RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)·🇦🇿 Azerbaijan·
In Azerbaijan, students and teachers have protested for nearly a week against a government ban on headscarves in schools. The dispute began with a September 2026 decree prohibiting clothing that contradicts secular education principles, which schools interpreted as a hijab ban. RISU reports that demonstrators, including younger children and supportive classmates, have faced police crackdowns and social media blocks. Authorities have arrested dozens of individuals for disrupting public order. Officials, including MP Fazil Mustafa, attribute the unrest to foreign influence, while religious leaders warn against conflict. The situation remains tense with no compromise in sight.
Translated from УкраїнськаAlso reported by 1 other outlet
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev opened the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku on October 27. The event gathered over 2,000 attendees, including representatives from the UN and UNESCO. Aliyev presented his nation as a model of religious tolerance. However, the outlet reports he omitted the forced displacement of over 120,000 Christians from Artsaj following the 2023 offensive. International speakers praised Azerbaijan’s efforts without addressing the crisis. The article argues this narrative contradicts the ongoing humanitarian situation and alleged destruction of Armenian heritage in the region.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Ivan Aleksic on UnsplashPersecuted church
Georg Soghoyan, an Armenian aid worker, shared his testimony in the United States after spending five years in Azerbaijani prisons. He stated he holds no resentment toward his captors but wants to highlight the plight of Armenians still detained. Soghoyan was captured in November 2020 while delivering humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh. He was released in January 2024 during a prisoner exchange between Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to Armenian reports, 19 Armenians remain in Azerbaijani custody. Soghoyan urged attendees to share his story to raise awareness about the suffering of prisoners and their families.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on UnsplashPersecuted church
Gevorg Sujyan, an Armenian aid worker released from Azerbaijani custody in January, shared his five-year imprisonment experience in Yerevan, Armenia. Speaking to a delegation organized by Save Armenia and the Center for Truth and Justice, Sujyan described severe beatings and harsh cell conditions. He stated he holds no resentment toward his captors but aims to highlight the suffering of the 19 Armenians still detained in Azerbaijan. Sujyan, captured in November 2020, emphasized the human cost of the conflict, urging attendees to raise awareness for those remaining in custody and the families of the 191 people still listed as missing from the 2020 war.
Amnesty International urges Azerbaijan to lift discriminatory school hijab restrictions and release detained protesters. The organization criticizes the ban, which began on October 12, for denying girls access to education. Reports indicate mass arrests, including a mother protesting her daughter's exclusion and an activist who organized online lessons going missing. Authorities detained dozens in Baku, with some facing long administrative arrests. Amnesty states these actions violate rights to education, religion, and peaceful protest, calling for the immediate release of those held solely for exercising their rights. (Source: Amnesty International)
Human rights lawyer Siranush Sahakian alleges that twenty ethnic Armenian detainees in Azerbaijan are held in isolation with limited contact to monitored phone calls. The group says prisoners are denied Bibles, forced to read the Quran, and one had a cross tattoo burned off. These claims follow Azerbaijan’s 2023 military takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh, which led to mass displacement. Azerbaijani officials reject the allegations as unfounded. The cases, including that of former official Ruben Vardanyan, are being reviewed by the European Court of Human Rights amid concerns over fair trial standards and religious freedom.
Experts at a UN Human Rights Council side event in Geneva warned that Azerbaijan is systematically erasing Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno Karabakh. Speakers, including representatives from Christian Solidarity International and the European Centre for Law and Justice, cited satellite-confirmed demolitions of churches and cemeteries since the 2023 displacement of Armenians. Panelists also highlighted the ongoing detention and alleged torture of Armenian prisoners of war, criticizing the lack of international monitoring and the closure of the ICRC delegation in Baku. The group urged UN bodies to enforce court orders and halt impunity for what they described as ethnic cleansing and cultural erasure.
The Azerbaijani government officially prohibited religious headwear in public schools by amending dress code regulations on September 21. Although the decree does not explicitly mention the hijab, experts state it establishes a legal basis for banning Islamic veils in the education system. This move aligns with broader efforts by Baku to control Islamic institutions. Since 2022, the state has transferred authority over appointing imams from the Caucasus Muslim Directorate to a government committee. Officials claim these measures counter foreign influence, resulting in the dismissal of 181 clerics and strict oversight of religious content and publications.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by İltun Huseynli on UnsplashGood news
Hikmat Hajiyev, an assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, stated that Baku hopes Pope Leo XIV will attend the opening of the country's second Catholic church. The new building, dedicated to St. John Paul II, is located in the Yasamal district of Baku and is funded by the Azerbaijani government. Hajiyev noted that President Ilham Aliyev has formally invited the Pope to visit. This follows previous visits by Popes John Paul II and Francis. The official also highlighted strong relations between Azerbaijan and the Holy See, including cooperation on civilizational dialogue and the restoration of Vatican catacombs.
The Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences highlighted the centenary of World Mission Sunday, emphasizing unity and missionary renewal across the region. The event spans multiple nations in Asia, aiming to strengthen collaborative efforts among bishops and missionary groups. This commemoration serves as a focal point for discussing the future of evangelization and church cooperation in diverse cultural contexts throughout the continent. The FABC uses this milestone to encourage renewed dedication to global mission work, fostering solidarity among Christian communities facing various challenges in the area.
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