Erdogan silent as Azerbaijan's school rules bar hijab, straining Turkey ties

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stayed silent on school uniform rules in Azerbaijan that have been used to bar pupils wearing the hijab. RFI reported that the ban has put Erdogan, described as a staunch advocate of Muslim rights, in a tight spot with his close ally, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

According to RFI, the rules were introduced in predominantly Muslim but secular Azerbaijan. They do not explicitly mention hijabs, but they prohibit clothing deemed incompatible with school uniforms or secular education. RFI said teachers have also reported being excluded. It added that Turkish social media is awash with videos of Azerbaijani children wearing hijabs and pleading to be let into their schools, and that the ban has sparked outrage among Turkey's religious conservatives.

Sezin Oney, a Turkish political analyst, told RFI that Erdogan is unusually muted because of the extremely good relationship between the two countries. "If it were another country, he would have had a harsher reaction." Oney also predicted that the silence will damage Erdogan's reputation as a defender of Muslim rights.

RFI reported that Aliyev has publicly dismissed criticism of the ban by one of Erdogan's advisors. It said Baku has issued international arrest warrants for several prominent Turkish Islamist and conservative figures and banned others from entering the country after similar criticism. Azerbaijani officials accuse the critics of threatening the country's sovereignty and national security, RFI said.

RFI said Aliyev and Erdogan have enjoyed close ties for more than two decades, built on economic and defence cooperation and the mantra of "two states, one nation". Eugene Kogan, a Tbilisi-based defence and security expert, told RFI that Turkey still sees Azerbaijan as a little brother, while Baku says the relationship is now one of equals. He said the word "equal" is not fully accepted in Ankara, which puts a strain on bilateral relations.

RFI also noted that energy-rich Azerbaijan is growing in economic importance compared with Turkey's struggling economy, and is among Turkey's largest foreign investors. It said Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR says it has invested around $19.5 billion in Turkey.

How we got here

• 1990s: RFI reported that Erdogan, who is religiously conservative, rose to political prominence by challenging a similar ban in Turkish universities, and went on to become a global advocate of Muslim rights.
• 2024: According to RFI, Erdogan moved swiftly to suppress mounting protests against Azerbaijani oil exports to Israel, which are piped through Turkey and shipped from the Turkish port of Ceyhan. RFI said the protests were led largely by religious conservatives who form a crucial part of his political support.
• September: RFI said the school uniform rules were introduced in Azerbaijan and have been used to bar pupils wearing the hijab.
• Earlier this month, in RFI's report published on 23 October: RFI said the two countries signed arms agreements worth more than $500 million. It added that international media reported Azerbaijan signed a $235 million arms deal with Israel's Elbit Systems, although neither side has commented on the reports.

RFI described Azerbaijan's deepening relationship with Israel, despite Turkey's condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza, as another source of friction with Ankara.