Striving To Hijab, Azerbaijani Protesters Jailed

Striving To Hijab, Azerbaijani Protesters Jailed

District court in the capital of Azerbaijan - Baku, imprison four activists of pro-hijab. They were convicted for committing a demonstration against the ban on headscarves in schools since the government imposed in December 2010.

Previously, dated October 8, Baku Court for Serious Crimes sentenced to the Head of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (AIP) Movsum Samadov and six other members on charges of action against the government (subversion) for defying the ban on headscarves in schools.

Several members of the AIP was arrested in January 2011 after protesting the headscarf ban implementation in schools and university campuses.

Hundreds of people joined in the protest against the ban on state-sponsored it. Minister of Education, Misir Mardanov, announced a ban on the controversial December 2010.

Approximately 98 percent of the nearly 9 million inhabitants are Muslim Azerbaijan. The government under President Ilham Aliyev is very secular and has close ties with the West. Ban Islamic dress code is not included in the constitution of Azerbaijan. (Mel / Presstv.com / ddhongkong.org) .*