•The Ruling Has Sparked Outrage Among Students and Advocates
Axum, Ethiopia| The Axum District Court has dismissed a case against schools accused of prohibiting Muslim female students from wearing hijabs, a decision that has ignited protests from students, religious leaders, and human rights advocates.
The court ruled that the issue should be resolved through “mediation or administrative proceedings” rather than legal intervention, asserting that it lacks the jurisdiction to escalate the matter further.
The case was brought forward by the Tigray Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, which had challenged the ban after a previous court ruling suspended it. However, the council expressed deep concerns over what it described as judicial interference.
“The judge who issued the directive allowing students to wear their hijabs was replaced,” said Haji Mohammed Kahsay, Secretary of the Tigray Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, suggesting that external influences may have played a role in the court’s decision.
Despite the earlier ruling that temporarily lifted the ban, affected students report that they remain effectively barred from attending classes.
“Even though the court ruled in our favor before, no one has enforced the decision here in Axum,” said a student preparing for national exams.
Community members and civil society organizations in Tigray have also voiced frustration, stating that their calls for intervention have been largely ignored by local authorities.
Alarming reports of student arrests and mistreatment have further escalated tensions.
According to one student, police detained around 20 female students who attempted to enter school premises while wearing hijabs. “Those taken into custody were physically assaulted at the police station,” she alleged.
The case has sparked broader concerns about religious freedom and the rule of law in Ethiopia.
Advocacy groups argue that the dismissal of the case has left affected students without legal recourse, setting a dangerous precedent for the enforcement of constitutional rights.
As calls for intervention grow louder, it remains unclear whether authorities will take further steps to address the issue.
Meanwhile, many students continue to face uncertainty about their education, with some fearing that their right to religious expression may remain unprotected in the absence of decisive legal action.
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