Showbiz News

WATCH: Iranian beauty queen, detained in NAIA

By Cara Emmeline Garcia

A former Miss Intercontinental finalist is crying for justice after she was held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport since October 17.

Iranian beauty queen, detained in NAIA

Bahareh Zare Bahari, the representative of Iran in the Miss Intercontinental 2018, said that she was detained under false charges.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported that Iran has alleged Bahareh for assaulting a fellow Iranian in the Philippines.

But according to Bahari, the Islamic Republic is targeting her for political activism and that the charges against her are fake.

On her Facebook page, Bahari has already posted a series of videos explaining her side of the story ever since she was held at NAIA.


Earlier this year, she angered Iran's Islamist government after waving a photo of a prominent government critic at a pageant.

And joining a beauty pageant is in itself frowned upon by the conservative religious leadership.


According to her lawyer, Atty. Agustin Baacungan, Bahari is currently seeking asylum here in the Philippines due to fear of her life.

"Natatakot siya if bumalik siya doon [Iran], she will be politically persecuted.

"If there's any doubt kasi, siyempre 'yung buhay ng tao hindi na mababalik 'yan, e.

"So I think, any doubt should be resolved in her favor just to be safe.

"Bigyan niyo siya ng chance to be here."

Watch the full report here: