DEAR READER,

Serbia gave us the biggest story of the week. On Sunday night, Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat to the student-led Student List in the snap parliamentary election, after the highest turnout in over three decades. We will return to what this means for Serbia in the coming weeks.

This week’s expert opinion turns to Azerbaijan, where new school dress rules restricting the hijab have sparked a debate over secularism and religious freedom. Zumrud Pashkin looks at what the decision says, how it is being enforced, and why Turkey has weighed in.

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Enjoy reading this week’s “brief”!

— Giorgi Beroshvili, Editor

Restrictions on religious veiling, or hijab, in Azerbaijan's public schools have sparked a new debate regarding the principles of religious freedom and secularism in the country.

On September 21, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted a decision concerning standardised school uniforms and the strengthening of the principle of secularism in public general education institutions. Under this decision, the use of clothing items that violate the uniformity of the school uniform or conflict with the principle of secularism — including the hijab and other religious symbols — is not allowed.

Given that Azerbaijan is a predominantly Shia Muslim country, this decision has received a mixed reaction from society. The government and state media argue primarily that the wearing of the hijab or other religious symbols by female students and teachers in schools violates the principle of secularism. Supporters of the measure maintain that the decision is necessary, arguing that Azerbaijan is neither Iran nor an Arab nation. They also point to attempts by those countries to exert influence over Azerbaijan through Islam. It is worth noting that this is one of the main narratives of the state-run media, too.

However, a certain segment of the public believes the decision is incorrect, arguing that schoolgirls who wear religious veils should not be forced to choose between their education and covering their heads, and has criticised the ruling.

The decision came into effect on October 12, and over the past few days, numerous videos have circulated on social media showing schoolgirls wearing hijabs being denied entry to school. The controversy is not limited to students; it is reported that teachers who wear the hijab have also received warnings that they will not be able to continue working unless they remove their headscarves.

Footage has been shared on social media showing small protests taking place outside schools in the capital, Baku, in response to the implementation of the decision.

Citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs, pro-government media reported on October 12 that instances of gross violations of public order had occurred, stemming from the obstruction of the enforcement of established rules regarding uniform dress codes in state general education institutions. According to these reports, 37 individuals had been arrested for violating public order.

On the morning of October 12, following reports of protests, news circulated that access to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook had been restricted in Azerbaijan. However, official bodies have not commented on the allegations regarding the blocking of certain social media platforms. Meanwhile, independent media outlets operating from abroad speculate that the number of arrests could be higher.

Between the principle of secularism and religious freedom

The Azerbaijani government's narrative regarding the decision centres on preserving the secular nature of state education and implementing uniform dress codes in schools. Pro-government media and citizens who support the decision emphasise that Azerbaijan possesses a political and social model distinct from that of Iran and certain Arab nations. They view the restriction of religious symbols in schools as essential to safeguarding the country's secularism.

Concerns are also voiced regarding the potential for Azerbaijan's southern neighbour to interfere in the country's domestic affairs through religion. In this context, the issue of the hijab is linked not merely to a choice of religious attire but also to Azerbaijan's political and national identity and its sovereignty.

The discourse favoured by the authorities imbues the issue of the hijab in schools with broader political significance: alongside the question of religious freedom, it becomes part of the debate regarding Azerbaijan's cultural and political orientation.

Although there are no grounds to assume that every student who wears the hijab is acting under the influence of foreign states, religious attire can be an expression of personal faith, family tradition, or individual choice. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish between political concerns regarding foreign influence and the religious choices of individual citizens.

An important nuance is the distinction between the legal text of the decision and its practical implementation. The Cabinet of Ministers' decision does not explicitly ban the hijab, nor does it designate exclusion from classes as a specific sanction. Nevertheless, reports of students wearing headscarves being barred from attending classes raise questions about how the rule is interpreted and the legal grounds upon which school administrations act.

While formally presented as a general dress code, in practice, the measure creates a conflict between the freedom of religious expression and access to education.

Article 18 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan establishes the separation of the state from religion and the secular nature of the state education system. At the same time, Article 42 guarantees the right to education, while Article 48 ensures freedom of conscience and religious belief. It can be said that the relationship between these provisions constitutes the legal essence of the current dispute. The Constitution emphasises the secular nature of the state education system and the state's oversight of that system.

However, the key issue here is how the principle of secularism is upheld and how the measures implemented in this process affect children's right to education.

Turkey's reaction and the limits of the strategic alliance

The dispute in Azerbaijan has also resonated beyond the country's borders. Some commentators in the Turkish media and on social networks have drawn parallels between the current situation and the period following Turkey's 1997 military intervention — known as the "postmodern coup" — which aimed to curb political Islam.

During that time, severe restrictions were imposed in Turkey on women wearing headscarves while attending university or working in the civil service. The gradual lifting of these restrictions in subsequent years marked a significant shift in Turkey's political history.

Turkish officials have criticized the restrictions imposed on students wearing headscarves in Azerbaijani schools. Oktay Saral, chief advisor to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, described the denial of students' right to education on the basis of their wearing headscarves as unacceptable. Some MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have also expressed criticism of the decision adopted in Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani authorities, however, view such criticism as interference in internal affairs. Azerbaijan's ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) has objected to critical statements made by representatives of Turkey's ruling AKP, warning that such remarks could undermine the strategic alliance and fraternal ties between the two nations.

In a speech at the YAP's annual congress on October 2, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev — without explicitly naming Turkey — warned against external interference in Azerbaijan's internal affairs and the lifestyle of its society.

This friction highlights a divergence in the two countries' relations. For years, the Turkish government has framed the lifting of restrictions on religious clothing as an expansion of religious freedom. This political experience leads some Turkish officials to view developments in Azerbaijan through the same lens.

For Baku, however, decisions regarding religious attire fall within the realm of domestic policy, and external criticism may be perceived as an infringement on sovereignty. This situation demonstrates that a strategic alliance does not necessarily imply a shared position on every political and ideological issue.

In conclusion, it can be said that secularism does not equate to the complete exclusion of religious affiliation from public life. At the same time, guaranteeing religious freedom does not mean that general school regulations are insignificant. The essence of the debate lies not so much in choosing one of these principles over the other, but rather in how to strike a legal and practical balance between them.

In this regard, the hijab debate in Azerbaijan is not merely a dispute over school uniforms. It raises broader questions concerning the boundaries of the state's concept of secularism, the protection of individual religious freedom, and the shaping of political discourse around national sovereignty.

— Zumrud Pashkin, Political Journalist and Researcher