Suzan Zengin

Suzan Zengin (1959 – October 12, 2011) was a Turkish journalist, translator and human rights activist. She was detained on accusation of membership in an illegal organization for almost two years.

Suzan Zengin
Born1959
DiedOctober 12, 2011(2011-10-12) (aged 51–52)
Istanbul, Turkey
NationalityTurkish
OccupationJournalist, translator
Children2

Early years

Suzan Zengin was born as one of the six children of a family from Sivas in 1959. At the age of ten, she went to Germany, where she lived 18 years. During her education there, she was interested in the problems of immigrants.[1]

She married Bekir Zengin and gave birth to two children.[1]

Journalist and translator career

Suzan Zengin had been an employee of the "Umut Publishing" since 2003, and a journalist since 2007 for the daily İşçi-Köylü Gazetesi (literally: "Workers'-Peasants' Newspaper") issued by the same publisher. She was the local representative of the newspaper in Kartal, Istanbul Province.[1][2][3][4] Zengin was a human rights activist,[3] and worked also for the Human Rights Association of Turkey (İHD).[1]

She translated a number of anthologies into Turkish language including Kıbrıs Elen Edebiyatı ("Hellenic Literature of Cyprus"), Selanik Öyküleri ("Stories of Thessaloniki"), Süryani Halk Öykü ve Türküleri ("Stories and Folk Songs of Assyrians"). During her confinement, she translated the book Persecution, Expulsion and Annihilation of the Christian population in the Ottoman Empire, 1912-22 ("Birinci Dünya Savaşı ve Sonrasında Anadolu Hristiyanlarının Sürgün, Kıyım ve Tasfiyesi") written by the German historian Tessa Hofmann (Savvidis), and made it ready for publication.[1]

Arrest

Zengin was detained in Bakırköy Women's Prison on August 29, 2009 after she was arrested the day before while her residence was raided by police.[4] Her trial began only on August 26, 2010.[1][3] She was accused of membership in the illegal and armed far-leftist organization TKP/ML TİKKO.[1] She faced a 15-year sentence in prison according to the indictment.[3]

In the prison, she contracted health issues, which continuously worsened during her incarceration. She was released from the prison after almost two years on June 11, 2011.[1][2][3]

Death

Zengin was treated for her illness, however, her health condition was much advanced. She underwent a cardiac surgery in a hospital for chest diseases in Koşuyolu, Üsküdar due to excessive vasodilation coronary vein. She died after 17 days in the intensive care station at the age of 52 in the night hours of October 12, 2011.[1][2][3][4]

Zengin was buried following a funeral service at a cemevi in Tuzla, Istanbul according to her religious belief of Alevism.[3]

References
  1. "Suzan Zengin öldü". Radikal (in Turkish). 2018-02-13. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  2. "Suzan Zengin'i Cezaevi Koşulları Öldürdü". Odatv (in Turkish). 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  3. "Suzan Zengin yaşamını yitirdi". Evrensel (in Turkish). 2013-10-11. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
  4. "Gazeteci Zengin hayatını kaybetti". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
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