Turkish Bar Associations File Complaint Against Businessman, Ex-PM Over Offensive Joke

Sixteen bar associations across Turkey have filed a criminal complaint against prominent businessman Rahmi Koç and former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım following an incident at a hospital opening ceremony.

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Doctor, he listened to the Kurdish woman's problem. When he said, 'Madam, go behind the curtain, undress,' the woman said (imitating), 'Doctor, you undress first.'

The controversy erupted after Rahmi Koç, a leading figure of the wealthy Koç family, recounted a joke at the inauguration of the İzmir Amerikan Hastanesi, a new facility under Koç Healthcare. The joke, which Koç presented with a mimicry of a Kurdish woman, was perceived by many as demeaning and sexist towards Kurdish women.

Video footage showed Binali Yıldırım, who was present at the event, laughing at Koç's joke. This reaction, along with the general reception of the joke by attendees, has drawn significant criticism. The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has already launched an investigation into Koç's remarks.

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We deeply regret that the so-called joke, containing discriminatory, sexist, and insulting expressions towards Kurdish women, was met with laughter by people including former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.

In a joint statement, the bar associations from Adıyaman, Ağrı, Batman, Bingöl, Bitlis, Dersim, Diyarbakır, Hakkari, Iğdır, Kars, Mardin, Muş, Siirt, Şanlıurfa, Şırnak, Tunceli, and Van declared Koç's words unacceptable. They expressed deep regret that the so-called joke, containing discriminatory, sexist, and insulting remarks against Kurdish women, was met with laughter by those present, including Yıldırım. The statement emphasized that presenting such a narrative, which degrades Kurdish women based on their gender and ethnicity, as humor is unacceptable.

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Silence in the face of words that insult the women of a people is one thing, accompanying those words with laughter is another. Laughter is the strongest approval of what is said.

The bar associations further criticized Yıldırım's response, stating that remaining silent in the face of words that insult a people's women is different from accompanying those words with laughter. They argued that laughter serves as the strongest endorsement of the spoken words. The statement concluded by asserting that they reject all discriminatory language targeting women and peoples, openly condemn the attitude and accompanying behavior, and have filed criminal complaints against the individuals involved.

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The behavior of Binali Yıldırım, who supported the words with his laughter instead of showing the necessary reaction against the insult, given his experience in state affairs and representation, is an example of unacceptable irresponsibility.