Azerbaijan
Protests against President Ilham Aliyev’s government are reportedly spreading across Azerbaijan, with unrest that began in schools now extending into the streets.
The crisis erupted following restrictions on wearing the hijab in schools, triggering outrage among religious communities and raising serious questions about freedom of religion.
The geopolitical contradiction is striking: Aliyev leads a Muslim-majority country with a predominantly Shia Muslim population, yet his government maintains one of the closest strategic partnerships with Israel in the region, including extensive military and security cooperation.
A predominantly Shia Muslim nation, closely allied with Israel, now faces growing domestic anger over restrictions on Islamic religious expression.
The question is whether these protests will remain focused on religious freedoms or develop into a broader challenge to Aliyev’s government.