Azerbaijan is seeing protests and arrests after new school uniform rules bar students and some teachers from wearing hijabs in school. Outlets report that in some cases students are turned away from classes, and demonstrations spread as families and education staff react to the policy change.
Several reports trace the dispute to the government’s attempt to standardize school uniforms under a secular education framework, while critics argue it restricts individual religious expression. Al Jazeera and JAMnews also report a security response to the unrest, including the arrest of dozens of people linked to incidents tied to the uniform requirements. The controversy is described as ongoing, with some schools beginning to enforce the rules more strictly as authorities maintain the policy’s legality and critics call for accommodations or clearer protections for religious practice in educational settings.
