▁lawyer ▁and ▁human ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁of ▁Kur d ish ▁descent . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁mayor ▁of ▁his ▁home ▁town ▁of ▁Di yar b ak ı r ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁and ▁Dem ocracy ▁Party ▁( B DP ) ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁and ▁H DP ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁career ▁Os man ▁Bay dem ir ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁Law ▁Fac ulty ▁at ▁D icle ▁University ▁in ▁Di yar b ak ı r . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Di yar b ak ı r ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁independent ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Association . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁he ▁also ▁was ▁a ▁board ▁member ▁and ▁became ▁vice - pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁association . ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁law y ers ▁who ▁volunte ered ▁to ▁defend ▁Abd ul lah ▁Ö cal an . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Foundation ▁of ▁Turkey ▁( HR FT ▁or ▁T İ H V ▁Tür ki ye ▁ İ ns an ▁H ak lar ı ▁V ak f ı ). ▁At ▁the ▁general ▁elections ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁candidate ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁People ' s ▁Party ▁( DE H AP ), ▁but ▁the ▁party