Leyla Şahin v. Turkey

Leyla Şahin v. Turkey was a legal case brought before the European Court of Human Rights, challenging Turkey’s ban on wearing the Islamic headscarf (hijab) in universities. Şahin argued that the ban violated her rights to education and religious freedom under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Court upheld Turkey’s policy, noting it aimed to protect secularism and social harmony, and found that the restriction was justified and proportionate, not infringing her fundamental rights. The case highlighted tensions between religious expression and secular policies within European human rights law.