Tensions with Teachers, Pupils and Turkiye: Inside Azerbaijan’s Hijab Row
Girls were barred from classes after new uniform inspections, and protests spread as some boys stayed home in solidarity, officials said.
- On Monday, Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry detained 37 people, claiming they created "a conflict situation" with school staff over "compliance with a uniform dress code" and damaged schools.
- The Cabinet of Ministers introduced new school rules on September 21, prohibiting "wearing items of clothing that disrupt the uniformity of the prescribed school uniform" and clothing "inconsistent with the principle of secularism in general education."
- English teacher Gulshan Aliyeva, with 23 years of experience, was denied entry to her Baku school this week wearing her headscarf. She told Al Jazeera, "I want to fulfil my responsibilities, educate students and continue my career without my religious beliefs becoming an obstacle to my employment."
- On Tuesday, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, told local media the hijab is "an important religious obligation" but criticized protesters for disturbing schools, saying people "cannot oppose the decisions of the state."
- Protests erupted in a country where more than 90 percent are Muslim, while users reported restricted access to TikTok and Instagram; authorities have not confirmed the suspected platform blocks. Secularism is enshrined in Azerbaijan's constitution.
14 Articles
14 Articles
The adoption by the Council of Ministers of a directive prohibiting dress deemed "contrary to the principle of secular education" caused a strong reaction in the country, 95% Muslim.
Schools in Azerbaijan are barring girls who wear hijabs from class. Some of their male classmates are refusing to attend in solidarity.
In late September, Azerbaijan approved new school uniform rules, including a ban on “items inconsistent with the principle of secularism.” Inspections soon began at schools, and girls wearing hijabs were barred from classes. Protests broke out in Baku and other cities, with schoolgirls and their classmates demanding that everyone’s right to an education be upheld. On October 12, 37 people were detained in Baku. The Interior Ministry said protest…
The Azerbaijani government's decision to indirectly ban the wearing of the hijab by female students and school staff has sparked protests. The amendment passed last month did not explicitly ban the Muslim headscarf, but banned clothing that the government said violated the "principle of secularism" in schools. How is the ban being enforced? The decision has sparked protests after some schools have begun banning female students and teachers from …
A hijab ban in Azerbaijani schools sparked protests after students cried, teachers objected, and protests spread to Türkiye.
Azerbaijan: How a historic Muslim nation became one of the world's most secular states
The outrage over restrictions on hijab in Azerbaijani schools has put the spotlight on the country’s strict secular principles and laws. But how did a nation with more than 1,300 years of Islamic history become one of the most secular societies in the Muslim world? Protests by Muslim students, parents and religious activists against restrictions […] The post Azerbaijan: How a historic Muslim nation became one of the world’s most secular states a…
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