Full Breakdown
Azerbaijan Enforces Secular Dress Code in Schools, Prompting Nationwide Hijab Protests
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: New Dress-Code Amendment Bars Hijabs in Schools
In September 2024 the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309. The amendment does not name the hijab, but school administrators have begun denying entry to female students and teachers who wear it. Teachers such as Zahra Hasanova report being told they must remove the headscarf to continue teaching. Students in at least two schools have staged boycotts, and the Interior Ministry announced on 12 October that 37 people were arrested for “disrupting public order” linked to the dress-code enforcement.
Background & Context
Azerbaijan’s constitution defines the state as secular while guaranteeing religious freedom. Since independence, public education has been framed as secular, and similar dress-code disputes sparked protests in 2010-2012. The 2024 amendment revives those tensions by linking uniformity to “secular principles.”
Timeline
- 21 September 2024 – Cabinet adopts Resolution 309, prohibiting clothing that conflicts with secular education.
- 2 October 2024 – President Ilham Aliyev stresses education as a safeguard against “ideological provocations.”
- 3 October 2024 – Demonstrations outside Azerbaijan’s consulate in Istanbul.
- 6 October 2024 – Separate dress-code requirements for teachers are approved.
- 8 October 2024 – Imprisoned journalist Polad Aslanov begins a hunger strike.
- 9 October 2024 – Video shows students outside School No. 69 in Baku refusing to attend classes.
- 12 October 2024 – Interior Ministry reports 37 arrests for alleged disruption of school operations.
Data & Statistics
- 96 % of the population identifies as Muslim (APA).
- Resolution 309 provides the legal basis for the change.
- 37 arrests reported on 12 October.
On-the-Ground Reports
Footage shows girls turned away from classrooms and teachers asked to resign if they refuse to uncover their heads. Parents in some villages warned they would stop sending their sons to school in protest.
Official Statements & Responses
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a 23 September UN address, said Muslim women were facing “increasing discrimination.”
- AKP spokesperson Omer Celik described the dispute as a “misunderstanding” and emphasized the “brotherly” relationship between Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Criticism & Opposition
- The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the U.S. State Department to urge a reversal of the de-facto hijab ban.
- Human-rights observers note that barring hijab-wearing students effectively denies them access to education, contravening Article 18 of the ICCPR.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Users reported Instagram and TikTok outages, but monitoring services found no global disruption.
- Authorities have not disclosed the ages or identities of the 37 detainees, leaving it unclear whether minors were arrested.
- No official data have been released on how many students have missed classes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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!” — Polad Aslanov
- “We regard the headscarf ban introduced in schools by certain countries as an attack on women's most fundamental rights,” — Recep Tayyip Erdogan
- “When we have disagreements on these issues, we continue on our path by discussing them as two brotherly countries, sharing all of this openly and honestly.” — Omer Celik
What’s Next
The Baku City Education Department announced inspections to verify compliance, but no further legislative changes have been indicated. International NGOs and foreign governments have called for a review of the policy, while Azerbaijani officials maintain that the measures protect secular education.