| HEADLINE |
|
Azerbaijan students boycott classes over hijab restrictions
Published : Sunday, 11 October, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Students at two schools in Azerbaijan have boycotted classes to protest restrictions on hijab-wearing pupils, while jailed journalist Polad Aslanov has launched a hunger strike over the new school dress regulations.
The changes were adopted by Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers on September 21 and cover school uniforms as well as teachers' clothing. The Baku City Education Department has announced plans to monitor the implementation of the new requirements in public schools.
The restrictions have drawn criticism from students and parents, who say they undermine the right to education of girls who wear the hijab.
Azerbaijan's Constitution guarantees free and compulsory general secondary education. However, it contains no specific provision explicitly granting individuals the right to wear the hijab in schools.
According to Meydan TV reports and footage circulating on social media, students at School No. 69 in Baku and B Shiriyev Secondary School in Mollaoba village of Masally district refused to attend classes. They demanded that their hijab-wearing classmates be allowed to return to school.
Jailed Journalist Launches Hunger Strike
Polad Aslanov, the jailed head of the Xeberman news website, began a hunger strike on Thursday to protest the restrictions.
His wife, Gulmira Aslanova, announced the decision in a Facebook post, saying he was being held at Penitentiary Facility No. 15.
Aslanov said the hunger strike was intended to draw attention to hijab-wearing students being barred from schools and restrictions on female teachers' clothing. He also claimed that the measures had affected his own child's right to education.
“I declare that I have begun a hunger strike to defend the rights of my own child and all hijab-wearing students whose right to education is restricted, as well as all hijab-wearing female teachers who are being forced to choose between education and wearing the hijab,” he said.
Aslanov said he had appealed to Allahshukur Pashazadeh, head of the Caucasus Muslims Board, several days earlier but had received no response.
He argued that the restrictions violated Article 48 of Azerbaijan's Constitution, which guarantees freedom of conscience.
Aslanov was arrested in 2019 on treason charges and initially sentenced to 16 years in prison. His sentence was later reduced to 13 years. He denies the charges and says he is being punished for his journalistic work.
In a separate incident, a hijab-wearing teacher at Richard Sorge Secondary School No. 90 in Baku was reportedly dismissed. Footage published by Meydan TV showed students crying and embracing the teacher.
-EM/SA
Loading...
Loading...
Also read
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
