Azerbaijan continues prohibiting hijabs in schools

Despite protests of believers, the ban on headscarves (hijabs) in schools, introduced last November in Azerbaijan, remains in force.

As noted by Seymour Rashidov, press secretary of the DEVAMM (Centre for Protection of Freedom of Conscience and Religion), "there is no positive momentum in this issue." According to his story, the ban remains in action and schoolgirls in hijabs are not admitted to schools. "These children are left out of the education process," Rashid told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Mr Rashidov has noted that not many of these children turn to human rights organizations. Earlier, the Ministry of Education reported on approximately 1000 schoolgirls, who attended schools with their hijabs on; half of them after explanations agreed to take their hijabs off during lessons.

Zaamina Aligyzy, head of the press service of the Chief Education Department of Baku, said that "children must attend school in pupils' uniform."

"We have the Law on Education, running that children must wear the uniform; while a hijab is not an element of the school uniform. School and hijab are completely different things. If a girl is under 16 years old, she is still a child and has to think about studying and rejoicing," noted Zhalya Gadzhieva, mistress of school No. 111.