Protests in Azerbaijan due to the hijab ban in schools have sparked strong reactions. These protests have not only occurred within Azerbaijan but have also led to rare exchanges of criticism between Azerbaijani and Turkish politicians. The two countries regularly describe their relationship as "one nation, two states."
Hijab Ban and Its Impacts
In Azerbaijan, public gatherings are usually rare, and the police quickly respond to any public protests. However, protests related to children have been unprecedented. With the spread of protest videos on social media, access to Instagram and TikTok in the country was disrupted, indicating the seriousness of the authorities on this issue.
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This conflict has arisen following new legal changes. On July 7, Azerbaijan amended its public education law, reinforcing the emphasis on secular education. On September 21, the government passed a resolution that tightened school uniform regulations.
The Role of Officials and Reactions
The new resolution includes a ban on additional clothing that interferes with the standard uniform. This resolution does not explicitly mention the hijab, but some school administrators have interpreted this law to include the hijab, prohibiting hijab-wearing girls from entering classrooms. A literature teacher in Baku with 40 years of experience stated that girls with hijabs are not allowed into classes.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan announced that 37 people have been arrested in connection with the protests. This group attacked school staff and attempted to disrupt school activities and traffic. Additionally, an artist and activist named Ilkin Huseynov disappeared after launching a project to assist hijab-wearing students, with reports stating that he has been sentenced to 30 days of administrative detention.
Azerbaijan is a predominantly Muslim country, but Article 18 of its constitution separates religion from the state and considers public education to be secular. Amnesty International has also strongly criticized this ban and called for the release of those who have been detained solely for peaceful protest.
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