guven-with-honorary-citizenship-32685|title=Paris awards Leyla Guven with honorary citizenship|website=ANF News|language=en|access-date=2019-02-06|archive-date=2019-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207072318/https://anfenglish.com/news/paris-awards-leyla-guven-with-honorary-citizenship-32685|url-status=live}} On 26 May 2019 she declared she would end her hunger strike due to the end of the isolation of Öcalan.{{Cite web|url=https://bianet.org/english/human-rights/208860-leyla-guven-i-end-my-hunger-strike|title=Leyla Güven: I End My Hunger Strike|date=26 May 2019|website=Bianet|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-date=26 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526155313/https://bianet.org/english/human-rights/208860-leyla-guven-i-end-my-hunger-strike|url-status=live}} On 10 July she took the oath necessary to take her seat in parliament.