Ottoman Reform Edict of 1856

The decree from Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid I promised equality in education, government appointments, and administration of justice to all regardless of creed.

Regarding these responsibilities review process established under each millet such that they form a commission composed ad hoc of members of its own body to give formulate (discuss) and submit the reforms required by the progress of Ottoman civilization.

In to build trust (prevent bribery); the income of these people (in public work) is replaced by fixed revenues of the Patriarchs and heads of communities, and by the allocation of allowances and salaries equitably proportioned to the importance, the rank, and the dignity of the different members of the clergy.

Hatt-ı Hümayun granted the full freedom of the repair, according to their original plan, of buildings set apart for religious worship, for schools, for hospitals, and for cemeteries; if these activities are performed at "non-mixed communities" under the towns, small boroughs and villages.

To prevent the destruction of historical architectures, and keep track of public investments the plans of these different buildings, in case of their new erection, must, after having been approved by the Patriarchs or heads of communities, be submitted to Imperial order, or make known its observations upon them within a certain time.

Hatt-ı Hümayun granted the government the responsibility of the formation of roads and canals to increase the facilities of communication and the sources of the wealth.

Hatt-ı Hümayun granted the organization of new Code to determine how the works of public utility can be supported (raised from private and special taxes levied in the provinces).

Hatt-ı Hümayun granted that there will be formulation of the new Codes; penal, correctional, and commercial laws, and rules of procedure and they were translated and published in all the languages.

The official state language principle (Ottoman Turkish for written communication) was broken, and the Empire became a multi-language system.

[5] Fuad Pasha argued in favor of having this text translated into minority languages in the Empire, not only Ottoman Turkish and French.

[6] Johann Strauss, author of "A Constitution for a Multilingual Empire: Translations of the Kanun-ı Esasi and Other Official Texts into Minority Languages," wrote that "one can safely assume that" the original draft of the edict was in French rather than Ottoman Turkish.

Belin's translation and notes were also published in another collection,[5] Manuale di diritto publico e privato ottomano by Domenico Gatteschi.