A contested region in the South Caucasus with a volatile political status
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.
Azerbaijan has tightened dress rules in state schools to enforce secularism, leading to entries denied to hijab-wearing pupils and teachers. Protests have erupted domestically as international groups condemn the move and tensions with Turkey rise over the issue.