Organised by the Association of Students Activism for Palestine (ASAP) and its partners, the demonstration brought together activists from different faiths and backgrounds in solidarity with Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab.
Protesters said the ban restricts female students’ freedom to express their religious identity and forces them to choose between their beliefs and their education. They argued that wearing the hijab should never be grounds for discrimination, exclusion or denial of access to schools and universities.
Among those addressing the gathering was Islamic preacher Fadel Soliman, who strongly condemned the ban, describing it as contrary to the teachings of Islam and arguing that Muslims who support the decision are acting against their own faith.
ASAP President Nusaiba Mohamed and student Osama Ghanem also spoke at the protest, alongside other students, calling on the Azerbaijani authorities to respect freedom of belief and ensure that female students are not prevented from pursuing their education because of their religious convictions.
The demonstrators said the ban creates an unfair choice for students by placing their religious convictions in conflict with their right to education. They maintained that women should not have to abandon their beliefs to remain in school or university, and that religious expression should not be used as a basis for discrimination.
The protest’s central message was that access to education and the right to practise one’s faith should not be treated as competing rights. Participants called for an end to restrictions that undermine the autonomy of women and girls and limit their ability to make personal decisions about religious expression.
At the end of the demonstration, protesters announced plans to return to the Azerbaijani embassy every Friday until further notice, continuing their campaign until the ban on the hijab in educational institutions is reversed.