Schools in the Vladimir region have banned the wearing of clothing that demonstrates the religious affiliation of students, including hijabs and niqabs. The corresponding order was issued on October 25 by the local Ministry of Education and Youth Policy, as “Vedomosti” pointed out. 

On its page in the social network “VKontakte”, the ministry explained that the ban on religious clothing is due to the fact that Russia is a secular country in which “the church is separated from the state, including from the sphere of secular education”. The ministry also emphasized that the decision “fully complies with the law on freedom of conscience and religious associations and the law on education.”

The order refers to any clothing that demonstrates the religious affiliation of the student, so the norms are not aimed at religious clothing of followers of one particular confession, said Pavel Grigoriev, senior lawyer at the law firm “Propositum”.

At the end of May 2024, Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Davankov submitted to the lower house a bill allowing Russian regions and schools to introduce a ban on face-hiding clothing. This proposal was criticized by representatives of the Chechen authorities.