Since early October, protests have been taking place in Azerbaijan over regulations regarding the enforcement of school uniforms, which prohibit symbols deemed to undermine the principle of secularism. The regulations, introduced in late September, have been interpreted as a tightening of the ban on wearing the hijab, which had effectively already been in place. Following the initial protests, the ban was extended from female students to teachers as well.
The question of how countries emphasizing their secular character should address religious symbols in the public sphere is complex and by no means unique to Azerbaijan. Opposition to the wearing of the hijab in public schools, and its de facto prohibition, is not new; protests over the issue took place as early as 2010. This time, while the protests do not appear to be larger in terms of participation, a broader group of influencers, and not just religious figures, are speaking out against the regulations. Images circulating on social media, particularly in Turkey but also elsewhere, show young girls crying after being denied entry to their schools, as well as children crying around a teacher wearing a hijab who was barred from entering the school. In response to the protests, access to social media in Azerbaijan has been partially restricted, and several dozen people have been arrested.
The Azerbaijani authorities claim that Iranian actors are fueling the protests. There is also resentment and criticism that the protests are being used to drive a wedge between Turkey and Azerbaijan, given the close ties between the two countries and Turkey's growing departure from the secular model. Baku has expressed anger over a speech delivered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly on September 22, in which he stated, without referring to any specific country, that restrictions on wearing the hijab in schools constitute an attack on women's fundamental rights, linking the issue to Islamophobia and xenophobia. Thus, the gap is widening between Erdoğan's ambition to raise a "pious generation" and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's desire—and need—to adhere to the principle of secularism, partly to preserve his own rule.
Although this is a domestic issue, some are exploiting the events to point to Israel-Azerbaijan relations as part of the problem. While such accusations can easily be dismissed as conspiratorial and antisemitic, Israel should nevertheless monitor these developments. The close relations between Israel and Azerbaijan, a predominantly Shiite Muslim country, depend to a large extent on the continued rule of the Aliyev dynasty, which has held power since 1993. If external Iranian efforts to destabilize Azerbaijan are indeed involved, it is clear that part of the intention is also to undermine relations between Israel and Azerbaijan. On the other hand, it is important to recognize the complexity of the issue, and to remember that the prohibition on displaying religious symbols also extends to wearing a kippah.
Since early October, protests have been taking place in Azerbaijan over regulations regarding the enforcement of school uniforms, which prohibit symbols deemed to undermine the principle of secularism. The regulations, introduced in late September, have been interpreted as a tightening of the ban on wearing the hijab, which had effectively already been in place. Following the initial protests, the ban was extended from female students to teachers as well.
The question of how countries emphasizing their secular character should address religious symbols in the public sphere is complex and by no means unique to Azerbaijan. Opposition to the wearing of the hijab in public schools, and its de facto prohibition, is not new; protests over the issue took place as early as 2010. This time, while the protests do not appear to be larger in terms of participation, a broader group of influencers, and not just religious figures, are speaking out against the regulations. Images circulating on social media, particularly in Turkey but also elsewhere, show young girls crying after being denied entry to their schools, as well as children crying around a teacher wearing a hijab who was barred from entering the school. In response to the protests, access to social media in Azerbaijan has been partially restricted, and several dozen people have been arrested.
The Azerbaijani authorities claim that Iranian actors are fueling the protests. There is also resentment and criticism that the protests are being used to drive a wedge between Turkey and Azerbaijan, given the close ties between the two countries and Turkey's growing departure from the secular model. Baku has expressed anger over a speech delivered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN General Assembly on September 22, in which he stated, without referring to any specific country, that restrictions on wearing the hijab in schools constitute an attack on women's fundamental rights, linking the issue to Islamophobia and xenophobia. Thus, the gap is widening between Erdoğan's ambition to raise a "pious generation" and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's desire—and need—to adhere to the principle of secularism, partly to preserve his own rule.
Although this is a domestic issue, some are exploiting the events to point to Israel-Azerbaijan relations as part of the problem. While such accusations can easily be dismissed as conspiratorial and antisemitic, Israel should nevertheless monitor these developments. The close relations between Israel and Azerbaijan, a predominantly Shiite Muslim country, depend to a large extent on the continued rule of the Aliyev dynasty, which has held power since 1993. If external Iranian efforts to destabilize Azerbaijan are indeed involved, it is clear that part of the intention is also to undermine relations between Israel and Azerbaijan. On the other hand, it is important to recognize the complexity of the issue, and to remember that the prohibition on displaying religious symbols also extends to wearing a kippah.