Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan Found Guilty of Rape in Swiss Appeals Court

A Swiss appeals court has convicted Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan of rape and sexual coercion, sentencing him to one year in prison. This verdict overrules an earlier acquittal. Ramadan, 62, was also ordered to pay over 100,000 Swiss francs in damages and legal fees. He plans to appeal.

In a dramatic turn of events, a Swiss appeals court has found Tariq Ramadan, a distinguished Islamic scholar, guilty of rape and sexual coercion, sentencing him to one year in prison. This verdict overturns an earlier acquittal from a lower court.

The court in Geneva handed the 62-year-old scholar a three-year prison sentence, suspending two years. Ramadan has also been ordered to pay damages and legal fees amounting to over 100,000 Swiss francs (approximately USD 118,000), as revealed in a written ruling made public on Tuesday.

The decision goes into intimate details, alleging that Ramadan forced a woman into sexual acts and prevented her from leaving a Geneva hotel room in October 2008. The scholar, known for his reputation and former teaching position at Oxford, now faces potential trials in France over similar accusations. Despite the damning verdict, Ramadan continues to deny all wrongdoing and plans to appeal to Switzerland's highest court.

(With inputs from agencies.)