Dress code as a cause for debate
Protests have begun in Azerbaijan over a ban on hijabs in schools
**Dress code as a cause for controversy**
In a number of regions of Azerbaijan, mass protests and public controversies have erupted following the factual implementation of a ban on wearing hijabs in schools.
A decision by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, approving new requirements for students' appearance, has caused widespread resonance. Although the official document does not directly use the words "hijab" or "religious headscarf," school administrations are instructed to strictly adhere to a single uniform standard. Any clothing items that violate this standard are now considered inconsistent with the principle of secular education.
The authorities explain the innovations by the need to preserve the secular nature of the state, as well as by the desire to smooth out social, religious, and ethnic differences among children within educational institutions.
The most tense situation has developed in Baku, in particular around school No. 69 in the settlement of Balakhani. Parents and students took to the streets with placards reading "Hijab is not an obstacle to education!" In a sign of support for the girls suspended from classes, hundreds of schoolchildren declared a boycott and stopped attending lessons.
The restrictions have also affected educators: female teachers wearing Muslim head coverings were offered either to remove them or to resign. In some areas, protests escalated into riots. Protesters attempted to storm school buildings, and a school principal's car was set on fire in one of the yards.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, law enforcement agencies have detained and arrested 37 people. A criminal case has been initiated under the article on organizing actions that grossly violate public order. Against the backdrop of the worsening situation, large-scale disruptions in the operation of the internet and popular social networks were recorded in the country.
Opponents of the school reform point out that the restrictions violate several articles of the Constitution of Azerbaijan at once — 25, 42, and 48, which guarantee the right to free education and proclaim freedom of conscience. The Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan is currently refraining from compromise statements, and the situation in educational institutions remains extremely tense.