16 female students of Sumgait State University applied to DEVAMM with the complaint of not being allowed to the classes for having their heads covered with the headscarves.  The students told that they have been under psychological pressure for a long time, but recently the pressure started to be more aggressive. The chair of DEVAMM Hajy Ilgar Ibrahimoglu (on the right) organized the Monitoring Group of 20 people to make a research of the issue. (18-NOV-06)

Written by Shahla Ismailova/HRH Baku, on the basis of materials from Turan Info Agency, IA Regnum, Day.Az, DEVAMM; photo by Shahla Ismailova

DEVAMM was informed that the female students of Sumgait State University were not allowed to attend the classes for covering their heads with Hijab (headscarf). Upon receiving this news from Sumgait, the Monitoring Group of DEVAMM, consisting of 20 people, researched the issue in Sumgait. The security staff members in Sumgait State University confirmed that the rector of the University Nadir Gahramanov had prohibited the access of the students with the headscarf to the university. He demanded the students to attend the classes with the uncovered head.

The facts were declined by the teacher of Sumgait State University Ramiz Mamedov, who mentioned that the students were not accessed to the study only if they had unsatisfactory grades. The deputy of the Caucasian Muslim Religious Department – Haji Akif pointed out that none of the expelled students ever applied to them with such complaint.

However, DEVAMM, continuing the monitoring of Sumgait State University insists that the females students in addition to the psychological pressure, face certain obstacles in their study. Since the 14-th of November 16 students with headscarves were not allowed to the classes.  According to the words of the chair of DEVAMM Haji Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, the pro-rectors of the University perform the contracting policy toward the female students-believers. DEVAMM brought a lawsuit on human rights violation to the Sumgait city court.

The Ministry of Education confirms the right of the students to attend the classes in the headscarf.