Hello. I'm in a rather peculiar situation. I married my long term Turkish girlfriend of 2.5 years in Ankara. After we were married, she began to show signs of mental illness (hearing voices, seeing things, believing she had magical powers, etc). Her psychiatrist said her psychosis was because big changes were happening in her life, and it should pass.
It never did, but only got worse. Her family began to blame me for everything, and the father threatened me. After I went to the police, and the American Embassy, they set up a cheap plane ticket for me to come home, and the father agreed to pay. Afterwards he changed his mind, and refused to buy my ticket, and said I must stay in Turkey with my wife. He wouldn't even let me return to the states for one or two months to visit my family.
My wife gave me the money to buy the ticket, and I came home. Now her father is blocking all communication attempts with my wife, and says I must divorce her. I don't want a divorce, I love her, and my hope is she could come to the States to live with me, and I could get her the psychiatric help she needs.
He said he will go to a Turkish court and force a divorce, and sue me for all the money he invested to bring me there (plane ticket, marriage costs, etc).
I told my wife when I left, I wasn't leaving because of her, but because of her controlling father and I didn't feel safe there. I told her that I love her, and really want this marriage to work. I even sent an offer to her father, that if he allows her to come to the states for one or two months to work on our marriage, and it doesn't work out, I would gladly sign the divorce papers.
So my question is, what are my rights? I have no money, so I can't return to Turkey to fight any divorce proceedings, let alone hire a lawyer. If a divorce is granted, would it be recognized in America? If he files a civil suit, would that also be recognized in America? Do I have any option to file a suit against him?
Nobody told me in the 2.5 years I talked with her, that she had these problems, but they told me she had them since she was 16 or 17 (she's 29 now).
Thanks if you can help.