Mehdi Zana, a famous Kurdish politician who was the first Mayor elected with a Kurdish identity in the Kurdish-populated city of Diyarbakir between 1977 and 1980 and was imprisoned for a total of 16 years for political reasons, died at the age of 86 in Diyarbakir. A ceremony was held for Mehdi Zana in front of the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality building. At the ceremony, Mehdi Zana's wife, former member of parliament and renowned Kurdish politician Leyla Zana, accepted condolences.