Azerbaijan Restricts Hijab in Schools, 37 Detained
Class boycotts have spread at several schools, while the dispute has widened into Turkey after criticism from Ankara officials.
Azerbaijan is facing a wave of protests after school uniform rules invoking secularism were used to bar students and teachers wearing hijab from class. Azerbaijan's Interior Ministry said 37 people were detained on suspicion of disturbing public order during the demonstrations. In Baku, protests were reported near School No 69 in Balakhani, along with a boycott by hundreds of students in solidarity. Several teachers said they were told to remove their hijab or leave their jobs, including Zahra Hasanova. The dispute spread to Turkey after an adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Oktay Saral, criticized the policy. The Yeni Azerbaijan Party then responded by asking Ankara not to interfere in Azerbaijan's internal affairs.