06.06.2026 09:10
Businessman Rahmi Koç’s remarks about Kurdish women during a hospital opening in Izmir sparked backlash. While numerous posts were shared on X under the hashtag '#RahmiKoçÖzürDile', AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik said, "Bringing a derogatory discourse together with the phrase 'Kurdish woman' is contrary to our values, very wrong and ugly. We unequivocally and fundamentally reject these wrong and ugly approaches that hurt all of us, along with our Kurdish citizens, and all our women."
Rahmi Koç, one of Turkey's leading business figures, sparked a major public debate with a joke he told at the opening ceremony of a hospital that began operations in Izmir. Condemnation messages poured in from the political world, one after another, citing the statements as discriminatory and degrading.
THE JOKE AT THE CENTER OF THE BACKLASH
During the ceremony, Rahmi Koç visited the hospital's examination rooms and shared a joke with the guests beside him. In footage captured by cameras, Koç was heard saying: 'The doctor listened to the Kurdish woman's complaint and said, 'Madam, go behind the curtain, get dressed, undress,' and the woman replied, 'Doctor, you undress first.' These words quickly spread on social media.
BACKLASH POURS IN ON RAHMI KOÇ
After the footage spread, numerous social media users reacted, arguing that the language targeted Kurdish women and contained discrimination. The hashtag #RahmiKoçÖzürDile (RahmiKoçApologize) quickly trended on platform X (formerly Twitter).
PERVİN BULDAN: DON'T YOU HAVE ANY SHAME?
One of the first harsh reactions from the political front came from Pervin Buldan, a member of the DEM Party's Imrali Delegation. Buldan quoted Koç's words in a post on her social media account, saying, 'Don't you have any shame? This is disgraceful in a single word.'
AK PARTY: VERY WRONG AND UGLY
Following the growing backlash, an official statement also came from the AK Party front. AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, in a detailed statement on social media, emphasized that discriminatory rhetoric cannot be legitimized under the guise of humor.
Key messages from Çelik's statement are listed as follows:
'We condemn any kind of degrading rhetoric towards women. Discourse regarding women must have a respectful, careful, and qualified approach. No segment of our society's belief, ethnic origin, culture, identity, or gender can be the subject of degrading, discriminatory, or marginalizing rhetoric. Degrading approaches based on belief, ethnic origin, and gender breed hate speech. These wrong discourses must definitely be avoided. Associating the term 'Kurdish woman' with a degrading statement is contrary to our values, very wrong, and ugly. We clearly and outright reject these wrong and ugly approaches that hurt all of us, along with our Kurdish citizens, and all our women. Hate speech can never be excused under the guise of humor. Correcting wrong statements and apologizing is a requirement of respect for our values. Everyone must take care to use a sensible, qualified, and respectful language regarding belief, culture, ethnic origin, identity, and gender. All our citizens possess equal honor, dignity, and value.'