Presidential Chief Adviser Oktay Saral dismissed from his post

Presidential Chief Adviser Oktay Saral has been dismissed from his post. Saral had made posts criticizing the headscarf ban enforced in Azerbaijan.

Ilham Aliyev's party responded to the posts with an official statement. Azerbaijani television channels also aired broadcasts targeting Saral.

Saral: I hold no grudge against anyone

Asked whether he had been dismissed, Saral answered in the affirmative. He said the President had appointed him and that he left on the President's instruction. Asked whether it was because of his statements on Azerbaijan, he said, "Yes, so it seems."

We are not attached to offices. Our President appointed me, and I left on his instruction. I hold no grudge against anyone.

Oktay Saral

What matters is the Republic of Türkiye. What matters is the success of our President.

Oktay Saral

Background

The Azerbaijani government had banned additional clothing items that disrupt the uniformity of school uniforms and are deemed incompatible with the secular principle of education, under new rules covering primary, middle and high schools. Although the regulations do not mention the headscarf directly, students and teachers who wear it were not admitted to schools.

On October 13, Saral had said: "Blocking the right to education of headscarf-wearing students in Azerbaijan is unacceptable! Such a mindset must never be allowed in this day and age!"