The Function of Embassy and Consulate Interpreters in Ottoman Courts

Müberra Korkmaz

Makale detayları

The Function of Embassy and Consulate Interpreters in Ottoman Courts

Yazarlar:

Müberra Korkmaz

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.398-435

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349232

pISSN:

2667-4076

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The right to use an interpreter in court was adopted as one of the guarantees of procedural law in Islamic and Ottoman law, as it is today, and constituted one of the privileges granted to foreigners in capitulations. However, the weakening of the state and the forced political and economic conditions, and the transformation of the capitulations into a restrictive element of the Ottoman sovereignty, led to the abuse of this right granted to foreigners by trying to use it in a way that exceeded its purpose and scope. The judicial reforms carried out during the Tanzimat Period were put forward by the Ottoman State as a basis for eliminating these excesses. However, foreign state representatives tried to use this right beyond its scope and function by taking advantage of the ambiguity of the expressions in the capitulation texts and through interpretation, in order to protect their own subjects and ensure political interests. This study aims to shed light on the legal nature of the privilege in question, how the function attributed to embassy and consulate translators was evaluated by the parties, and its implementation in the light of capitulation texts and Ottoman and British archive documents.

 The right to use an interpreter in court was adopted as one of the guarantees of procedural law in Islamic and Ottoman law, as it is today, and constituted one of the privileges granted to foreigners in capitulations. However, the weakening of the state and the forced political and economic conditions, and the transformation of the capitulations into a restrictive element of the Ottoman sovereignty, led to the abuse of this right granted to foreigners by trying to use it in a way that exceeded its purpose and scope. The judicial reforms carried out during the Tanzimat Period were put forward by the Ottoman State as a basis for eliminating these excesses. However, foreign state representatives tried to use this right beyond its scope and function by taking advantage of the ambiguity of the expressions in the capitulation texts and through interpretation, in order to protect their own subjects and ensure political interests. This study aims to shed light on the legal nature of the privilege in question, how the function attributed to embassy and consulate translators was evaluated by the parties, and its implementation in the light of capitulation texts and Ottoman and British archive documents.

 The right to use an interpreter in court was adopted as one of the guarantees of procedural law in Islamic and Ottoman law, as it is today, and constituted one of the privileges granted to foreigners in capitulations. However, the weakening of the state and the forced political and economic conditions, and the transformation of the capitulations into a restrictive element of the Ottoman sovereignty, led to the abuse of this right granted to foreigners by trying to use it in a way that exceeded its purpose and scope. The judicial reforms carried out during the Tanzimat Period were put forward by the Ottoman State as a basis for eliminating these excesses. However, foreign state representatives tried to use this right beyond its scope and function by taking advantage of the ambiguity of the expressions in the capitulation texts and through interpretation, in order to protect their own subjects and ensure political interests. This study aims to shed light on the legal nature of the privilege in question, how the function attributed to embassy and consulate translators was evaluated by the parties, and its implementation in the light of capitulation texts and Ottoman and British archive documents.

 Mahkemede tercümandan yararlanma hakkı, günümüzde olduğu gibi İslam ve Osmanlı hukukunda da muhakeme hukukuna dair güvencelerden biri olarak benimsenmiş ve kapitülasyonlarda yabancılara tanınan imtiyazlardan birini teşkil etmiştir. Fakat devletin zayıflaması, siyasi ve ekonomik şartların zorlamasıyla, kapitülasyonların Osmanlı için egemenlik yetkisini kısıtlayıcı bir unsura dönüşmesi, yabancılara tanınan bu hakkın da amacı ve kapsamını aşar nitelikte kullanılmaya çalışılarak suistimal edilmesine yol açmıştır. Tanzimat Döneminde gerçekleştirilen yargı reformları, Osmanlı Devleti tarafından bu aşırılıkları bertaraf etmede bir dayanak olarak öne sürülmüştür. Ancak yabancı devlet temsilcileri, kapitülasyon metinlerindeki ifadelerin belirsizliğinden faydalanarak yorum yoluyla, bu hakkı kendi tebaalarını korumak ve siyasi çıkarları temin amacıyla kapsamı ve fonksiyonunu aşar şekilde kullanmaya çalışmıştır. Bu çalışma kapitülasyon metinleri ile Osmanlı ve İngiliz arşiv belgelerinin ışığında, söz konusu imtiyazın hukuki niteliğine, elçilik ve konsolosluk tercümanlarına atfedilen fonksiyonun taraflarca nasıl değerlendirildiğine ve uygulamaya ışık tutmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Makale detayları

The Function of Embassy and Consulate Interpreters in Ottoman Courts

Yazarlar:

Müberra Korkmaz

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.398-435

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349232

pISSN:

2667-4076

Interpreter

Capitulation

Legal Status

Ottoman Procedural Law

Ottoman DiplomacyTercüman

Kapitülasyon

Hukuki Statü

Osmanlı Muhakeme Hukuku

Osmanlı Diplomasisi

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Müberra Korkmaz

Yayıncı: Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar: Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi: Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.398-435

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 6/2025

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001349232

pISSN: 2667-4076

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Müberra Korkmaz

Yayıncı:

Necmettin Erbakan University

Ana Başlıklar:

Hukuk Reformu | Hukuk (Diğer)

Dergi:

Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.8 Issue 1, pp.398-435

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

6/2025

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001349232

pISSN:

2667-4076