1997: SEZGIN TANRIKULU, TURKEY

Leading human rights attorney, Sezgin Tanrikulu, won the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award in 1997 for his work promoting legal reform and the rights of Kurdish citizens in southeast Turkey. Founder of the Diyarbakir Human Rights Association, The Victims of Torture Center, and a representative of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, Tanrikulu advocates against the practice of village destruction and regional evictions as well as the extra-judicial torture, killings, and disappearances that occur in police custody.

Though considered an act of treason by the Turkish government, Tanrikulu has submitted complaints to the European Court of Human Rights and has continued to defend clients accused of political offenses. As a result, he has become a victim of persecution and has often faced criminal charges for criticizing human rights abuses committed by the Turkish Government.