Azerbaijan Hijab Ban Protest: School Boycotts and Journalist’s Hunger Strike Intensify

Protests Against Ban on Hijab-Wearing Female Students in Azerbaijan Intensify: School Boycotts and Journalist’s Hunger Strike

Shiite News: In the Republic of Azerbaijan, a strong public reaction has emerged against the ban on the admission of hijab-wearing female students in schools and new discriminatory regulations. Female students of numerous schools, becoming a symbol of protest against these restrictions, have boycotted classes and strongly demanded the restoration of the fundamental, constitutional, and religious rights of hijab-wearing female students.

The Baku City Education Department has begun implementing new conditions approved on September 21 in government schools, which are being severely condemned by female students and parents. Parents and public circles are of the view that these regulations explicitly deprive hijab-wearing girls of their right to education, while Azerbaijan’s constitution fully guarantees every citizen’s right to free and compulsory secondary education.

According to Meydan TV reports and videos circulating on social media, female students of Baku School No. 69 and B. Shiriyev Secondary School in the village of Mollaoba in Masalli district have boycotted classes, setting the condition that their hijab-wearing classmates be immediately allowed to come to school. On the other hand, at Richard Sorge Secondary School No. 90 in Baku, a hijab-wearing female teacher was dismissed from her job merely for observing the Islamic veil. In images that have come to light, female students can be seen crying while hugging their dismissed teacher, which reflects their deep sorrow over this cruel and unjust action.

Read More: Iraqi Hezbollah Yemen Support: Kataib Hezbollah Backs Yemen’s Defensive Operations

Raising their voice against this state oppression against hijab-wearing female students and teachers, imprisoned journalist and editor of ‘Khabarman News’ website Polad Aslanov has also started a hunger strike. According to his wife Gulmira Aslanova, Aslanov, imprisoned in Detention Center No. 15, took this step on Thursday against the new school uniform regulations. Polad Aslanov says that the purpose of his hunger strike is to draw global and public attention to the usurped rights of all hijab-wearing female teachers and students (including his own child), who are being forced to choose between basic education and the Islamic hijab.