AhlulBayt News Agency: A social activist in the Republic of Azerbaijan has been beaten while in detention following his protest against the ban on the hijab in the country's schools.
The website Kavkazsky Uzel reported that Yavar Ismayilzadeh—a Muslim activist affiliated with the “Islamic Unity” movement of Azerbaijan—was beaten and threatened while held in an Azerbaijani prison.
According to his associates, this incident occurred after the activist began a hunger strike on October 14 to protest the ban on students and teachers wearing the hijab in schools.
These developments follow protests that erupted after restrictions regarding the hijab in schools were imposed on October 12. While authorities have reported the detention of 37 individuals, activists estimate that the number of those detained exceeds 200.
The origin of these restrictions lies in amendments made to the Law on General Education in July 2026, followed by resolutions issued by the Cabinet of Ministers on September 21 and October 6 of that year.
Although the term hijab is not explicitly mentioned in the text of these resolutions, they prohibit any form of attire deemed "inconsistent with the uniformity of school uniforms or the principle of secularism in public education."
In practice, these regulations have resulted in the exclusion of students and teachers who wear the hijab from school premises. The circulation of videos showing veiled girls being denied entry to their schools has sparked a wave of protests in Baku and cities in the southern part of the country.
The government of Azerbaijan defends this decision by citing the country’s constitution, which defines the educational system as secular. Critics, however—including Amnesty International—view the move as discriminatory and a violation of the right to education and religious freedom for Muslim girls.
The ban has also led to diplomatic tension with Turkey, Baku’s closest ally. Officials from Turkey’s ruling party have termed the restrictions "unacceptable" and called for their revocation, while Azerbaijan’s ruling party has characterized these criticisms as "interference in internal affairs."
...................
End/ 257
Your Comment