Erdogan dismisses a chief advisor for criticizing Azerbaijani authorities

Oktay Saral, a chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been dismissed from his post. Turkish media reports have linked the decision to his criticism of Azerbaijani authorities over school uniform regulations that critics say effectively prohibit students from wearing the hijab.

Local media had previously reported on Saral's potential dismissal. On October 13, he described restrictions on wearing the hijab in Azerbaijani schools as unacceptable and called for them to be lifted. In response, Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party accused several Turkish politicians of interfering in the country’s internal affairs.

On October 21, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry declared 31 Turkish citizens — including politicians, journalists and bloggers — ''persona non grata'' and barred them from entering the country.

The ministry explained that the decision was made due to their statements on social media and internet platforms "aimed against the sovereignty, national security, constitutional order, people, and leadership of Azerbaijan, as well as containing calls for the violent overthrow of the government and the incitement of religious hatred."