Muslim activist details rape claims against Oxford professor

Image
AFP Paris
Last Updated : Oct 30 2017 | 8:07 PM IST
A Muslim feminist activist who has accused prominent Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan of violent rape detailed her claims in a hard-hitting interview today.
The leading Oxford professor, whose grandfather founded Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Islamist movement, is facing investigations in France for the alleged rape of two women.
Ramadan has denied the accusations as a "campaign of lies launched by my adversaries".
Henda Ayari, a former Muslim fundamentalist who says Ramadan raped her in a Paris hotel room in 2012, said she was encouraged to speak out against him publicly by the "Me Too" campaign sweeping the world.
"It was the #BalanceTonPorc campaign that pushed me to reveal his name," she told the Parisien newspaper, in reference to France's version of the hashtag which means "Expose your pig".
Ayari, who lodged a rape complaint against the 55- year-old Swiss national on October 20, charged that for Tariq Ramadan, "either you wear a veil or you get raped".
"He choked me so hard that I thought I was going to die," she added.
She had detailed the encounter in a book published last year, without naming her alleged attacker.
A second unnamed woman on Friday also accused Ramadan of raping her in a hotel room in 2009.
Ramadan has filed counter-charges for libel and wrote on Facebook Saturday that a new suit would follow "within a few days, in response to the campaign of lies launched by my adversaries".
"These accusations are simply false, and betray all the ideals I have long strived for and believed in," he wrote.
Ramadan, a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at Oxford University, is popular among conservative Muslims. Secular critics accuse him of promoting a political form of Islam.
Thousands of people took the "Me Too" online campaign -- started by allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein -- onto the streets of France on Sunday.
Some 2,500 people joined a rally in Paris against sexual abuse and harassment, while other protests were staged in Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille and other cities.
In addition to Ramadan, several other prominent figures have been targeted in French assault claims, including a lawmaker in President Emmanuel Macron's party and a judge on France's equivalent of "America's Got Talent".

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 30 2017 | 8:07 PM IST

Next Story