Correspondence Relating to Executions in Turkey for Apostacy from IslamismVarious
Islamic
Correspondence Relating to Executions in Turkey for Apostacy from Islamism
Various
Apostasy -- Islam; Executions (Islamic law)
Fear and intoxication induced him to become a Mussulman, and he was
conducted on the spot to the Mehkemé where the name of Mehemet was
given him.
Some days afterwards Avakim repented of what he had done, and fled
to Syra, from whence he returned a few months ago.
About three months ago, while returning from his sister's house with
a small bundle containing wearing apparel, he was recognized by the
Kolaga of the quarter, Mustapha, and denounced at the War Office of
having renegaded from Islamism. He was then submitted to the most
cruel punishment to compel him to re-abandon his original belief,
and was even paraded through the streets with his hands tied behind
his back as if for execution. Avakim, however, unintimidated by
torture or the prospect of death, proclaimed aloud his firm belief
in Christianity, and was led forth to suffer on Wednesday last
amidst the execrations of the Ulema partisans.
Only one man, Taouk-Bazarli Ali, among the thirty armed police who
conducted him, could be prevailed upon to strike the blow. Many of
the Turks spat on him as they passed, and openly reviled the faith
for which he had died. A Yafta, in the following terms, was affixed
on the opposite shop:--
"The Armenian shoemaker, Avakim, son of Yagya, having last year, in
the beginning of Moharrem, while at an age of discretion, accepted
Islamism, and received the name of Mehemet, some time afterwards
renegaded, and having now obstinately persisted in refusing the
proffer made to him by the law to re-become a Moslem, sentence of
death was awarded unto him according to fetwa, and he has thereby
suffered."
The first intelligence received in Pera of this occurrence was the
appearance in the streets of the unfortunate lad's mother tearing
her grey hair, and rushing distractedly from the scene of bloodshed.
The poor old woman, when assured of her boy's fate, returned and sat
in grief by the corpse, from which she was afterwards removed.
A petition of the Armenians for the corpse was rejected, and it was
after three days exposure cast into the sea.
_Constantinople, August_ 27, 1843.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
M. Pisani to Sir Stratford Canning.
Excellence, _Péra, le_ 24 _Août_, 1843.
Conformément à vos ordres, j'ai vu le Grand Vizir, et je lui ai
rendu, mot à mot, le message contenu dans votre instruction
confidentielle en date d'hier, relativement au jeune Arménien qui
vient d'être exécuté. Son Altesse a répondu de la manière suivante:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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