Understand
School headscarf ban sparks rare protests in Azerbaijan and row with Turkey
Overview
New uniform rules in Azerbaijan enforcing secularism in education have led to rare protests after female pupils wearing hijabs were turned away from state schools. The ban has resulted in dozens of detentions, social media restrictions, and a diplomatic row with Turkey, whose officials criticized the restrictions, prompting a sharp rebuke from Baku. Additionally, tensions were highlighted when various delegations walked out during a speech by Israel's President at a regional security summit in Baku.
Key points
- Azerbaijan's education ministry began enforcing new uniform rules that ban clothing contradicting secularism in state schools, effectively turning away female pupils wearing hijabs.
- Protests erupted in Baku and southern districts, leading to the interior ministry detaining 37 people on Monday, along with other arrests and reports of restricted access to platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- The ban has strained relations with Turkey, Azerbaijan's closest ally, after Turkish ruling party MPs and President Erdoğan's chief adviser criticised the measures as unacceptable.
- President Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party accused Turkish officials of a defamatory information campaign and warned against interference in internal affairs.
- Delegations from Turkey, Iran, and other countries walked out of a regional security summit in Baku when Israel's President Isaac Herzog addressed the event.