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Agence France-Presse

The winner of Turkey’s national beauty pageant was forced to hand back her crown hours after her victory because of a tweet relating to last year’s failed coup that was deemed offensive.
Itir Esen, 18, was crowned Miss Turkey 2017 at a ceremony in Istanbul on Thursday night and was on her way to represent the country in the Miss World competition in China.
But organisers said on Friday that would not be possible after they discovered an “unacceptable” tweet that Esen had sent around the first anniversary of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The tweet was aimed at ousting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In the tweet, she compared the bloodshed in her menstrual cycle with that of the 249 people who lost their lives during the failed coup and are now celebrated in Turkey as martyrs.
“I am having my period this morning to celebrate the July 15 martyrs’ day. I am celebrating the day by bleeding on behalf of our martyrs’ blood,” she wrote.
Row erupts after Erdogan tells Turks to vote against Germany’s major parties led by Merke

I want to say that as a 18-year-old girl, I had no political aims while sharing this post
Itir Esen
Organisers said they had seen the tweet after the beauty contest’s results were announced and had to hold a long meeting to verify the post.
Can Sandikcioglu, head of Miss Turkey, said at the tweet was posted by Esen.
“The Miss Turkey organisation, whose objective is to promote Turkey in the world and to contribute to its image, cannot accept such a post,” he announced.
Esen’s title was handed to Asli Sumen, who came second and who will now represent Turkey in the Miss World contest in China on November 18.
In a message shared on her Instagram account, Esen said her post was written “carelessly” but was not politically motivated, apologising for any misunderstanding.
“I want to say that as a 18-year-old girl, I had no political aims while sharing this post,” she wrote, adding that she only shared her “innocent thoughts during a sensitive time”.
“My family raised me by teaching to respect our homeland and nation. I do not have a character that could show disrespect to our martyrs,” she said.
Turkey marks anniversary of failed coup with fresh purge
Esen is not the first Turkish beauty queen to fall foul over a social media post.
In 2015, prosecutors launched an investigation against former Miss Turkey beauty queen Merve Buyuksarac on charges of insulting Erdogan through social media posts.
Buyuksarac was given a 14-month sentence by an Istanbul court last year, but the sentence was suspended on condition that she does not reoffend within the next five years.
Opposition critics have decried shrinking freedom of expression in Turkey under Erdogan, as thousands have faced prosecution for social media postings deemed to have insulted the Turkish leader.


Beauty queen loses Miss Turkey crown over contentious coup tweet

Just a day after winning the Miss Turkey crown on Thursday, Itir Esen had it taken away because of a tweet she published during last year’s failed coup. Photo: AP

In this photo taken on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017, Itir Esen, 18, poses in front of the contest jury for Miss Turkey 2017 in Istanbul. Organizers have stripped Miss Turkey 2017 of her crown over a social media posting that was deemed insulting to the memory of some 250 people who were killed while opposing last year's failed military coup. Miss Turkey organizers said Esen was dethroned on Friday - a day after she won the contest and the right to represent Turkey at the Miss World contest in China - over a tweet they described as "unacceptable." (AP Photo)

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The comment, published by Itir Esen, compared the bloodshed in her menstrual cycle with that of the 249 people who lost their lives during the conflict


Beauty queen loses Miss Turkey crown over contentious coup tweet

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The comment, published by Itir Esen, compared the bloodshed in her menstrual cycle with that of the 249 people who lost their lives during the conflict

The comment, published by Itir Esen, compared the bloodshed in her menstrual cycle with that of the 249 people who lost their lives during the conflict