Tariq Ramadan Convicted of Rape in Geneva

Tariq Ramadan, a well-known Swiss-born scholar and prominent figure in the field of Islamic studies, has been found guilty on appeal of raping and sexually coercing a woman in Geneva in 2008. This decision marks a significant reversal of a previous acquittal, as confirmed by Swiss authorities on Tuesday.

The Geneva Court of Justice issued a statement indicating that Mr. Ramadan, now 62 years old, has been convicted by an appeals court and sentenced to three years in prison, with two years of that sentence suspended. This ruling, dated August 28, 2023, overturned a lower court’s earlier decision that had cleared Mr. Ramadan of all charges.

This conviction represents the first time that Mr. Ramadan, who once garnered recognition as a leading Muslim philosopher and theologian, has been found guilty of rape. His reputation had soared to great heights, with Time magazine once listing him among the world’s most influential people. However, his standing dramatically declined in 2017 and 2018, coinciding with the emergence of the #MeToo movement, during which several women came forward with allegations of sexual assault against him.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Mr. Ramadan has steadfastly denied all allegations, framing them as part of a broader smear campaign aimed at undermining his reputation.

In response to the ruling, his legal team expressed strong disapproval, asserting that the verdict reflects a conviction of the individual rather than an objective assessment of the facts. They announced their intention to appeal the conviction to the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

In their statement, lawyers Yaël Hayat and Guerric Canonica expressed confidence that the higher court would restore their client’s innocence, similar to the initial judgment made by the first judges.