A court in Turkey has ruled that a man must compensate his ex-wife after saving her phone contact as “Chubby,” a label the court deemed insulting and degrading.
The Court of Cassation upheld the decision that the husband’s use of the nickname “Tombik” (Turkish for Chubby) caused emotional and moral harm to his wife. The court found the name to be a form of verbal humiliation that negatively impacted their marriage.
The case arose during divorce proceedings in Uşak, where the wife testified that seeing the derogatory label inflicted psychological distress and damaged her dignity. Agreeing with her, the court ordered the husband to pay for both material and moral damages.
Although the compensation amount was not made public, the ruling sets a new legal precedent in Turkey. It suggests that offensive or belittling language in personal relationships could now be grounds for legal claims and compensation.
The judgment has sparked lively debate on Turkish social media. Some users supported the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of respect and dignity in relationships. Others argued that nicknames like this might be affectionate rather than offensive, depending on the context.
