14.10.2026 15:10
BBP Leader Mustafa Destici, who called on the Baku administration regarding the headscarf ban in Azerbaijan, recalled the costs Turkey paid in the past and offered fraternal advice for the protection of the freedom of belief of headscarved students and public officials.
Mustafa Destici, Chairman of the Great Unity Party (BBP), stating that secularism in Turkey had in the past been misinterpreted and led to the restriction of freedom of belief, said, “We express these in a fraternal manner because we do not want Azerbaijan to pay the same costs. The rights of students and public officials who want to wear headscarves must be protected. We wish the Azerbaijani government to see this demand and fulfill it by adhering to freedom of belief.”
BBP leader Mustafa Destici spoke at a press conference held at his party’s headquarters building. Destici said, “The Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced that Infantry Specialist Sergeant Mustafa Aslan, who was on duty in the Claw-Lock operation region, was martyred in a weapons accident. We also express our sorrow and wish mercy from Almighty God for our martyr Mustafa Aslan, and condolences and patience to his family, relatives, loved ones, and all members of our armed forces. May our martyr’s place be paradise and his station exalted, God willing.”
FUND INVESTIGATION
Regarding the fund investigations, Destici said, “As the Great Unity Party, our stance is clear. Whoever committed robbery, swindling, manipulation, speculation, or the fund swindle, our state, judiciary, and security forces must pursue them without hesitation and without discrimination, and those who committed crimes must definitely pay the price for the crimes they committed before the law. The money obtained through this swindle must absolutely, absolutely be recovered down to the last penny. If there is interest, if those who carried out this swindle earned interest from this money during this period, that interest must also be taken. That is, we have nearly five hundred thousand citizens who suffered losses. We have citizens whose money was stolen by these swindlers. The cost of the swindlers’ swindles must not be covered by the state treasury. It must be covered by those who committed the swindle. And no discrimination should be observed here either. As far as we currently see and follow, our state, our Minister of Justice, under the instructions of our President himself and with our Minister of Justice resolutely following the matter, together with the relevant chief public prosecutors’ offices and members of the judiciary, is fully pursuing the matter, and whoever has a hand in this swindle, and also whoever turned a blind eye to it, must of course be within the scope of this investigation. The price must definitely be made to be paid. But also, in this process, those who held positions of responsibility and turned a blind eye to this process must not be forgiven. Or [if they say] ‘we did not notice,’ if you are sitting in that seat, you will notice. That too is dereliction of duty. Therefore, that person is also paying the price. Today, a bill has been submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. It includes a number of measures to prevent this fund swindle from recurring. Of course, this is good. If there is a deficiency in the law, if there is a legal gap, of course these must be remedied. In this process, those who held positions of responsibility and did not fulfill their responsibility, especially if they deliberately turned a blind eye to it, or if there are those who entered into cooperation with the swindlers, they must definitely pay the price in the heaviest way and be exposed to the public as well.”
“THE SITUATION IS NO MORE THAN THIS”
Regarding the appointment of a trustee to Halk TV, Destici said, “According to the information we have, a trustee was appointed to Halk TV, but the operation was not carried out against Halk TV; it was an operation aimed at irregularities and corruption in some of the commercial activities of Halk TV’s owner before he went abroad, especially bribery and exorbitant pricing in Izmir Metropolitan Municipality tenders, and the 30 billion TL account traffic of his company and himself—in other words, it was an operation aimed at these. Naturally, since the owner of the television is the person who is the subject of this operation, it is an operation aimed at all his companies. A trustee was appointed to Halk TV within this scope. The situation is no more than this.”
“OURS IS A WELL-INTENTIONED BROTHERLY ADVICE”
Regarding the headscarf ban in Azerbaijan, Destici said: “Where did this ban, which did not exist until today, come from today? Why was it deemed necessary? It is understood that various circles in Azerbaijan are inciting this. They are trying to create unrest within Azerbaijan. Some still cannot digest Azerbaijan’s Karabakh Victory. They are trying to disrupt Azerbaijan’s peace. Respecting Azerbaijan’s internal affairs in a fraternal manner, we want to state the following clearly. It is stated that there is secularism in Azerbaijan’s constitution. There is also in ours. Unfortunately, secularism was also misinterpreted in Turkey for many years and turned into persecution of freedom of belief. We express these in a fraternal manner because we do not want Azerbaijan to pay the same costs. Our request from the Azerbaijani government and our Azerbaijani brothers is that freedom of belief be preserved, and that girls or public officials who want to cover their heads can also perform their duties with their heads covered, and that girls who wish to do so can go to schools with their heads covered. This is such a clear, correct, and innocent demand. It is the demand of a significant part of the Azerbaijani people. We wish the Azerbaijani government to see this demand and fulfill it by adhering to freedom of belief. We express this to them in a fraternal manner, as advice from a friend. Ours is a well-intentioned brotherly advice.”