Around 88 people have been arrested following protests against the hijab ban in the Azerbaijani settlement of Nardaran, with criminal cases already initiated against most of them. The information was provided by Alamdar Bunyatov, a representative of the Muslim Unity Movement, who noted that police searches are being conducted by the Main Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to him, the families of the detainees are under severe pressure, and law enforcement officers have warned relatives not to share any information with the media.
In addition, the detainees are effectively deprived of the right to defense and lack independent lawyers, which significantly complicates obtaining accurate information about their condition. Earlier, lawyer Nazim Musayev had also raised a similar issue, stating that he was not allowed to meet with his client.
Nardaran, located near Baku, is considered one of Azerbaijan's well-known Shia settlements, where tension began after a government decision prohibiting the use of clothing in public educational institutions that does not comply with the principles of secular education. Although official documents do not explicitly mention the word hijab, religious figures and local independent sources interpret it as a ban on wearing headscarves, which has led to widespread discontent and the suspension of female students and teachers from classes at schools.
This situation vividly demonstrates how changes to internal regulations in educational institutions can escalate into large-scale social and political tension. The clash between the state's secularism requirements and the religious beliefs of the local population has already led to harsh administrative steps and numerous arrests.
In the coming weeks, it will be particularly noteworthy to observe how events unfold in Nardaran and whether the government takes steps to ease tensions. At the same time, access to independent lawyers and the right to defense remains a concerning issue that holds key importance in these cases.
