Protestsupdated 37m ago2 min read
Protests Erupt in Baku as Azerbaijan Detains 37 Over Hijab Ban in Schools
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Protests erupt in Baku against new school uniform rules banning hijabs; 37 arrests reported. Entry barred for girls and teachers wearing headscarves in several schools, triggering punishments.
Baku protests over hijab
Protests in Baku and other cities in Azerbaijan erupted against a new school uniform regulation that bans “elements that contradict the principle of secular education,” and Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry reported the detention of 37 people. The Azerbaijani Council of Ministers amended the regulation on September 21 to prohibit “additional elements of dress that do not meet the requirements of the school uniform and contradict the principle of secular education,” without specifying which clothing items the prohibition covers. In early October, residents of Baku and surrounding regions began receiving complaints that some schools refused to admit in class female students and teachers who wear the hijab, and students and parents began protesting and boycotting classes.
Protesters broke windows of schools that prohibited religious dress, and the Telegram channel Minval Politika said protesters set fire to the director’s car at a school in the Garadag district of Baku. Azerbaijani security forces opened criminal proceedings against those detained for organized public disturbances, and the protests were framed around the claim that the hijab ban violates children’s right to education and freedom of religion.
Teacher denied entry
English teacher Gulshan Aliyeva told Al Jazeera that she went to her school in the capital, Baku, while wearing a headscarf, but was denied admittance, and she said her daughter was also prevented from entering.
Elnara Akimova, a lawmaker from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), told RFE/RL that the amendments were intended to provide a neutral educational environment, and she said, “Children are still in the formation stage.”
Gulmira Aslanova, a parent in Baku, told RFE/RL that the administration of School No. 172 in the capital’s Narimanov district told her to send her daughter to school without a head scarf.
Sociologist Sanubar Heydarova told RFE/RL that children should continue attending school while the legal dispute is resolved, and she argued that their right to education should not come at the expense of their cultural identity.
The Interior Ministry said on October 12 that 37 people had been detained for refusing to comply with the new rules and attempting to disrupt public order.
Turkey row and arrests
Azerbaijan’s Media and Broadcasting Council warned that adopting uniform dress code regulations is part of upholding “principles of secular education,” and it said some parties were “deliberately exploiting” the issue for “political purposes.” The council also warned that the approach could “fuel public debate, deepen social divisions, and create tensions,” particularly amid misleading information on social media platforms. Oktay Saral, an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, described Azerbaijan’s move as “unacceptable,” and he posted on X: “Leaving a student who covers her head for reasons of faith at the school gate – how can this fit into any conscience, any sense of justice?”
Azerbaijan’s ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP) hit back on Tuesday, saying Saral’s “irresponsible” comments risked harming ties between the close allies. The dispute also triggered protests beyond Azerbaijan, and demonstrators gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in Ankara, where police officers were deployed to the area.