The unusual case was filed in the Turkish city of Kayseri, where a local woman, identified only as HB by the media, filed a divorce against her husband, accusing him of verbally humiliating and berating her, but also of spending a lot of time on social media, liking photographs of other women, and leaving suggestive comments. Her lawyers demanded financial compensation, claiming that the husband had violated his marital duty of loyalty.
The husband, identified as SB, denied the accusations and also filed for divorce, claiming that his wife had insulted his father and that her constant jealousy had affected his reputation. After analyzing both parties’ accusations, the Court decided that the husband was more at fault, ordering him to pay 750 Turkish lira ($20) in monthly alimony and 80,000 lira ($2,000) in compensation.
“These seemingly harmless online interactions can actually intensify emotional insecurity and upset the balance of the relationship,” the Court ruling read.
SB appealed the Court’s decision, claiming that the payout was excessive, but his appeal was rejected. The judge argued that, by liking photographs of other women, he had eroded trust in the marriage.
Although funny in nature, the case is expected to have a big impact on how divorce cases are handled in Turkey fromnow on, with some lawyers saying that online interactions such as liking other people’s content and leaving comments could become strong evidence in divorce cases.
“Now, screenshots, messages, and all digital interactions will be considered when determining the fault of each party. I advise citizens to keep this in mind when using social media,” one lawyer told Turkish newspaper Haberler.
