Azerbaijan’s Secular Dress Rules Put Hijab-Wearing Students Out Of Class

Students and teachers wearing hijabs have been turned away from schools in Azerbaijan after an amendment to school dress rules barred clothing deemed to violate the “principle of secularism”, triggering protests over religious freedom.

The amendment, approved last month, does not explicitly ban the Muslim headscarf but prohibits clothing that authorities consider to violate the “principle of secularism”. Its implementation has prompted protests in Azerbaijan and demonstrations in neighbouring Turkiye, raising questions about how the country balances its secular principles with its constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

What is behind Azerbaijan’s school hijab ban?

The amendment to the Descriptions of Uniforms for Students of State General Education Institutions was introduced to establish a uniform dress code in state schools. According to the state-run Azerbaijani Press Agency (APA), the measure aims to ensure that school clothing reflects the country’s “secular principle”.

About 96 per cent of Azerbaijan’s population identifies as Muslim. Its constitution defines the country as secular while also guaranteeing religious freedom. However, the latest restrictions have raised concerns about how these principles are being applied to religious clothing in educational institutions.

Although the amendment does not specifically name the hijab, it prohibits clothing deemed inconsistent with secularism. Its implementation has reportedly prevented some students and teachers who wear the headscarf from attending classes.

The APA also reported that clothing reflecting the “history, culture, and national and moral values of the Azerbaijani people” may be permitted during celebrations, subject to approval by the Pedagogical Council, which operates under the Ministry of Science and Education.

According to the agency, the dress requirements are intended to ensure that teachers meet “professional standards” and have a positive effect on the “school’s public reputation”.

Teacher Zahra Hasanova 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. “[The hijab] is a personal choice, and if one day I want to take it off, that should be my choice too.”

How have the restrictions triggered protests?

Al Jazeera reported that the new dress requirements had sparked protests and a social media campaign in Azerbaijan. Videos circulating online have shown students hugging their teachers and crying as they were turned away from schools.

Local media outlets reported that students at at least two schools boycotted classes to protest against the restrictions.

Imprisoned journalist Polad Aslanov, who is serving a 113-year prison sentence after being convicted of high treason in 2020, has launched a hunger strike against the new requirements.

In a message posted on Facebook by his wife, Gulmira Aslanova, he wrote: “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!”

Reports of internet blackouts have also emerged amid the unrest. However, these reports have not been confirmed by data from internet monitoring organisations, including the Open Observatory of Network Interference and NetBlocks.

The protests reflect concerns about the impact of the restrictions on students and teachers who wear the hijab. While the government has presented the amendment as a measure to uphold secularism and standardise school uniforms, opponents have questioned whether it unfairly restricts religious expression.

Why has Turkiye become involved?

The protests in Azerbaijan have also prompted a social media campaign and demonstrations in neighbouring Turkiye. Critics have drawn parallels with Turkiye’s “post-modern coup” in 1997, when women wearing headscarves were barred from attending university classes. Women working in the civil service were also dismissed or forced to resign during that period.

Al Jazeera reported that demonstrators gathered outside Azerbaijan’s consulate in Istanbul last week to protest against the restrictions affecting Muslim women. They called on authorities in Baku to reconsider the decision.

The demonstrations have added to tensions between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, despite their close political relationship and longstanding alliance.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued a veiled criticism of Turkiye in a speech at the congress of his New Azerbaijan Party. Without directly naming Turkiye, Aliyev warned against attempts to “interfere with our lifestyle”.

Authorities in Ankara did not officially respond to Aliyev’s remarks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, however, mentioned increasing discrimination against Muslim women in his September 23 address to the United Nations General Assembly. His remarks were not explicitly linked to Azerbaijan’s school dress-code dispute.

The protests have brought renewed attention to debates over secularism, religious freedom and restrictions on Muslim women's clothing in the region.

Will Azerbaijan reconsider the restrictions?

The immediate question is whether Azerbaijan’s authorities will reconsider the restrictions following protests and reports of students and teachers being denied entry to schools.

The amendment’s wording, which does not explicitly mention the hijab, has left its implementation at the centre of the controversy. The government’s stated objective is to uphold secularism and maintain a uniform dress code, but the reported experiences of teachers and students have raised concerns about the policy’s consequences.

Protests in Azerbaijan and Turkiye have increased pressure on authorities in Baku to address concerns over the restrictions. Aslanov's hunger strike has added to objections centred on constitutional rights.

The supplied reporting does not establish whether the government intends to revise the amendment or change how schools enforce it. The central question remains how Azerbaijan will reconcile its secular framework with its constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.