Azerbaijan ban on headscarves in schools opens rift with ally Turkey

Turkey and Azerbaijan share a close alliance built on common values, strong ties, and a mutual understanding that "Azerbaijan's joy is our joy, its sorrow is our sorrow." However, a recent controversy over school uniform rules threatens to strain the decades-long relationship between the two nations. Azerbaijan recently passed a law banning clothing deemed "inconsistent with the principle of secularism," though it did not specifically mention headscarves.

This move has caused distress among Muslim girls in Azerbaijan, as several videos showed them crying and claiming they were barred from classrooms.

State television in Azerbaijan defended the ban, claiming it aimed to prevent "Arab-Persian values" from influencing the country's national identity. They argued that school uniforms are mandatory, and all students must adhere to the rule. Turkish media and officials have strongly criticized the decision, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's adviser calling it a violation of the right to education and freedom of religion.

Turkish MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) joined the criticism, calling the ban a "violation of freedom of religion and the right to education."

Experts suggest that the tension may have a negative impact on Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, though it is more likely to affect public opinion than cause a serious deterioration in the bilateral ties. The headscarf issue is particularly sensitive in Turkey, given its history of enforcing strict secularism and banning headscarves in schools and public spaces in the 1990s. Many Turkish women who faced such restrictions have credited the dismantling of these policies to President Erdogan's secularist reforms.

Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, responded to the ban with strong criticism of Turkey and Erdogan's party. They accused the Turkish government of attempting to dictate its will to other Muslim nations and interfering in their internal affairs. In response, protests erupted outside the Azerbaijani consulate in Istanbul, and authorities detained 37 people for disrupting public order during anti-ban demonstrations.

The issue has also led to internet restrictions in Azerbaijan, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X blocking access.