The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council has stated that "no resolution has been reached" regarding the case of Muslim students in Axum, Tigray Regional State, who were barred from attending classes for wearing hijabs.
In a statement released on 1 January 2025, the council said, "Muslim students have been prevented from attending classes for more than a month due to their religious dress code." The statement further alleged that "some students and their families have been detained."
The Supreme Council noted that it has been in discussions with the Tigray Regional Islamic Affairs Supreme Council but added, "We have practically understood that no resolution has been reached."
Muslim students in Axum town, located in the Central Zone of the Tigray region, have been protesting a hijab ban that they say violates their constitutional rights to education and religious freedom.
Haji Mohammed Kahsay, Secretary of the Islamic Affairs Council in Tigray, previously told Addis Standard that the ban disproportionately affected grade 12 students. "Some students have been prevented from registering for the national exams because they were not allowed to enter the school premises."
The Tigray Regional Education Bureau, in a letter dated 30 December 2024, acknowledged receiving a complaint from the Islamic Affairs Office of Axum City. It reported that while most schools adhered to standard procedures, one general secondary school had imposed restrictions.
The bureau stated, "An agreement was reached on how to resolve this matter through discussions with professionals sent from our bureau." However, the bureau added, "Despite an agreement on resolving the issue, a subsequent complaint from the General Council of Islamic Affairs of Tigray indicated that the matter remains unresolved."
The bureau emphasized that, pending any new directives, no additional restrictions or demands should be imposed and that the previous dress code system should remain in effect.
The Supreme Council also highlighted that other challenges faced by the Muslim community in Axum remain "unresolved and are getting worse," citing issues related to "prayer spaces and burial grounds." It described these actions as "contrary to the values of a country where different faiths coexist respectfully," referencing international human rights laws and Article 27 of the Ethiopian Constitution.
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The council called upon both regional and federal government religious affairs offices to take immediate action. "Legal measures must be taken against those responsible for these violations," it said, adding that its legal department would continue to follow up on the matter.
"We call upon the entire Muslim community and other religious institutions to condemn this issue and stand with the Muslim community of Axum," the council said.
