ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Rahmi Koc, a prominent Turkish businessman, issued a formal apology on Saturday, a day after making remarks he presented as a joke but which many viewed as offensive toward the Kurdish community. Turkish authorities have also launched an investigation into the controversial comments.
Koc recounted the “joke” during the inauguration of a hospital in Izmir. He said a doctor asked a “Kurdish woman” to undress behind a curtain for an examination, but she instead told the doctor to undress first. People around the businessman started laughing upon hearing these words.
The remarks sparked widespread outrage among Kurds, who launched the hashtag #RahmiKoçÖzürDile ("Rahmi Koc Apologize"), calling on him to issue a public apology.
The Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into Koc's comments under charges of "publicly insulting a segment of the public."
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said that "the scales of justice do not weigh according to anyone's wealth, title, or status; the judiciary always protects human dignity and the rule of law."
"Expressions that undermine women's dignity, hurt their honor, and contradict our societal sensitivities are absolutely unacceptable, no matter who utters them," he added.
Gurlek further stated that making such remarks under the guise of a joke "does not mitigate the discourtesy displayed toward our women and a specific segment of our society," in an apparent reference to Kurds, who make up nearly 20 percent of Turkey's population.
Turkey's main pro-Kurdish political party, the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) were among the political groups that condemned Koc's remarks.
"We categorically and fundamentally reject these wrong and ugly approaches that hurt all of us together with our Kurdish citizens and all our women," AKP spokesperson Omer Celik wrote on X.
DEM Party lawmaker Meral Danis Bestas told Rudaw that they condemn the "sexist and racist" remarks made "under the guise of a joke."
She also called for a boycott of Koc Holding, the country's largest conglomerate, which recently marked its 100th anniversary.
Following the backlash, Koc issued a formal apology.
"I sincerely apologize for my remarks, which I did not intend to target any particular individual. I would like to express my deepest regret," he said in a statement.
Former Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, a senior AKP figure, also faced criticism after appearing to laugh at the remarks during the ceremony.
Footage of Koc recounting the "joke" has circulated widely on social media since Friday.
