Ardahan Newspaper | Since 1995 |
Following the backlash over a joke about Kurdish women told by prominent businessman Rahmi Koç at a hospital opening, several business locations belonging to Koç Holding were targeted in armed attacks. Armed assaults were carried out against the Otokoç Headquarters in Maltepe, Istanbul, and subsequently an Otokoç dealership in Antalya. No casualties or injuries were reported, and police forces have launched an investigation to apprehend the masked assailants. The attacks drew swift political condemnation; AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik strongly denounced the incidents, while the DEM Party issued a statement condemning the violence, stressing that actions threatening social peace are unacceptable and calling for a swift, transparent investigation.
In the joke crisis that sparked the events, Rahmi Koç apologized following the backlash. The public and numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) filed a criminal complaint against Koç. Following the debates, Minister of Justice Akın Gürel announced that an official investigation had been launched into the matter
