An Iranian beauty queen, fleeing alleged persecution at home, has applied for asylum in the Philippines after being detained in Manila airport. Bahareh Zare Bahari, who represented Iran at the Miss Intercontinental pageant in 2018, says her life in Iran became dangerous after authorities ascribed political motives on her. Bahari is currently in the custody of the Philippines' Bureau of Immigration.
Bahari arrived in Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week, where she was arrested as the Interpol had issued a red corner notice against her. The Iranian authorities got the notice slapped against her following a fellow Iranian's complaint against her on grounds of assault and battery, the Arab News reported.
Bahari, who denies any wrongdoing, says she is in the crosshairs of the government after she appeared on a pageant supporting an opposition politician. She held a photo of Iranian opposition leader Reza Pahlavi at a pageant, reports said. "I used his photo in a beauty pageant and they are angry with me ... If they (Philippines) deport me, they (Iran) will give me at least 25 years in jail, if they do not kill me," Bahari told Arab News.
Behari has been a resident in the Philippines since 2014. She has been following dentistry course in the country. She and her lawyer say that she hasn't committed any crime either in Iran or in the Philippines.
There were concerns the woman was to be sent back to Iran, but in the latest news the Philippines officials have said she will not be deported as she has filed for asylum. "While the exclusionary proceedings against her have been terminated, Bahareh remains in Bureau of Immigration's custody and could not be sent back to Iran as she has filed an application for asylum. Such application, [the] Department of Justice shall resolve in due time," Mark Perete, an official with the Department of Justice, told GMA News.
