London Protest to Oppose Hijab Restrictions in Azerbaijani Schools This Friday

The student organisation ASAP in Britain and its partners are preparing to hold a protest outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London on Friday 16 October, in opposition to restrictions on the wearing of hijab in Azerbaijani schools and in solidarity with Muslim pupils and teachers who face measures preventing them from attending school or continuing their work because they wear the hijab.
The demonstration is scheduled to take place from 4pm to 6pm outside the Azerbaijani Embassy at 66 Holland Park, London, W11 3SJ, near Holland Park station. It will be held under the slogan “Hands Off My Hijab”.
The protest comes amid renewed opposition to restrictions in Azerbaijan, where school uniform rules have sparked widespread controversy following reports that hijab-wearing pupils have been prevented from entering classrooms. The developments have brought questions surrounding the hijab, the right to education and freedom of religious belief back into the spotlight.
Call for Solidarity and a Strong Turnout
The organisers are hoping for a substantial turnout that reflects the level of solidarity with women and girls affected by the restrictions and sends a clear message against making access to education conditional on adhering to a uniform policy that excludes the hijab.
Participants have been asked to bring handmade solidarity placards, featuring messages in support of pupils and teachers in Azerbaijan. The signs are intended to reinforce the message that women and girls should have the right to education without discrimination on the grounds of religious belief or appearance.
The demonstration is expected to highlight the principle that education is a fundamental right and that preventing pupils from attending school because they wear the hijab raises serious questions about religious freedom, equality and equal access to educational opportunities.
The protest will also provide an opportunity to call for a review of restrictions that have reportedly resulted in some pupils being barred from entering their schools.
Background: Hijab Restrictions in Azerbaijani Schools
The controversy surrounding the hijab in Azerbaijani schools dates back to December 2010, when the then education minister, Misir Mardanov, announced on 9 December that the wearing of hijab would be prohibited in primary and secondary schools, citing school uniform requirements and the country’s secular education system.

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Although no explicit law banning the hijab was enacted at the time, the implementation of school uniform rules effectively imposed restrictions on its wearing.
The decision prompted a series of protests. On 10 December 2010, hundreds of people reportedly demonstrated outside the Ministry of Education in the capital, Baku, while further gatherings took place in other parts of the country. In May 2011, police dispersed another protest in Baku and arrested several participants, according to media and human rights reports.
The issue resurfaced in September 2026, following reports that Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved amendments to school uniform regulations on 21 September. The changes reportedly included restrictions on clothing considered inconsistent with uniform requirements or the principle of secular education.
Although the amendments did not explicitly mention a ban on the hijab, recent reports indicate that some schools have prevented hijab-wearing pupils from entering classrooms. Objections have also emerged from pupils, parents and teachers over the implementation of the new rules.
The current opposition therefore extends beyond a debate about school uniforms. It raises broader questions about how education regulations can be reconciled with freedom of religion and how pupils can be protected from being denied an education because they wear the hijab.

As opposition continues and solidarity campaigns emerge both within Azerbaijan and abroad, the planned demonstration outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London forms part of wider efforts to challenge the restrictions, highlight their educational and social consequences, and call for women and girls to be able to study and work without discrimination.
Protest Details
Date: Friday 16 October 2026
Time: 4pm–6pm
Venue: Embassy of Azerbaijan, 66 Holland Park, London, W11 3SJ
Organisers: ASAP student organisation in Britain and its partners
Slogan: “Hands Off My Hijab”
What to bring: Handmade placards expressing solidarity with Muslim women and girls and supporting their right to education.
The demonstration is intended to bring together members of the Muslim and wider community, students, human rights campaigners and others who support freedom of religion and equal access to education.

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