Son Dönem Osmanlı Af Politikaları ve 1904 Bulgar Genel Affı (‘Afv-I Umûmî)
Amnesty Policies of the Late Ottoman Period and the 1904 Bulgarian General Amnesty (‘Afv-I Umûmî)

Summary/Abstract: The nationalist movement, which gained momentum with the French Revolution, deeply affected the diverse ethnic and religious elements within the Ottoman Empire. The Serbian and Greek uprisings that emerged in the early 19th century soon spread to other Balkan nations, turning the European territories of the Ottoman Empire into a general zone of rebellion. Balkan nations seeking to gain independence and detach territories from the Ottoman sphere of sovereignty established revolutionary committees and armed bands, thereby destabilizing the region. These activities not only weakened the Ottoman hegemony in the region but also drew the attention of the Great Powers (Düvel-i Muazzama). The policies pursued and the support provided by the Great Powers, particularly Russia, reinforced separatist ideas. From the second half of the 19th century onwards, the strengthening of Bulgarian nationalism brought about an increase in separatist activities through committees and comitadji bands. The Principality of Bulgaria, which attained the status of an autonomous principality with the 1878 Treaty of Berlin, intensified its insurgent activities in Eastern Rumelia and Macedonia in order to achieve full independence and create a "Greater Bulgaria". Regarding the convicts who participated in such activities and were punished, on April 8, 1904, the Ottoman Empire agreed to declare a general amnesty pursuant to the third article of the accord signed with the Principality of Bulgaria. In this study, by scanning the documents of the Ottoman State Archives (BOA), contemporary legal texts, and the primary sources in the literature through the qualitative analysis method, the amnesty policy implemented by the Ottoman Empire against the insurgent movements that gained momentum at the end of the 19th century and, within this scope, the Bulgarian General Amnesty of 1904 are examined; additionally, the historical development of the concept of amnesty, its place within legal systems, and particularly the transition process from oral to written law are analyzed. As a result of the research, it has been demonstrated that this amnesty declared by the Ottoman Empire was not merely a judicial mechanism, but also a strategic political instrument utilized to restrain the separatist movements in the Balkans and to alleviate international pressures. Furthermore, it has been revealed that despite the efforts to reestablish state authority, the practice of amnesty could not entirely terminate comitadji activities and failed to secure the expected lasting peace. In this respect, the study aims to fill a significant gap in the relevant literature by removing Ottoman-Bulgarian relations from a purely conflict-oriented perspective and evaluating them within the context of criminal law and crisis management.

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