Who Killed Panayot?: Reforming Ottoman Legal Culture in the 19th Century

Who Killed Panayot? is a book that retells the true story of an opium robbery and subsequent police investigation that took place in the port-city of Izmir in 1850-52. It explores the tensions between the British community in Izmir and the local Ottoman authorities, and the death of one of the suspects, a gardener named Panayot, after he was interrogated by the police. The book argues that a culture of lying was adopted by both British and Ottoman officials in face of the new legal reality that forged the concepts of human rights and the rule of law.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 09 January 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The true story of an opium robbery and subsequent police investigation that took place in the port-city of Izmir in 1850-52 is retold in "Who Killed Panayot?" This book delves into the complex web of events that unfolded, including the diplomatic crisis that emerged between two bygone empires, the British community in Izmir, and the local Ottoman authorities. The investigation, which initially seemed straightforward, quickly escalated into a tense situation as it provoked strong tensions between the two groups.

One of the suspects, a gardener named Panayot, met a tragic end after being interrogated by the police. In order to reconstruct this untold saga, the author, Paz, draws on a wide range of archival sources from the affair. Through meticulous microhistory and sociolegal analysis, Paz pieces together the lives of the outlaws and policemen involved in the case, shedding important light on the history of opium smuggling and the impact of interrogation under torture.

Paz argues that a culture of lying was adopted by both British and Ottoman officials in response to the new legal reality that shaped the concepts of human rights and the rule of law. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of microhistory, sociolegal history, non-Western modernity, and the Ottoman Empire. It provides a detailed and insightful account of a historical event that has largely been forgotten, offering valuable insights into the complex dynamics of power, politics, and law in the late 19th century.

Weight: 485g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367699062