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Tariq Ramadan on his way to court in Geneva: Asserted his innocence in the trial
Photo: MARTIAL TREZZINI / EPA
The well-known Swiss Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been acquitted of the allegations of rape and sexual assault in a trial. The verdict of the Geneva Criminal Court said on Wednesday, among other things, that there was no physical evidence of the crime.
Prosecutors had accused the 60-year-old Ramadan of abusing a woman in a Geneva hotel room one night in October 2008. The now 57-year-old plaintiff, who had converted to Islam in her youth, stated that she had been beaten, insulted and sexually abused by the Islamic scholar for hours.
The defendant maintained his innocence. Although he admitted to dating the woman, he denied having a sexual relationship. The prosecutors had demanded three years in prison, including 18 months without parole. The verdict can still be appealed.
Further allegations against Ramadan
The detailed account of the woman had not been substantiated by any traces of sperm or blood, injuries or video recordings of the hotel, the court found. It also pointed out that the plaintiff had consulted two psychiatrists shortly after the alleged incident. However, their records would not substantiate the key points of the indictment, it said. In addition, after the night in question, the woman sent messages to Ramadan that gave the impression of love messages. They did not contain any allegations related to the alleged night of the crime.
Ramadan may also have to stand trial in France. In the summer of 2022, the Paris prosecutor's office had requested a trial against him on suspicion of raping four women. Ramadan is a grandson of Hassan al-Banna, a co-founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.
bbr/dpa