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Law and JusticeSwitzerland

Tariq Ramadan acquitted in Swiss sex abuse trial

May 24, 2023

The renowned Islamic scholar and former Oxford University professor was accused of rape and sexual coercion in a case dating back to 15 years ago.

https://p.dw.com/p/4RkO1
Swiss leading Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan arrives at the Geneva court house on May 24
The charge stemmed from an alleged incident in a Geneva hotel in 2008Image: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

The Geneva Criminal Court on Wednesday acquitted Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan on charges of rape and sexual coercion. 

The court said it found no evidence against Ramadan. The 60-year-old had been released on bail in another sex abuse case in France in 2018.

The plaintiff's lawyers vowed to appeal the verdict.

What was the case about?

A Swiss woman, who asked to be identified as the alias "Brigitte," accused Ramadan of subjecting her to brutal sexual acts, beatings and insults. 

She claimed that she was abused on the night of October 28, 2008, in a hotel room in Geneva where he allegedly invited her.

According to Brigitte's account, the two had exchanged messages before their meeting at the hotel after having initially met during a book signing and a conference.

She filed the lawsuit 10 years later, saying she was encouraged to come forward after similar complaints were filed in France.

Ramadan has rejected the claims, and said he was the victim of a "trap."
 

Tariq Ramadan (left) and his lawyers Nabila Asmane (center) and Guerric Canonica (right) arrive on the second day of his trial at the Geneva court house on May 16, 2023.
Ramadan was a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford until November 2017Image: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Allegations from women in France, US

In 2018, a French court granted Ramadan bail after he was accused of sexually assaulting two French women in 2009 and 2012, one of whom is disabled.

Ramadan initially denied any having sexual contact with them, but experts recovered hundreds of text messages he had sent to the women. Some of the recovered texts detailed violent sexual fantasies.

He later admitted to having sexual contact with the women, but claimed that the "sex games" were "consensual."

Ramadan also faces criminal rape complaints made by women in the United States.

The former Oxford University professor of contemporary Islamic studies took leave from his position in 2017 after sexual assault allegations against him surfaced at the height of the "Me Too" movement.

fb/nm (AFP, Reuters)