Turkey rallies rap hijab ban continuation

Women gather in front of Turkey’s Constitutional Court in Ankara to protest against a ban on wearing hijab at universities. (File photo)

Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:25AM GMT

People have held demonstrations in Istanbul as well as two other cities in southeastern and eastern Turkey to condemn the continuation of a ban, imposed by the Turkish government on hijab at schools.

The demonstrations were held in Istanbul, Malatya, and Diyarbakir on Monday.

Demonstrators called for freedom to wear hijab at schools and universities.

Protesters held placards reading, “Don’t touch my hijab,” “We will struggle until the ban on hijab is lifted,” and, “Oppression on scarf-wearing women continues.”

Women not wearing scarves also attended protests against the ban to express solidarity.

Turkey’s Education Ministry recently issued an order banning headscarves for schoolgirls.

The Turkish government does not allow headscarf-wearing schoolgirls to continue their education at educational centers.

Under the new order, only girls who study at religious schools are allowed to wear hijab.

This is while, only about 200,000 girls study at religious schools in Turkey, meaning that the new law forces some seven million girls across the country not to wear hijab at school.

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via PressTV – Turkey rallies rap hijab ban continuation.