School uniform debates and social media access restrictions in Azerbaijan
Following headscarf debates and protests at schools in Azerbaijan, it was claimed that access restrictions were imposed on social media platforms.
While protests over the mandatory uniform policy and headscarf debates in Azerbaijani schools continue, difficulties in accessing social media platforms have been reported.
Issues Experienced in Social Media Access
Social media users in Azerbaijan reported having difficulty accessing Instagram and TikTok, stating that the sites only work via VPN. Users, who stated they could not access the platforms since Monday morning, complain about slow connection speeds, feeds not refreshing, and videos not loading.
Official Statement and Verification Status
Although outage monitoring services recorded complaints originating from Azerbaijan, they did not report any global disruption affecting Instagram or TikTok. No official statement has yet been made regarding the access issues by either Azerbaijani official authorities or the relevant platforms.
Ministry of Interior Statement and Detentions
In a statement on October 12, the Press Service of the Ministry of Interior reported that a group in Baku created conflict situations with school staff due to the introduction of the mandatory school uniform policy. The ministry announced that 37 people were detained on the grounds that they disturbed public order.
Protests and Impact of Footage
Footage of headscarf-wearing students, who were allegedly not allowed into school, crying was viewed hundreds of thousands of times on social media. Other shared videos showed students holding protests in front of schools and boycotting classes in solidarity with their friends who were not let inside.