Swiss Court Affirms Conviction of Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan for Rape

Geneva, Aug 28 (AP) Switzerland's highest court has confirmed the conviction of prominent Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan for rape and sexual coercion, affirming a decision made by a regional court last year.

The federal court announced on Thursday that it had dismissed Ramadan's appeal. His appeal alleged procedural faults and claimed that the Geneva appeals court had made an “arbitrary assessment” of the evidence. This ruling had overturned an earlier acquittal by a lower court.

The court's decision detailed the accusations against Ramadan, including forcing a woman to engage in sexual acts and preventing her from leaving a Geneva hotel room in October 2008. The case also involved reviewing social media interactions between the two individuals before and after the incident.

In September, the Geneva appeals court sentenced 63-year-old Ramadan to three years in prison, two of which were suspended. Additionally, he was ordered to compensate the victim and cover legal costs and other fees amounting to over 100,000 Swiss francs (around USD 118,000).

Previously, a lower court had acquitted Ramadan due to insufficient material evidence. The initial acquittal in 2023 was seen as a significant win for the former Oxford scholar, who faced accusations of rape and sexual assault in France in 2018.

Ramadan, a Swiss national, had been charged preliminarily with rape for two alleged incidents in France over a decade ago. He was incarcerated in February 2018 and released on bail nine months later, pending trial.

A third woman filed a rape complaint against him in France in March 2023. The scholar, known for his outspoken nature, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has filed counter-suits, asserting the accusations are unfounded. (AP) GSP

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