The local government of Indonesia’s Aceh province said on Tuesday it is ordering Muslim female flight attendants landing in the region to don a hijab upon arrival – or face punishment by religious police. Islamic law only applies in Aceh – the region won special autonomy in 2001 as part of a deal to end a long-running separatist insurgency. Concern has been growing among rights activists about rising religious conservatism in Aceh, where police at the weekend forcibly cut the hair of a group of transgender women and made them wear male clothing to make them more “manly”. The week before on Friday January 19, an Indonesian Christian was publicly flogged for selling alcohol. He was one of 10 people – eight men and two women – caned after Friday prayers for offences including pimping, prostitution and gambling.