Azerbaijan has declared 31 Turkish nationals persona non grata and barred them from entering the country after a number of political figures, journalists, academics and public commentators in Türkiye criticised Baku's headscarf policy and its treatment of students and teachers.

The decision was announced by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which published a list of individuals prohibited from entering Azerbaijan.

Among those named are Fatih Erbakan, chairman of the New Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah Partisi); Yahya Oğraş, deputy chairman of HÜDA PAR; Sait Seyitoğlu, HÜDA PAR's Batman provincial executive; Toprak Partisi chairman Ömer Ulutaş; MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu; former AK Party Boğaziçi Youth Branch chairman Muharrem Çavuş; and economist Aydın Binboğa.

Journalists, writers and academics included

The list also includes journalists, television commentators and media figures such as Adem Özköse, İsmail Kılıçarslan, Yusuf Kaplan, Mert Armağan, and Akit TV commentators Murat Şahin, İrfan Kaya Ülger and Fatin Dağıstanlı.

Academics, writers and religious scholars including Mehmet Boynukalın, Halil Atakan Ay, Mikail Ayyıldız, Ahi Aratoğlu, Ahmet Sırrı Arvas and Cüneyt Sezer were also placed on the list.

Former football referee and television commentator Ahmet Çakar, together with Cem Özyurt and Serhat Koyuncu, was likewise barred from entering Azerbaijan.

The move follows weeks of public debate in Türkiye over Azerbaijan's restrictions on the wearing of headscarves in educational institutions and criticism of measures affecting students and teachers.

Seven Turkish citizens face arrest warrants

In a separate development, Azerbaijan's Prosecutor General's Office announced that the Binagadi District Court in Baku had issued arrest warrants in absentia for seven Turkish citizens living in Türkiye and requested that they be placed on an international wanted list.

The seven are Rıdvan Kaya, chairman of Özgür-Der; Zekeriya Ceran, also known as Abdullah İmamoğlu; commentator Fatih Tezcan; lawyer Ahmet Şanlı; researcher Fahrettin Taşkaya Saral; Abdurrahman Tumer; and Alparslan Tanrıkulu.

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the suspects face allegations including incitement to overthrow the constitutional order by force, promoting religious extremism and inciting religious hatred. Prosecutors said the investigation relates to speeches and social media posts allegedly made during demonstrations outside Azerbaijani diplomatic missions in Türkiye.

The latest measures represent one of the most significant actions taken by Azerbaijan against Turkish public figures in recent years. At the time of publication, neither the Turkish authorities nor the individuals named on the list had issued an official response.(ILKHA)