Azerbaijan Detains 37 Amid Protests Over School Hijab Restrictions
BAKU: Azerbaijani authorities have detained 37 people during protests against new school uniform rules that have effectively restricted the wearing of hijabs in state schools. The Interior Ministry said those detained were accused of disrupting public order, clashing with school staff and damaging public property.Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the amended school uniform rules on…
BAKU: Azerbaijani authorities have detained 37 people during protests against new school uniform rules that have effectively restricted the wearing of hijabs in state schools. The Interior Ministry said those detained were accused of disrupting public order, clashing with school staff and damaging public property.
Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the amended school uniform rules on September 21, prohibiting clothing that undermines uniformity or conflicts with the secular nature of public education. Although the rules do not explicitly mention the hijab, reports said several schools barred girls wearing headscarves from classes and asked female teachers to remove them.
Students, parents and teachers held protests in Baku and other areas, while some students boycotted classes in solidarity with hijab-wearing classmates. During the unrest, a school director’s car was set on fire in Baku’s Qaradagh district, and several vehicles were reportedly burned in the Absheron district.
Critics say the measures target religiously observant Muslims, while the government maintains that they are intended to preserve the secular education system and prevent the spread of extremism. Social media users also reported disruptions in accessing Instagram and TikTok, raising concerns that the restrictions were linked to the circulation of protest videos.
