An Azerbaijan government decision to indirectly prohibit students and staff from wearing the hijab in schools has sparked protests.

The amendment approved last month stopped short of explicitly banning the Muslim headscarf but barred clothing in schools that the government said violates the “principle of secularism”.

The decision has sparked protests as some schools began preventing students and teachers from attending classes.

The state-run Azerbaijani Press Agency (APA) said the amendment to the Descriptions of Uniforms for Students of State General Education Institutions aimed to ensure a unified dress code that reflects the country’s “secular principle”.

About 96 percent of Azerbaijan’s population identifies as Muslim. Its constitution defines the country as secular while also guaranteeing religious freedom.