Hüseyin Olan (born 1959, Bitlis, Turkey) is a pharmacist and politician of the Green Left Party (YSP). Olan is a former mayor of Bitlis and since June 2023, a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

Early life and professional career

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Hüseyin Olan was born in Bitlis in 1959[1] where he also attended high school.[2] The Olan studied pharmacy at the Ege University in Izmir, from where he graduated in 1986.[1] Following he worked as a pharmacist in Bitlis.[2] From 2001 onwards,[2] Olan became involved in the Chamber of Phramcists and was also a member of the Central Committee of the Pharmacists Union.[1]

Political career

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Hüseyin Olan was involved in several pro-Kurdish parties from the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) onwards.[1] Having joined the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), he was elected the mayor of Bitlis in local elections of March 2014.[3] Under his mayorship, several streets were renamed, one of them after William Saroyan whose Armenian ancestors stemmed from Bitlis.[4] In November 2016, Olan was arrested with Nevin Daşdemir Dağkıran who served as a co-mayor over an investigation on terror related charges.[5] He was sentenced to 7 years and six months imprisonment[2] and was arrested in E type prison of Bitlis.[6] He was released in July 2022.[1] In the parliamentary elections of 2023, Hüseyin Olan was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, representing Bitlis for the YSP.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Olan: The Green Left Party is the address of peace and democracy". ANF News. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  2. ^ a b c d "Biographies of Kurdish Mayors in Prison" (PDF). HDPEurope. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  3. ^ Şafak, Yeni (2023-06-19). "Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları – Yerel Seçim Sonuçları Bitlis Yerel Seçim sonuçları". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  4. ^ "Bitlis Town Council Names 'William Saroyan Street'". The Armenian Weekly. 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  5. ^ "Bitlis Co-Mayors Taken into Custody During Operation in Municipality". Bianet.
  6. ^ "Imprisoned Co-Mayors from Kurdish Region, Turkey – Peace in Kurdistan". 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  7. ^ Şafak, Yeni (2023-06-19). "Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları - 2023 Genel Seçim Bitlis Oy Oranları | CANLI". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-19.