Azerbaijani users report social media disruptions amid hijab protests

TBILISI: Internet users in Azerbaijan reported difficulties accessing social media Monday amid protests against school restrictions on Islamic headscarves, as police announced 37 arrests linked to unrest over uniform rules. Instagram and TikTok users complained that videos would not load and feeds would not refresh, with some saying they could access the platforms only through virtual private networks. Some users suggested the disruptions were connected to the circulation of videos showing the school protests. In September, Azerbaijan amended regulations governing uniforms in state schools, prohibiting additional clothing that conflicts with the prescribed uniform or the secular principles of education — without explicitly mentioning the hijab. Local media reported that pupils had demonstrated outside schools on Monday and boycotted lessons in solidarity with girls allegedly denied entry for wearing Islamic headscarves. The interior ministry told the APA news agency that people in Baku had confronted school employees over uniform requirements, damaged schools and attempted to disrupt classes. It said '37 people were arrested as a criminal investigation had been opened into disturbing public order.' Energy-rich Azerbaijan is a mainly Shiite Muslim country, but after decades of Soviet rule it emerged as one of the most secular states in the Muslim world. The authorities have imposed restrictions on religious worship and arrested radicals in attempts to prevent the spread of extremism, although critics have accused them of persecuting devout Muslims. Headscarf restrictions sparked demonstrations in 2010-2012, with police dispersing protests and making arrests. Public gatherings face tight restrictions in Azerbaijan, where President Ilham Aliyev's government has faced Western criticism over its treatment of political opponents and independent media.