Last Updated:
Merince Kogoya, Miss Indonesia 2025 contestant, was disqualified after a video showing her support for Israel resurfaced, sparking backlash.
The video, filmed while studying abroad, led to Merince Kogoya’s removal from the competition.
A contestant in the Miss Indonesia 2025 pageant, Merince Kogoya, was disqualified after a video showing her expressing support for Israel resurfaced online, sparking backlash. The clip, reportedly filmed while she was studying abroad, showed Merince Kogoya dancing and waving an Israeli flag with a caption that read in translation, “Diligent for Sion, loyal to Jerusalem, standing for Israel.”
The video, posted two years ago on her verified Instagram account, went viral in late June and prompted widespread condemnation on social media following which pageant organizers announced her removal.
Who Is Merince Kogoya?
Merince Kogoya hails from Wamena and represented the Papua Pegunungan (Highlands) region in the national beauty pageant. A former student at Jayapura High School and Cendrawasih University, she was known for participating in science contests and local sports tournaments, particularly basketball. Her selection as a finalist was celebrated as a breakthrough moment for Papuan representation in national platforms.
What Social Media Users Said On Her Disqualification?
Online reactions to Merince Kogoya’s viral video were deeply divided, with some condemning her support for Israel amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, while others defended her freedom of expression. One user questioned, “Why are modern-day Christians so quick to defend Jews, when historically they discriminated against them in Europe?”
Another wrote in support, “What kind of competition is this? A competition to be supporters of the TERRORIST Hamas? So dumb,” suggesting Merince Kogoya was being unfairly targeted.
“Does she realize that arriving in Israel, she’d be treated as sub-human, just like how Israeli Zionists treat African migrant workers?” a post noted, adding, “She should empathize with Palestine, being from an oppressed community herself, yet she chooses to support the colonizers.”
- First Published:
