Human rights defenders called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to lift restrictions on hijabs.

The international human rights organization called on the authorities of Azerbaijan to lift restrictions on wearing hijabs in schools and to release those detained for peaceful protests against these restrictions. Denying female students access to classes due to religious clothing violates the rights to education, freedom of religion, and self-expression, human rights defenders stated.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", since October 12, school leaders in Azerbaijan have not allowed female students and teachers who refused to remove their hijabs to attend classes. The restrictions have sparked protests, during which participants were subjected to detentions and administrative arrests. By October 16, activists reported new arrests of protest participants and dismissals of teachers.

The ban on attending classes in hijabs is discriminatory as it violates girls' rights to education and self-expression, stated Mari Strazers, director of the international human rights organization for Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Human rights defenders demanded that female students and teachers be granted access to educational institutions and that those detained solely for peacefully exercising their rights be immediately and unconditionally released, Meydan TV reported on its website on October 17.

"Denying girls access to classes because they wear hijabs is discrimination and violates their rights to education, freedom of religion, and self-expression. The secular nature of state education does not justify a blanket restriction on religious clothing," Strazers stated.

Human rights defenders also expressed concern over the mass detentions of protest participants, including the mother of a schoolgirl who was not allowed to attend classes due to her hijab, and reports of the disappearance of an activist who organized free online education for children excluded from lessons.

The statement mentioned the cases of Gudrat Abdullayev, who received 25 days of administrative arrest for a TikTok post, and Rafael Huseynzade, arrested for 30 days after writing "Freedom to the hijab!" on a school wall. Separately, human rights defenders drew attention to the persecution of Shahizyar Guseynova, who opposed her daughter's exclusion from classes.

It should be noted that, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, on October 12, 37 protest participants were detained in Baku. Activists reported over 200 detentions across the country. Most of them were subsequently released.

Previously, the authorities of Azerbaijan explained the clothing requirements in state schools by the secular nature of education. However, female students and teachers who were not allowed to attend classes reported violations of their rights.