Azerbaijan hijab ban sparks diplomatic tension with Turkey

Relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have faced significant strain following Baku’s implementation of new school uniform regulations. The rules, intended to uphold secular education principles, have effectively prohibited the wearing of Islamic headscarves for students and teachers in public schools.

The move has triggered widespread domestic protests and international condemnation. Amnesty International has called for the reversal of these restrictions, stating that denying girls access to education based on religious dress violates fundamental rights to education, religion, and expression. Reports indicate hundreds of individuals have been detained in connection with protests.

The dispute has escalated into a diplomatic rift. Senior Turkish officials, including an adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, have denounced the ban as “unacceptable.” In response, Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party has criticized these statements as “populist and irresponsible” disinformation.

Beyond the religious debate, the tension highlights broader geopolitical differences, including Azerbaijan’s pragmatic relationship with Israel compared to Turkey’s strained ties with the country. Azerbaijani authorities have framed the enforcement of secularism as a matter of national security to protect the state from foreign political influence.