Afghan Court Condemns Beauty Pageant

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

(1:27 PM ET)

The Associated Press

“Women who show their bodies without clothes in front of people are completely against Shariah (Islamic) law, against Islam and against the culture of the Afghan people.”

Miss Afghanistan, Vida Samadzai, leads other Miss Earth candidates during a press preview in Manila October 23, 2003. Samadzai is among contestants from 60 countries vying for the Miss Earth title in the final next month.

Image Credit: Erik de Castro -- Reuters

KABUL, Afghanistan -- AP
The Afghan Supreme Court on Wednesday condemned a woman who is competing as Miss Afghanistan at a beauty pageant, saying such a display of the female body goes against Islamic law and Afghan culture.

Vida Samadzai, 23, is competing in the Miss Earth competition in Manila, Philippines, and last she wore a red bikini during a public appearance by contestants ahead of the Nov. 9 judging.

She is the first Afghan to participate in the annual contest.

Samadzai reportedly left her home country for the United States in the mid-1990s and has said she is competing in the pageant to show the world a different image of Afghan women - many of whom still wear all-covering burka robes here despite the fall of the hard-line Taliban regime nearly two years ago.
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2003 © The Associated Press.

Dan