Prominent Islamic Scholar Tariq Ramadan Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Rape in France

PARIS, France – In a landmark decision concluding a years-long legal saga, Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Paris criminal court on Wednesday for the rape of three women. The verdict, delivered in absentia, marks a significant fall from grace for the once-influential academic, who faced multiple allegations of sexual assault in both France and Switzerland. The court also issued an arrest warrant for Ramadan and permanently barred him from entering French territory following his sentence.

French Court Delivers Stiff Sentence

The Paris criminal court found Ramadan guilty of rape and rape of a vulnerable person, underscoring the severity of the offenses committed against three complainants between 2009 and 2016. The judgment was rendered on March 25, 2026, after a trial that began earlier in the month, though Ramadan did not appear in court. His legal team cited a "flare-up" of multiple sclerosis, necessitating hospitalization in Geneva, as the reason for his absence. However, this explanation was rejected by a medical assessment ordered by the court, allowing proceedings to continue without him.

Presiding Judge Corinne Goetzmann emphasized the court's stance that consent to sexual acts does not imply agreement to every sexual act of any kind, highlighting the nuanced legal interpretation of consent in the case. The court's decision, which aligns with the prosecution's demands, requires Ramadan to pay compensation to his victims. However, the sentence can only be enforced if he is apprehended on French soil. Given that Switzerland does not extradite its nationals, Ramadan currently remains in Geneva, facing no immediate threat of transfer to France to serve his sentence.

Allegations and a Protracted Investigation

The charges against Ramadan in France stemmed from accusations made by three women. One of the primary accusers, Henda Ayari, a former Salafist Muslim who became a feminist campaigner, filed a complaint in October 2017. She alleged that Ramadan raped her in a Paris hotel room in 2012. Another woman, identified by the pseudonym Christelle, accused Ramadan of raping her in a Lyon hotel in October 2009. A third woman brought allegations of rape occurring in 2016. These allegations surfaced during the height of the #MeToo movement, prompting a wave of similar complaints against high-profile figures.

Ramadan, initially, vehemently denied any sexual contact with the first two accusers. However, in 2018, he altered his testimony, admitting to consensual sexual relations with Ayari and Christelle. He contended that these encounters were part of a "dominant-submissive" relationship and that the women had actively sought them out and fully consented. This shift in defense reflected a complex and evolving narrative throughout the investigation and trial phases. Ramadan had been arrested in France in January 2018 and spent approximately nine months in pre-trial detention before being released on bail, under judicial supervision, and barred from leaving the country.

A History of Legal Battles in Switzerland

The French conviction follows a complicated series of legal proceedings in Switzerland concerning another rape allegation. In May 2023, a Geneva court initially acquitted Ramadan of charges of rape and sexual coercion brought by a Swiss woman, identified as "Brigitte." The court, at the time, cited a lack of conclusive evidence, contradictory testimony, and what appeared to be affectionate messages exchanged between the accuser and Ramadan after the alleged incident in a Geneva hotel in 2008. Ramadan was even awarded compensation from the canton of Geneva for his legal costs.

However, Brigitte's legal team immediately announced their intention to appeal the acquittal. Their persistence led to a significant reversal. In September 2024, a Swiss appeals court overturned the lower court's decision, convicting Ramadan of rape and sexual coercion in the 2008 Geneva case. The appeals court sentenced him to three years in prison, with two years suspended. This conviction was further solidified in 2025 when Switzerland's supreme court rejected Ramadan's subsequent appeal, upholding the three-year sentence. This prior conviction in Switzerland established a pattern of legal culpability preceding the more substantial French verdict.

The Scholar's Precipitous Decline

Tariq Ramadan, born in Geneva and the grandson of Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, was once considered a leading and charismatic figure in European Islam. He held a prominent position as a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University and guest lectured at various universities worldwide, including in Qatar and Morocco. Time Magazine recognized him among the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004, a testament to his widespread influence.

His public image began to unravel significantly in 2017 when the first allegations of sexual misconduct emerged in France. The scandal forced him to take a leave of absence from Oxford, and he eventually took early retirement from the university in 2021, citing ill health related to his multiple sclerosis. Throughout the various legal proceedings, Ramadan consistently maintained his innocence, often claiming that the allegations were part of a politically motivated conspiracy aimed at discrediting him, fueled by what he termed "Ramadanphobia." Despite his defenses and initial denials, the legal process in both France and Switzerland ultimately found him responsible for the acts of sexual violence.

Conclusion: A Legacy Tarnished

The 18-year prison sentence handed down by the French court against Tariq Ramadan represents a definitive and severe judgment on the allegations of sexual assault that have shadowed his career for years. This outcome, coupled with his earlier conviction in Switzerland, irrevocably tarnishes the legacy of a scholar who once commanded significant intellectual and religious authority. The legal proceedings highlighted the courage of the women who came forward, providing a stark reminder of the broader impact of the #MeToo movement in challenging powerful individuals. The dual convictions underscore a complex international legal battle and bring a measure of closure to the victims, even as Ramadan remains outside French jurisdiction for now.