Arrest warrant issued against Tariq Ramadan
On Tuesday, the justice system requested eighteen years of criminal detention against the Swiss preacher Tariq Ramadan, who was tried in absentia. The public prosecutor also requested an arrest warrant and a permanent ban from French territory.
The trial, which opened at the beginning of March behind closed doors, is taking place without the 63-year-old defendant. His lawyers justified this absence by a recent hospitalization in Geneva, arguing that health problems prevented him from appearing in court.
On Bladi.net: Arrest warrant against Tariq Ramadan: Why the French justice system refuses the postponement
However, a medical examination dismissed this argument. The appointed neurologists concluded that his condition was stable, estimating that he was fully capable of appearing. The court therefore rejected the request for a postponement and issued an arrest warrant for immediate execution.
On Bladi.net: Tariq Ramadan facing justice: opening of the rape trial in Geneva
Faced with this decision, the defense denounced a "parody of justice" and decided to leave the courtroom. The Islamologist firmly contests the facts he is accused of, which occurred between 2009 and 2016. The final verdict is expected on Wednesday.
