Prison sentences and banishments in the Ottoman Empire (1791-1808)

The Ottoman Empire was attentive to apply the rules of the applied legal system. In condition that these rules were not applied, penalty system was executed. Among these various penalties, prison sentences and banishments had a significantly importance. There were no standarts in appliance of them and also different penalties were used to be executed in similar events. Furthermore, people, punished with the same forfeits for similar offences were released noncontemporarily.In the examined period in this study, punishments used to dispose matters resulted from current matters, public disturbance and reforms have been distinguished. The ones who were responsible for negative behaviors were arrested and judged, moreover, when convicted they were punished. Of the penalties, prison punishments and banisments were frequently applied in these issues. The appliance of prison sentences and banisments were aimed to chasten. Therefore; duration of the punishments determined for culprits were not stated, in place of this, the statement ?until being reformed? was exerted. Liberation of the imprisoned ones was implemented by means of padishah permission. Convicts were not left alone in the places where they were imprisoned, contrarily, their some basic needs were used to be met.Keywords: Offence, Penalty, Banishment, Prison.