ISTANBUL,— Turkish prosecutors launched a formal investigation Saturday into Rahmi Koc, the 95-year-old billionaire and honorary head of Koc Holding, the country’s largest conglomerate, after a joke he made about a Kurdish woman triggered widespread condemnation as sexist and racist, AFP reported.
Koc made the remarks Friday evening at a hospital opening ceremony in the western resort city of Izmir.
The incident drew little attention initially, but video footage spread rapidly online and provoked strong public reaction.
The joke centered on a misunderstanding between a Kurdish woman and a doctor.
The pro-Kurdish opposition DEM party said it filed a criminal complaint against Koc on charges of “public incitement to hatred and hostility,” “insult” and “hate and discrimination.”
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the investigation on X, saying prosecutors were examining “expressions deemed to target women and citizens of a specific ethnic identity.” He did not name Koc directly in his post.
“Uttering such words under the guise of a joke does not mitigate the discourtesy displayed toward women and a specific segment of our society,” Gurlek wrote.
Koc Holding published a brief apology from Koc on X. He said his remarks “were not intended to target any particular group” and added, “I would like to sincerely express my regret.”
Koc stepped down as chairman of Koc Holding in 2003, transferring leadership to his eldest son, Mustafa Koc, who died of a sudden heart attack in 2016 at the age of 55.
Koc Holding was established in the 1920s as a family business. Its core sectors include energy, automotive, consumer goods and finance. The group is also active in technology, food, retail, tourism, agriculture and shipbuilding.
According to the company’s website, Koc Holding represents roughly seven percent of Turkey’s gross domestic product and about eight percent of the country’s total exports, reflecting the central role family-run conglomerates play in the Turkish economy.
Forbes magazine estimated this year that Rahmi Koc holds a personal fortune of $2.4 billion.
(With files from AFP)
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