Paris Court Sentences Tariq Ramadan to 18 Years in Prison for Sexual Assaults

PARIS (Afghan Verified) -- A Paris court sentenced Tariq Ramadan, grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna and a prominent Islamic studies scholar, to 18 years in prison for sexually assaulting three women.

Ramadan was absent from the trial while receiving treatment for multiple sclerosis in Geneva. He denies the charges. The case began in 2017 amid the Me Too movement, with initial complaints from two of the three complainants. The incidents dated back to 2008 and 2009.

Ramadan has a prior conviction in Switzerland, where he was sentenced to prison for rape.

Following the verdict, an arrest warrant was issued for Ramadan. He has been permanently banned from French territory. No extradition agreement exists between France and Switzerland, complicating enforcement.

Ramadan's lawyers described the proceedings as "theatrical." The ruling comes after a lengthy trial that drew significant attention due to Ramadan's public profile as a scholar and commentator on Islamic issues.