- Title: LITHUANIA: 'MISS PRISON' BEAUTY CONTEST
- Date: 19th November 2002
- Summary: MCU CONTESTANT IN THE ROLE OF TATIANA FROM RUSSIAN POET ALEXANDER PUSHKIN'S "EUGENE ONEGIN" SV AUDIENCE MCU CONTESTANT DRESSED IN THE COSTUME OF CLEOPATRA ON STAGE SLV PARTICIPANTS SHOWING FUR COATS AND BIKINI (2 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 4th December 2002 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PANEVEZHYS, LITHUANIA
- Country: Lithuania
- Topics: Crime,Entertainment,General,Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA7GHHHC9EPS4J7QCEXWFO7PCVC
- Story Text: The unreal world of the beauty pageant found an unreal setting in Lithuania recently, when authorities staged a beauty contest at the country's only prison for women. The stars of the so-called "Miss Prison" pageant were the inmates serving time at the prison.
This was Lithuania's first "Miss Prison" show held at the country's only women's prison in Panevzhys, 140 kilometres (85 miles) north of the capital Vilnius.
The jury had to choose a winner from eight women inmates, who took part in the contest.
The organizers imposed a news blackout on the crimes the contestants had committed, despite persistent questions from the media.
"The main aim was to show these women were part of the society. We can not cut them off like a hand or a finger. They are part of us. And we want to show that there are not only black or white colours, there is a rainbow, too," said Arunas Valinskas, the host and one of the organisers of the contest.
The contestants were promised a 4,000 Lithuanian litters (1,160 - euro/ u.s. dollars) prize. The pageant was watched by 96 other prison inmates and was later televised on one of Lithuania's television networks.
21-year-old Krisitina, nicknamed Samantha, who is half way through a four-year prison sentence, won the the title "Miss Prison".
A single mother, Kristina and her baby daughter serve the sentence together at the prison. She told reporters she would spend her prize money on her eight-month-old daughter. The money will be handed over to Kristina at the end of her prison term.
The organisers of the pageant said they have already received several proposals to work on setting up a "Miss Prison Europe" contest. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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