Azerbaijan on Wednesday barred 31 Turkish nationals, including an opposition lawmaker and party leaders, from entering the country, escalating a rare dispute between the close allies over restrictions on Islamic headscarves in schools.
Tensions flared after Azerbaijan introduced school uniform rules last month prohibiting additions deemed incompatible with secular education. Although the rules do not explicitly mention headscarves, girls wearing hijabs have reportedly been turned away from schools, sparking protests.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said those barred had used social media and other online platforms to make statements “targeting the sovereignty, national security, constitutional order, people and leadership of the Republic of Azerbaijan.”
It accused them of calling “for the violent overthrow of the government, as well as violence motivated by religious radicalism and the incitement of religious hatred and hostility.”
The statement did not cite specific posts or detail the allegations against individuals.
The list includes Fatih Erbakan, leader of Turkey’s New Welfare Party; Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party); and Yahya Uğraş, deputy chairman of the Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR).
Journalists, bloggers, religious writers and a former official of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) are also on the list.
The ministry said it would consider further “appropriate measures.”
The entry bans follow Azerbaijan’s announcement Friday that it had charged Turkish newspaper columnist Celal Çiftçi with advocating a violent coup and promoting religious extremism and had requested assistance from Turkish officials.
Erdoğan adviser Oktay Saral has criticized the headscarf restrictions, prompting President Ilham Aliyev’s ruling party to accuse Turkish figures of meddling in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs.
Turkey and Azerbaijan share close political, military and cultural ties, describing their relationship as “one nation, two states.”
A former Soviet republic, Azerbaijan has a predominantly Shiite Muslim population and a strongly secular state tradition.
© Agence France-Presse
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