Asia Pacific
Protests against incidents in which female students wearing hijabs were reportedly denied entry to classes at Azerbaijani public schools have intensified.
Protests against incidents in which female students wearing hijabs were reportedly denied entry to classes at Azerbaijani public schools have intensified. Authorities have announced that 37 people were detained in connection with incidents that occurred during the enforcement of new school uniform regulations.
Students staged protests in the capital, Baku, and other parts of the country, boycotting classes in solidarity with female students who wear hijabs. Demonstrations were reported at School No. 322 and School No. 69, as well as in the regions of Masally and Jalilabad. According to local media reports and videos circulating on social media, students gathered outside several schools and refused to attend classes in support of their classmates who wear hijabs. Protesters outside School No. 69 in Baku were also reportedly seen holding a banner stating that “Hijab is not an obstacle to education.” Some parents expressed concerns about the new regulations and threatened to withdraw their children from school if the restrictions remained in place.
According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, some individuals clashed with educational staff during the enforcement of school uniform regulations, damaged educational institutions, and attempted to disrupt the normal functioning of schools and the flow of traffic. Authorities have reported detaining 37 people in connection with these incidents. Reports also indicate that criminal proceedings have been initiated in the matter. However, the Interior Ministry’s statement did not provide individual details about all those detained or a complete explanation of the charges against each person.
