Their dreams of representing Indonesia in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant turned to nightmares when they were forced to undergo 91裸聊视频渂ody checks91裸聊视频� in front of local organizers. Now seven contestants have filed complaints with the police, accusing the organizers of sexual harassment, their lawyer said Tuesday.
During the July 29-Aug. 3 Miss Universe Indonesia contest in the capital of Jakarta 91裸聊视频� and ahead of the show91裸聊视频檚 Grand Final event 91裸聊视频� the contestants were told to strip to their underwear for 91裸聊视频渂ody checks91裸聊视频� for scars or cellulite, said lawyer Melissa Anggraini.
The checks took place in a ballroom at the downtown Sari Pacific Hotel, where the contest was held, with about two dozen people present, including men. Five of the contestants said they were then photographed topless, Anggraini said.
91裸聊视频淲e have obtained some evidences, even videos showing that the organizer had carried out 91裸聊视频榖ody checks91裸聊视频�,91裸聊视频� she added.
One of her clients, 23-year-old model Priskila Ribka Jelita who represented West Java province in the pageant, recounted her 91裸聊视频渂ody check91裸聊视频� ordeal in an interview with The Associated Press.
91裸聊视频淲hen they asked me to open my bra 91裸聊视频� I was shocked! But I couldn91裸聊视频檛 speak or refuse,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲hen I tried to cover my breast with my hand, I was even scolded and yelled at.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 was totally confused, nervous and humiliated, especially when I was told to lift my left leg on the chair and let them examine my leg,91裸聊视频� Jelita said. The 91裸聊视频渆xamination91裸聊视频� continued up her leg to 91裸聊视频渕y private intimate part,91裸聊视频� she added.
After news of the 91裸聊视频渂ody checks91裸聊视频� leaked out, the Miss Universe Organization cut its ties with its Indonesian franchisee. The New York-based organization said in a statement late Saturday that it had decided to sever ties with PT Capella Swastika Karya, the franchisee, and its National Director Poppy Capella.
91裸聊视频淚n light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards and ethics,91裸聊视频� the Miss Universe Organization said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
The organization also said it would be cancelling this year91裸聊视频檚 Miss Universe Malaysia as the Indonesian franchisee also holds the license for the neighboring country91裸聊视频檚 pageant.
It said it would make arrangements for the Indonesia 2023 title holder, Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld, who won in Jakarta, to compete in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, to be held in El Salvador later this year.
Groeneveld was not among the contestants who filed a complaint.
Jelita91裸聊视频檚 mother, Maria Napitupulu, said she found out what happened to her daughter only after reading her daughter91裸聊视频檚 post on Instagram, where she recounted the ordeal.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 very sad and this really hurts me,91裸聊视频� Napitupulu said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
In March, Indonesian beauty company PT Capella Swastika Karya took over the license for Miss Universe Indonesia from Yayasan Putri Indonesia, or YPI, an Indonesian foundation that had held the license for 30 years.
Capella, a former singer and the franchisee91裸聊视频檚 manager, could not be reached for comment.
In a post on the franchisee91裸聊视频檚 Instagram account, Capella on Saturday denied she had any knowledge of or was in any way involved in any 91裸聊视频渂ody checking91裸聊视频� of the contestants. She also said that she was against every form of 91裸聊视频渧iolence and sexual harassment.91裸聊视频�
In its statement, the Miss Universe Organization said no measurements of height, weight, or body dimensions are required to join the pageant, and thanked the Indonesian contestants who have shown 91裸聊视频渂ravery in speaking out.91裸聊视频�
Since the 91裸聊视频渂ody checks91裸聊视频� news broke, controversy over the pageant has been mounting in Indonesia, the world91裸聊视频檚 most populous Muslim-majority nation. The country has a reputation as a tolerant, pluralist society that respects freedom of expression.
Most Muslims in Indonesia, a secular country of 277 million people, are moderate, but a small hard-line fringe has become more vocal in recent years.
In 2013, several conservative Muslim groups staged a massive protest against the Miss World competition in Indonesia, prompting the organizers to move the contest from Jakarta to the resort island of Bali. All of the more than 130 contestants were required to wear Bali91裸聊视频檚 traditional long sarongs instead of the bikinis that have historically been a symbol of the competition.
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