Azerbaijan’s interparliamentary working group on relations with Turkey has criticised Turkish ruling party lawmakers and a presidential adviser over remarks about Azerbaijan, accusing them of making unfounded allegations and interfering in the country’s domestic affairs.
The statement comes amid growing tensions over criticism from Turkish political figures of Azerbaijan’s secular education policies and restrictions on religious clothing in schools, which has been widely viewed as an explicit ban on wearing hijabs. The Azerbaijani lawmakers called on Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and constitutional order, warning that such remarks could damage relations between the two strategic allies.
The dispute has also contributed to protests in Turkey. In Ankara, members of the Köklü Değişim movement gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy on Tuesday to protest restrictions related to wearing the hijab in schools. A large number of police officers were deployed to the area.
The protesters criticised the school dress code rules; the demonstrations have also featured accusations concerning Azerbaijan’s relations with Israel.
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In a statement, the group expressed ‘serious concern and regret’ over what it described as unfounded accusations made by AKP members and Oktay Saral, chief adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The group said Azerbaijan and Turkey maintained relations based on friendship, brotherhood, and strategic alliance, but stressed that Azerbaijan was an independent and sovereign state entitled to determine its domestic and foreign policies in accordance with its national interests and constitution.
It also argued that the principle of ‘one nation, two states’, associated with Azerbaijan’s former President Heydar Aliyev, referred to the existence of two independent and sovereign countries. Using the principle to justify interference in Azerbaijan’s domestic affairs or impose external political and ideological views on Azerbaijani society was unacceptable, the statement said.
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The group defended Azerbaijan’s secular system of government and said freedom of religion was guaranteed by the constitution. It added that the country’s education policy was based on secularism, equality, and equal opportunities for all citizens, and that school regulations applied equally to everyone and were not directed against any religious group.
The statement comes amid a dispute over school uniform regulations and restrictions on religious clothing in Azerbaijani schools, which have prompted protests and criticism from some religious groups and Turkish political figures.
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The lawmakers said it was unacceptable to politicise the issue on religious and ideological grounds or make what they described as unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan’s constitutional system and education policy.
The group also condemned what it called insulting and defamatory remarks about Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Azerbaijani people, the country’s history, and prominent historical figures.
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It criticised the AKP government for failing to take steps to prevent such statements and raised concerns over what it described as a tolerant approach to provocative demonstrations and calls for protests outside Azerbaijan’s diplomatic missions in Turkey.
The group said the special nature of Azerbaijani-Turkish relations required political responsibility, mutual respect, and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. Statements by individual political figures, it added, should not damage relations between the two countries.
It called on Turkish political circles, including representatives of the ruling party in parliament, to approach the issue responsibly, respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and constitutional order, and refrain from statements that could negatively affect bilateral relations.