Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan. | Photo Credit: AP
A Swiss appeals court has found renowned Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan guilty of rape and sexual assault nearly 16 years ago and sentenced him to one year in prison, overturning a lower court’s acquittal.
In a written verdict made public on Tuesday (September 10, 2024), the Geneva court sentenced Ramadan, 62, to three years in prison, with two years suspended, according to a copy of the verdict. He was also ordered to pay damages to the plaintiffs, as well as legal and other fees, totaling more than 100,000 Swiss francs (about $118,000).
The verdict included intimate details of how Ramadan forced the woman into sex and prevented her from leaving a Geneva hotel room in October 2008, as well as social media conversations between them before and after.
Ramadan can appeal to Switzerland’s highest court.
The verdict comes nearly 17 months after the lower court acquitted him due to lack of concrete evidence.
The original acquittal marked the first victory for the former Oxford scholar of worldwide fame, who had suffered a brutal fall from prestige after similar allegations in neighbouring France in 2018.
Ramadan faces a possible trial in France in connection with allegations made by several other women, which came forward more than five years ago.
Ramadan, who is a resident of Switzerland, was initially charged with rape for two alleged attacks in France a decade ago. He was jailed in February 2018 and released on bail nine months later pending trial.
In March last year, a third woman filed a rape complaint against him in France.
The outspoken scholar has consistently denied any wrongdoing and filed a lawsuit, calling the allegations false.
Published – September 10, 2024 09:30 IST