Upper Karabakh, a contested region in the Lesser Caucasus
Armenia’s Catholicos Karekin II and six senior clergy are facing up to two years in prison after refusing to reinstate a defrocked bishop, in a confrontation seen as part of broader tensions between the church and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The trial began amid protests and international attention.
Azerbaijan has amended school uniform rules to reflect a secular principle. While not explicitly banning the hijab, the changes are prompting protests as students and teachers report denial of entry for headscarves, arrests connected to unrest, and social-media outages.
The Azerbaijani government has tightened dress rules in state schools to enforce secularism. Protests have erupted, and authorities are detaining demonstrators as the debate widens to involve Turkey and regional partners.