Azerbaijan’s school hijab ban: What’s behind it, and what’s next?
Summary
The Azerbaijan government has indirectly banned the hijab in public schools by changing dress rules to support secularism, leading to protests by students and teachers. The amendment does not explicitly mention the hijab but stops clothing seen as against the country’s secular values, sparking reactions inside and outside Azerbaijan.Key Facts
- Azerbaijan changed school uniform rules to block clothing that opposes the country’s secular constitution.
- About 96% of Azerbaijan’s people are Muslim, but the country’s laws guarantee religious freedom.
- The government says the changes promote a unified dress code and professional standards for teachers.
- Protests happened in Azerbaijan as some schools stopped students and teachers wearing hijabs from attending.
- A jailed journalist started a hunger strike to protest the hijab restriction.
- Protests also occurred in Turkey, where people compared the ban to similar headscarf bans in the 1990s.
- Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev criticized foreign interference, indirectly addressing Turkey.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about rising discrimination against Muslim women at the UN.
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