Azerbaijan’s hijab restrictions spark protests, arrests: What’s behind the crackdown?

• Azerbaijan’s new school dress code has effectively restricted hijab-wearing students and teachers from attending public schools, sparking protests and school boycotts.
• Authorities have reported 37 arrests linked to the unrest, while the controversy has triggered a wider debate over religious freedom, secularism, and access to education.

Protests have spread across Azerbaijan after new school dress code regulations effectively restricted Muslim students and teachers from wearing the hijab in public schools, triggering demonstrations, class boycotts, and widespread public criticism.

The regulations, approved by Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers on September 21, do not explicitly prohibit the Islamic headscarf. However, they bar clothing deemed incompatible with the principle of secular education and standardized school uniforms, a provision that has reportedly been used to prevent hijab-wearing students and teachers from entering school premises.

The dispute has escalated beyond school dress codes, raising questions about religious freedom, students’ right to education, and the government’s interpretation of secularism in a country where approximately 96 percent of the population identifies as Muslim.

Students, teachers turned away from schools

Videos circulating on social media show hijab-wearing students being turned away from schools, with some crying and embracing teachers as they leave.

Local media reports indicate that students at several schools have boycotted classes in protest, while others have joined demonstrations in solidarity with classmates affected by the restrictions.

Protesters have gathered outside school buildings, demanding that the authorities reverse the measures and allow students to attend classes without being forced to remove their headscarves.

Some students have vowed to continue attending school despite the restrictions, while footage has also shown teachers and students holding lessons outside school buildings.

Zahra Hasanova, a teacher affected by the rules, told Al Jazeera that she had been informed she could no longer wear the hijab at school.

"To be honest, I am a little emotional. I am hurt," she said, describing the hijab as a personal choice.

"If one day I want to take it off, that should be my choice too," she added.

What do the new regulations say?

According to the state-run Azerbaijan Press Agency, the amendment to the dress code for students at state general education institutions aims to establish a unified appearance reflecting the country's secular principles.

The rules stop short of explicitly naming the hijab as prohibited clothing. Instead, they restrict attire considered inconsistent with the requirements governing school uniforms and secular education.

Authorities have defended the regulations as necessary to maintain uniformity and professional standards in educational institutions.

The rules also allow clothing reflecting Azerbaijan's history, culture, and national and moral values to be worn during celebrations, subject to approval by the relevant Pedagogical Council.

Critics argue that applying the restrictions to Islamic headscarves effectively limits religious expression and prevents some students from accessing education on equal terms.

Azerbaijan's constitution defines the country as a secular state while guaranteeing religious freedom, placing the government's implementation of the dress code at the center of the controversy.

Authorities report 37 arrests

Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said 37 people had been arrested in Baku in connection with incidents surrounding the enforcement of the new rules.

Authorities alleged that some individuals clashed with education staff, damaged school facilities, attempted to obstruct traffic, and disrupted the normal operation of educational institutions.

A criminal investigation was opened into alleged violations of public order.

The arrests have added to tensions as protests and reported school boycotts have spread to other areas, including the Masalli district.

The government's response has drawn criticism from those who say the restrictions punish students and teachers for exercising their religious beliefs.

Social media restrictions raise concerns

The protests have also coincided with reports of difficulties accessing Instagram and TikTok in Azerbaijan, as footage of students being turned away from schools circulated online.

Some users reported that the platforms could be accessed only through virtual private networks, or VPNs.

However, the reported disruptions have not been independently established as a nationwide internet shutdown. Internet monitoring organizations have not confirmed a countrywide blackout, and a direct connection between the reported access problems and the protests has not been established.

The circulation of protest footage has nevertheless made social media an important platform for documenting the dispute and sharing accounts from affected students, teachers, and families.

Journalist launches hunger strike

The controversy has also drawn a response from imprisoned Azerbaijani journalist Polad Aslanov, who is serving a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of high treason in 2020.

Aslanov announced a hunger strike in protest against the new requirements, according to a message published on Facebook by his wife, Gulmira Aslanova.

"Despite being in prison, I am raising my voice against the trampling of our constitutional rights by employing the only means of struggle available to me – a hunger strike!" he wrote.

His protest has added another dimension to the controversy, linking the dispute over school clothing to broader concerns about constitutional rights and civil liberties.

Protests spread to Turkiye

Opposition to the restrictions has extended beyond Azerbaijan, including demonstrations in Turkiye, where protesters have called on authorities in Baku to reconsider the decision.

Demonstrators gathered outside Azerbaijan's consulate in Istanbul, expressing solidarity with Muslim women affected by the rules.

Some have compared the developments to Turkiye's 1997 "post-modern coup," when restrictions on headscarves prevented women from attending university and led to dismissals or forced resignations among some women working in the civil service.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appeared to criticize outside involvement in the dispute during a speech at his New Azerbaijan Party congress, warning against attempts to "interfere with our lifestyle" without directly naming Turkiye.

Ankara did not officially respond to the remarks. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed discrimination against Muslim women during his September 23 speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

A wider debate over secularism and religious freedom

The controversy has exposed tensions between Azerbaijan's secular state framework and the religious practices of much of its population.

The government presents the regulations as a way to maintain standardized school uniforms and uphold secular education. Critics contend that the rules, as implemented, discriminate against Muslim students and teachers by making access to classrooms conditional on removing their headscarves.

The immediate impact has been felt by students facing exclusion from schools, teachers confronting restrictions on their appearance, and families demanding equal access to education.

With protests continuing and arrests reported, the dispute has grown into a broader confrontation over religious expression, individual rights, and the limits of state authority in public education.