Protests Over Hijab Restrictions in Azerbaijan Schools: Why Has Discontent Spread Beyond Baku?

Changes to dress code rules in Azerbaijan's public schools, which have barred some students and teachers wearing hijabs from entering educational institutions, have in recent days sparked a wave of protests across the country.

According to the report of Ambassador Arjan, the international reporter, the recent dispute in the Republic of Azerbaijan intensified after the government of this country changed the regulations related to the clothing of public school students on September 21, 2026.

These regulations, without explicitly declaring the name hijab as a prohibited cover, restrict the clothes that the authorities deem to be in conflict with the principle of secular education or the uniform standards of school uniforms.

Further, there were reports of some veiled students being prevented from entering schools and some teachers being pressured to remove their headscarves. On the 6th of October, the regulations for covering the educational staff were changed and the observance of the principle of secularity of the educational environment was emphasized.

In this way, the dispute, which was apparently related to school uniform rules, turned into a broader issue about freedom of dress, the right to education, and the limits of government intervention in citizens' religious choices.

These protests have been accompanied by the arrest of dozens of people and reactions in Turkey, and have once again brought into focus the issue of the relationship between secularism, religious freedom and the policies of Ilham Aliyev's government.

It is noteworthy that the Republic of Azerbaijan, despite having a secular constitution, is a country with a majority Muslim population. Therefore, the restriction of Islamic clothing in educational environments is not considered merely an administrative issue and can create significant religious and social sensitivities.

protests of students and families; From boycotting classes to arrests

Images released from schools in the Republic of Azerbaijan show students and teachers who are having trouble entering classrooms due to new coverage restrictions. In some schools, students have refused to attend classes in support of their veiled classmates.

In one of the gatherings in front of a school in Baku, the protesters demanded an end to the restrictions, holding a sign with the theme "Hijab does not hinder education".

Reports published on October 12 indicate that 37 people have been arrested in connection with incidents and protests related to the implementation of the new regulations. The authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan have claimed that some of the arrested people were involved in clashes with school employees, disrupting the activities of educational centers and disrupting public order.

The implementation of the new veil regulations has caused a part of the society to worry that the right to education and employment in public schools may be conditional on abandoning the religious veil.

Why is Naradaran's name prominent in the recent protests?

Nardaran, a region on the outskirts of Baku, has been known for years as one of the important centers of religious and Shiite trends in the Republic of Azerbaijan. This area has also played a role in previous disputes over the restriction of the hijab and has a record of protesting the secular policies of the Baku government.

In 2010, the restriction of the hijab in schools provoked significant protests in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and reports of thousands of people gathering in Nardaran were published. Therefore, the return of the hijab issue to the forefront of social conflicts in this country is a reminder of one of the oldest gaps between a part of the religious society and the secular political structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The scope of the protests was not limited to the Republic of Azerbaijan and extended to Türkiye as well. In Istanbul, a group of protesters gathered in front of the consulate of the Republic of Azerbaijan and demanded that the Baku government reconsider the restrictions imposed on veiled students and teachers.

These protests have become more sensitive in Türkiye, especially considering the country's historical experience in the controversy over the hijab. In the past decades, the restriction of the presence of veiled women in some Turkish universities and government institutions had become one of the main topics of political and social conflicts; An issue that still has a special place in the political memory of Turkish society.

In such an environment, imposing restrictions on the hijab in a country where the majority of the population is Muslim, can provoke criticism from religious groups and conservative currents in Turkey.

On the other hand, Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in his speech at the Congress of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, indirectly warned against foreign interference in the lifestyle of the people of this country. Although he did not directly mention the name of Turkey, his words were interpreted in the political atmosphere of Türkiye as an implicit criticism of the rallies held in this country.

This incident shows that the hijab issue can cause differences even between two close regional allies; Especially when the issue is related to the definition of national identity, the limits of secularism and the role of religion in society.

Can the dispute over the hijab affect relations between Baku and Ankara?

The relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and Türkiye over the past years, especially in the military, economic and political fields, have exceeded the level of usual regional cooperation. Ankara's support to Baku in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, defense cooperation and the two sides' emphasis on the concept of "one nation, two states" are among the most important foundations of these relations.

However, strategic proximity does not necessarily mean complete overlap in domestic and cultural issues. Türkiye, under the rule of the Justice and Development Party, has had a different experience in facing religious demands and Islamic clothing; While the political structure of the Republic of Azerbaijan still emphasizes the secular identity of the state.

From this point of view, the recent dispute should be seen as a sign of the difference in the approach of the two countries regarding the place of religion in the public arena, not necessarily a sign of the beginning of a strategic crisis in their relations.

Some political and media reactions in Türkiye have also tried to link this dispute to older issues, including Ankara's role in the first Karabakh war; What is important is that the dispute over an educational regulation has now become a platform for re-reading older criticisms of the Baku government's domestic and foreign policy.

Secular politics of Baku and the challenge of social trust

For the government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the implementation of school dress regulations is justified by citing secularism and uniforming of students' clothing. Supporters of this policy believe that uniform regulations can prevent religious and social differences from being highlighted in the educational environment.

On the other hand, critics say that if the implementation of these regulations leads to the exclusion of veiled students from education or pressure on teachers to abandon the religious veil, the issue goes beyond the limits of the uniform and becomes an issue related to individual freedoms and the right to equal access to education.

The main challenge of the Baku government in this situation is to create a balance between educational regulations and citizens' rights. If the restrictions are implemented without dialogue with families and the religious community, the possibility of intensifying social distrust will increase.

Also, how to deal with protesters and transparency in announcing the reasons for arrests can play a decisive role in forming the public perception of the government's performance.

In general, it should be noted that the hijab controversy in the schools of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on the surface, started with the change of the rules of covering, but its consequences have spread to social, political and regional relations.

The protest of students and families, the reported arrests, the rally in front of the Consulate of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Istanbul, and Ilham Aliyev's implicit reaction to foreign criticism, all show that this issue has the capacity to become one of the most important disputes of the day in Baku.