Turkish presidential adviser calls on Azerbaijan to change school uniform rules

Oktay Saral, chief adviser to the President of Türkiye, has joined the debate over school uniforms in Azerbaijan, calling on Baku to take action.

In a post on his social media account, he wrote:

“Restricting the right to education of students wearing hijabs in Azerbaijan is unacceptable!

“On what grounds of conscience or justice can a student who covers her head because of her beliefs be turned away at the school gate?

“The hijab is not an obstacle; it is a requirement of faith! The right to education must not be sacrificed to any ideological dictate!

“We expect Azerbaijan to reverse this wrong step soon. Instead of creating obstacles for young people’s future, we must clear the way for them.

“Such an approach must never be allowed in this day and age!”

What stands out in Saral’s absurd statement is not merely his position on school uniforms, but the fact that a senior Turkish official is passing judgment on Azerbaijan’s domestic education policy in this manner.

The issue is that Azerbaijan has uniform dress code requirements for school students. A decision by the Cabinet of Ministers dated September 21, 2026, amended the requirements governing school uniforms. The rules are based on the principles of a standardised dress code and secularism in state general education institutions.

There may be disagreements over this decision. Parents’ concerns, students’ right to education and the way the rules are implemented in schools can all be debated. However, portraying the issue as a violation of religious freedoms and declaring which decision Azerbaijan should reverse represent an entirely different approach.

Saral’s statement does not address Azerbaijan’s position, the legal basis of the decision or the uniform dress code requirements applied in schools. Instead, it frames the issue directly in terms of religious belief and the right to education. Yet understanding the substance of the dispute requires, first and foremost, taking into account the rules currently in force and how they are implemented.

Relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan are at the level of a strategic alliance. In such a relationship, mutual respect should not be measured solely by statements made at official meetings. How the two sides approach each other’s domestic affairs is also an indicator of that respect.

Azerbaijan is a sovereign state, and matters within its jurisdiction are determined by its own authorities. Saral seems to have forgotten this. Other countries may express their views on such policies, but only within the bounds of respect. What logic is there in declaring the decision of an independent, sovereign state “wrong” and demanding that it reverse course? This raises serious diplomatic questions.

In Türkiye–Azerbaijan relations, does the principle of mutual respect apply only to Baku’s relations with Ankara, or is it equally binding on both sides?

Jala Rovshan