06.06.2026 17:21
DEM Party took action regarding businessman Rahmi Koç, who became the focus of reactions due to the "Kurdish woman joke" he told during a ceremony in İzmir where Binali Yıldırım was also present. The DEM Party filed a criminal complaint against Koç on the grounds of "publicly inciting hatred and hostility, insult, and discrimination."
Businessman Rahmi Koç, who faced significant backlash for telling a 'Kurdish woman joke', has been criminally complained about by the DEM Party.
DEM PARTY FILES CRIMINAL COMPLAINT WITH PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
Halide Türkoğlu, spokesperson for the DEM Party's Law and Human Rights Commission and Women's Assembly, filed a criminal complaint against Koç on grounds of 'Public Incitement to Hatred and Hostility', 'Insult', and 'Hate and Discrimination' following his remarks targeting Kurdish women.
The criminal complaint stated: '...Presenting a narrative based on a Kurdish woman not understanding her doctor in an examination room as 'sexualized humor' turns a structural and historical victimhood into public mockery. Using the harsh reality of Kurdish women who cannot access healthcare in their mother tongue and cannot express themselves in the delivery room as a 'comedic element' constitutes a comprehensive attack on the human dignity, right to health, and right to privacy of Kurdish women.'
RAHMİ KOÇ'S CONTROVERSIAL JOKE
During the opening ceremony of the American Hospital in İzmir Balçova, Rahmi Koç told a joke to protocol members, including Binali Yıldırım: 'The doctor listened to the Kurdish woman's complaint. When he said, 'Ma'am, go behind the curtain and undress,' the woman replied, 'Doctor, you undress first.'
HE APOLOGIZED
Following the backlash, Rahmi Koç apologized, saying, 'I sincerely apologize for my words, which were not intended to target any identity. I wish to share my regret with sincerity.'