Moral (non-pecuniary) damages

Under Turkish law, moral damages provide monetary redress for the pain, grief and harm to personal values caused by an unlawful act, rather than for financial loss. They address the injury to a person's inner life and social standing.

They may be awarded for bodily injury, the death of a close relative, attacks on personality rights such as defamation, and, in divorce cases, in favour of the spouse who is not at fault or less at fault. In cases of severe bodily harm or death, close relatives may also claim for their own suffering.

Judges enjoy broad discretion in fixing the amount, weighing the parties' economic and social circumstances, the gravity of fault and the features of the incident. Settled case law holds that moral damages must not become a means of enrichment.