Swiss Appeal Found Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan Guilty of Rape

An earlier lower court’s acquittal of Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan, who is facing numerous claims in both France and Switzerland, was overturned by a Swiss appeals court on Tuesday, which declared Ramadan guilty of rape.

An appeals court in Geneva declared the 62-year-old former Oxford University professor “guilty of rape and sexual coercion” of a woman in a Geneva hotel 15 years ago, following his acquittal last year.

It was his first guilty verdict, and it condemned him to three years in prison, two of which were suspended.

The prosecutor had asked for three years in prison, half of which would be suspended, in the May appeals case; the ruling was somewhat more lenient than that.

Lawyers Veronique Fontana and Robert Assael for the woman told AFP, “Our client is of course relieved, considering what she has had to endure for the truth to come out,” praising the fact that “the truth has finally triumphed.”

Meanwhile, the woman’s first trial attorney, Francois Zimeray, emphasized that the decision “came at the cost of years of pain and hardship suffered with dignity by the plaintiff.”

“We have seldom witnessed such cruel proceedings.”

The August 28 decision, which was just made public on Tuesday, was anticipated to be challenged before Switzerland’s top court.

Philippe Ohayon, a French lawyer for Ramadan, criticized the court system for its “many contradictions.”

Ramadan has always insisted on his innocence. He is a fascinating but contentious character in European Islam.

The court heard testimony from Ramadan’s accuser, a Muslim convert known only as “Brigitte,” who said that on October 28, 2008, he had sexually assaulted her and engaged in other violent acts in a Geneva hotel room.

Brigitte was frequently assaulted and exposed to “torture and barbarism,” according to Brigitte’s attorney.

“Trap”
Brigitte invited herself up to his room, according to Ramadan. He replied he’d let her kiss him, but he ended the conversation fast.

He claimed to have fallen into a “trap.”

At the time of the purported assault, Brigitte was forty years old.

Ten years later, she complained to the court, informing them that she felt more confident to come forward because of similar allegations made in France regarding Ramadan.

A lower court’s decision from last year exonerating Ramadan of rape and sexual coercion was overturned by the appeals court, which cited a dearth of evidence, inconsistent testimony, and “love messages” sent by the complainant following the alleged assault.

However, Brigitte’s attorneys claimed in their appeal that Ramadan had exerted considerable “control” over the woman, implying that she had experienced a condition close to Stockholm syndrome.

“Witness testimony, certificates, medical notes, and private expert opinions consistent with the facts presented by the plaintiff” were cited by the three judges on the appeals court.

The court said in a statement, “Elements collected during the investigation have thus convinced the chamber of the accused’s guilt.”

Ramadan taught modern Islamic studies at Oxford University and also served as a visiting lecturer at universities in Morocco and Qatar.

At the height of the “Me Too” movement in 2017, he was compelled to take a leave of absence due to claims of rape that surfaced in France.

He is accused of raping three women in France between 2009 and 2016.

His sizable defense team is contesting a June ruling by a Paris appeals court allowing the cases to proceed to trial.