Protests have erupted in Azerbaijan after a number of schools began enforcing a ban on the Islamic headscarf, preventing students and teachers who wear the hijab from attending classes.
The ban, which has been applied in several schools across the country, has prompted demonstrators to gather outside the affected institutions, demanding that the policy be lifted.
Opponents of the measure say it infringes on the right to religious expression, while supporters argue it is intended to maintain a secular environment in public education.
Organisers of the protests have called on the government to reverse the ban and to guarantee that religious attire will not be a barrier to education or employment in schools.
Authorities have not yet announced any further steps, and the situation remains fluid as both sides continue to voice their positions.
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim nation in the South Caucasus, operates under a secular constitution that dates back to its Soviet-era legal framework.
The clash highlights a broader regional tension between secular state policies and the expression of religious identity in public institutions.
<small>Source: Al Jazeera — read the original story there.</small>