Azerbaijan Restricts Social Media Amid Hijab Protests, 37 People Arrested

By Staff, Agencies

Access to social media platforms has been disrupted across Azerbaijan as protests against school restrictions on Islamic headscarves intensify, with authorities confirming the arrest of 37 people.

Users of Instagram and TikTok reported difficulties loading videos and refreshing their feeds, while some said they could access the platforms only through virtual private networks [VPNs]. Some users linked the disruptions to the spread of videos documenting the school demonstrations.

The unrest follows amendments introduced in September to regulations governing school uniforms in state-run schools. The new rules prohibit additional clothing that conflicts with prescribed uniforms or the secular principles of education, although they do not explicitly refer to the Islamic hijab.

Earlier this month, the Baku City Education Department announced inspections to ensure that students and teachers comply with the regulations.

Local media reported that pupils gathered outside schools on Monday and boycotted classes in solidarity with girls who had reportedly been denied entry for wearing Islamic headscarves. Videos shared online appeared to show the restrictions being enforced specifically against headscarves, despite the absence of an explicit reference to them in the official regulations.

Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry told the APA news agency that individuals in Baku had confronted school staff over uniform requirements, damaged school property and attempted to disrupt lessons.

“37 people were arrested as a criminal investigation had been opened into disturbing public order,” the ministry said.

The restrictions have drawn international condemnation, with social media users criticizing the measure as religious persecution targeting Azerbaijan’s Muslim-majority population.

Azerbaijan is predominantly Shia Muslim but, following decades of Soviet rule, developed into one of the most secular countries in the Muslim world.

Authorities have introduced various restrictions on religious practices and detained Muslim citizens in what they describe as efforts to prevent the spread of extremism. Critics, however, have accused the government of using such measures to target religious communities.

Similar restrictions on Islamic headscarves triggered protests between 2010 and 2012, when police dispersed demonstrations and made arrests.

Public gatherings remain tightly controlled in Azerbaijan, where President Ilham Aliyev’s government has faced longstanding criticism over its treatment of political opponents and independent media.