Turkey Supreme Court issues landmark divorce rulings

The Turkish Court of Cassation has issued several significant rulings regarding divorce and fault in marriage. In one precedent-setting decision, the court ruled that a woman concealing her previous marriage from her spouse, even after the wedding, constitutes a breach of trust and is a valid ground for fault in divorce proceedings.

In a separate case involving social media interactions, the court ruled that sending heart emojis to celebrities or influencers does not, by itself, constitute a breach of marital trust or a fault in divorce. The court noted that such digital interactions may simply express sympathy or appreciation and cannot be classified as trust-shattering behavior without additional concrete evidence. Furthermore, the court invalidated audio recordings obtained through illegal eavesdropping, ruling them inadmissible.

In criminal matters, the Bakırköy Heavy Penal Court sentenced İsa Çetinkaya to aggravated life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Kıymet Çetinkaya, in Istanbul. The court rejected the defendant's claim of mental instability, citing a forensic report that confirmed his full criminal responsibility. Additionally, in İzmir, Fatih İnan was arrested for the murder of Mihriban Yılmaz, an incident involving the victim being strangled and buried in a forest.