Turkish court fines man for emotional abuse after labeling ex-wife 'chubby' on phone

The case has since drawn widespread discussion on social media.

A court in Usak, western Turkey, fined a man for emotionally abusing his ex-wife after it emerged that he had saved her number on his phone under the name “Tombik” – a Turkish term meaning “Chubby” – according to a report by Gulf News. The ruling followed evidence showing that the nickname, alongside a series of hostile messages, contributed to emotional harm and the eventual collapse of the couple’s marriage.

The pair, who share children, had already been embroiled in a highly contentious divorce. The woman had filed for separation on the grounds of emotional mistreatment, while the man responded with a countersuit alleging infidelity.

During the legal proceedings, the woman presented several messages from her husband that she said demonstrated ongoing verbal abuse. Among them were phrases such as “Get away, I do not want to see you” and “Let the devil see your face.” She also accused him of pressuring her to contribute money for his father’s surgery, claiming the demands were part of a larger pattern of economic coercion.

An inquiry into the husband’s accusations of infidelity revealed there was no evidence of an affair. The investigation confirmed that the man his wife was accused of seeing had merely been delivering a book, not engaged in any personal relationship with her.

Following the findings, the court dismissed the husband’s allegations and determined that his own actions constituted both “emotional and economic violence.” The judge ruled in favour of the wife, stating that her mental health had been affected by her husband’s behaviour and that his conduct violated her personal dignity.

The decision concluded with the court ordering the husband to pay both material and moral compensation to his former spouse. While the specific amount of compensation was not disclosed, the couple’s divorce was formally finalised, and the infidelity claim was rejected in full.

Citing South China Morning Post, the report noted that under Turkish law, any behaviour or expression that undermines an individual’s dignity, including written or verbal messages, can be penalised with up to two years in prison or a fine.

The case has since drawn widespread discussion on social media. Some users questioned the ruling, suggesting that the nickname might not necessarily be demeaning. One person commented that calling someone “chubby” could be “endearing” and added that “being fat isn’t necessarily an insult.” Others backed the court’s position, saying the pattern of repeated verbal aggression justified the penalty. “This ruling is fair because his messages clearly crossed the line,” one user wrote.

A lighter response came from another commenter, who remarked, “I’ll have to check my friends’ contact names now — you never know what might offend someone these days.”