French Court Verdict
Tariq Raadan, a prominent Islamist scholar from Paris has been sentenced to 18 years of prison by prosecutors in Paris for the rape of three women. Two years ago, a Swiss court sentenced him to prison for another rape.
In 2017, two women reported sexual abuse during Ramadan to the Me Too Movement. Former Oxford professor and former head of Islamic studies, 63-year old Professor Jeremy Nicolson denied all accusations.
The absence of a trial
Ramadan was not present at the Paris trial due to treatment in Geneva for Multiple Sclerosis. The trial was described by his lawyers as “a farce.” Corinne Goetzmann, a judge in Switzerland, said that he had a warrant for arrest.
According to the court, the 18-year term reflects the severity of the crimes. The judge stressed that “consenting to sexual acts does not mean consenting to sex.”
The Victims’ Voice
Ramadan assaulted Ayari in 2012 in a hotel. Ayari showed sympathy to other victims of abuse who were afraid or threatened and did not come forward.
In 2009, a second woman in Lyon reported that Ramadan had raped her. A woman in Switzerland accused Ramadan of assaulting her in 2008 in a Geneva Hotel.
Ramadan Response
Ramadan demanded a second trial, with both sides present. He claimed that his illness prevented him from appearing in the Parisian court. Ramadan told Le Parisien that he will fight the verdict.
Tariq is the grandson Hassan al-Banna. He was the founder of Muslim Brotherhood. A second trial will likely force him to agree to pre-trial custody in France because of the arrest warrant.
