The art management department under the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has been requested by the local Justice Ministry to abolish its performance ban on a Vietnamese beauty queen who committed fraud while participating in beauty pageants.

On March 7, the Performing Arts Department decided to prohibit Luu Thi Diem Huong, winner of Miss Vietnam World 2010, from taking part in all performing and modeling activities nationwide.

In recent months, the media reported that 24-year-old Huong had been married when she competed at Miss Vietnam World 2010 -- a pageant gathering women of Vietnamese origin from around the world -- and Miss Universe 2012, where she represented Vietnam.

The pageants both require contestants to be single.

Huong intentionally concealed her marital status, and signed a guarantee paper to confirm she was telling the truth.

Objections

The ban has been strongly blasted by officials from law agencies for being unfounded and unreasonable.

At the March 31 meeting on the legality and validity of Document 131, which bans Huong from all performing and modeling activities, Dr. Le Hong Son, of the Justice Ministry, said that the Performing Arts Department is not authorized to impose such a ban in this case.

“There are no terms whatsoever in current legal documents which stipulate such handling of the case. We suggest that the department withdraw their 131 document in three days,” Son said at the meeting.

Truong Khanh Hoan, also of the Justice Ministry, pointed out that only Vinpearl Co., the organizer of Miss Vietnam World 2010, is allowed to impose a penalty on the beauty, and can fine her or even take away her crown.

“It’s quite wrong of the Performing Arts Department to suspend Huong from her performing and modeling activities, which can be detrimental to her career,” Hoan noted.

Le Minh Tuan, of the Performing Arts Department, explained that after trying in vain to contact Huong and her manager repeatedly, the department released the document to respond to the beauty’s evasive attitude and mollify the upset public.

Tuan added that the organizer of Miss Vietnam World will soon send their suggested penalty to the department, which will then decide on the final punishment.

Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Huong is 1.74m tall and boasts body measurements of 85-62-94.

The beauty also made it to the semifinal of the Miss Earth pageant in 2010, when it was held in Vietnam for the first time.