Calling on French Minister of Justice to immediately cease masquerade of justice in Professor Tariq Ramadan case
Madame Nicole Belloubet, Minister of Justice:
As international scholars, politicians, social activists and journalists, we are writing to you, the French Minister of Justice, to demand an immediate halt to the indictment of Tariq Ramadan case.
This process has gone on far too long by French investigating judges, Camille Guillermet, Camille Palluel and Cyril Paquaux. their bias, lack of impartiality, neglect of key evidence, delaying of key information and ignoring investigations brought forward by the French Criminal Division has been astonishing. In their role as “investigating judges”, it is surprising that they have chosen to ignore exculpatory evidence and suspicious connections between the plaintiffs and long-time critics of Professor Ramadan.
Let us be clear: We, the signatories of this letter, endorse France’s commitment to uphold the values of “liberté, égalité, fraternité” threatened today around the world. It is not for us to judge Tariq Ramadan’s guilt or innocence. We fully recognize the rights of the plaintiffs to have their case heard without prejudice. However, we wish to remind the country that has affirmed the inalienability of human rights and equality of the importance of respect for the principles that ensure the integrity of French justice.
It has been two years since professor Ramadan was indicted, nine months of which were spent in pre-trial solitary detention, despite the chief prison medical authority confirming his health was incompatible with incarceration due to illness. Professor Ramadan was also denied access to his case file and thus to the necessary means of preparing his defence. His right to a speedy judicial process has been ignored. Since his release in November 2018, the turn of events has been even more worrying. The following are a few examples:
– The judges mandated an expert psychiatrist, Dr Daniel Zagury, to see if there was a notion of “psychological grip” on the plaintiffs, an extremely rare procedure. The whole case depends now on his report. This is a clear conflict of interest as Dr. Zagury’s is an active member of the pro-Zionist Schibboleth association, which is ideologically opposed to Professor Ramadan. He also has friendly links with the opposing counsel Me Francis Szpiner and Me Eric Morain. We request that he recuse himself immediately.
– The fourth complainant, “Elvira” was completely invalidated by the Criminal Division. The judges and prosecutors continued to hear her complaint until she recanted and it was clearly determined she did not even know Tariq Ramadan. Elvira and Mounia Rabbouj have both publicly stated, on social media, that they have been pushed and manipulated by the Israeli French paparazzi Jean-Claude Elfassi. The Criminal Division discovered that the latter has actually been in touch with the four plaintiffs (he, himself, acknowledged on I24 TV channel he was in touch with the fifth complainant in Switzerland). Surprisingly, after 28 months of investigation, Jean-Claude Elfassi has not been heard by the investigating judges.
– The judges have indicted Tariq Ramadan on the basis of two witnesses whom they have not even questioned, and whom they encouraged to come forward (even though they did not file a complaint).
Has Professor Ramadan been granted the equal treatment so prized by France when high-ranking political figures, artists, and film producers accused of similar offenses have their rights protected like a gold standard? Is there one form of justice for Muslims in France and another for everyone else?
In short, we respectfully ask, has Professor Ramadan benefitted from a fair and equitable legal process, one in which he is presumed innocent until proven guilty?
* Call to action *
We appeal to your commitment to France’s reputation as a defender of justice. We trust that as the Minister of Justice you will respond to our appeal and address our concerns that a fair and just process be implemented. In particular, we suggest that if the Magistrates in charge of Tariq Ramadan’s case are not able to properly do their work with the impartiality required by the Judiciary’s code of ethics, they should be removed and replaced by truly impartial judges.
* SIGNATORIES *
- John Esposito, University of Georgetown, USA
- Tariq Modood, University of Bristol, UK
- Kalypso Nikolaïdis, University of Oxford, UK
- Cornel West, University of Harvard, USA
- Ms Karen Amstrong, British author and commentator, UK
- Charles Taylor, McGill University (Emeritus), Canada
- Ilan Pappe, University of Exeter, UK
- Ms Mairead Maquire, Peace Nobel Prize Winner, Northern Ireland
- Stephen Chan, SOAS, University of London, UK
- Richard Falk, Princeton and Queen Mary Universities, USA, UK.
- Jørgen S. Nielsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Khaled Abou el Fadl, UCLA, USA
- George Joffé, University of Cambridge & London, UK
- Talal Asad, The City University of New York, USA
- Dr Aminata Dramane Traoré, former Minister of Culture, Mali
- Charles E. Butterworth, Emeritus, University of Maryland, USA
- Dr Chandra Muzaffar, Chair, JUST, Malaysia
- Dr Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister, Malaysia
- Mohammad Hashim Kamali, Chair IAIS, Malaysia.
- Bock-Yong Kim, President of Hanil University, Korea
- Dr François Burgat, CNRS, France
- Salman Sayyid, University of Leeds, UK
- Mr Boubacar Boris Diop, writer, novelist, journalist, Senegal
- Sonia Dayan-Herzbrun (Emeritus), Université de Paris, France
- Sami Al-Arian, Istanbul Zaim University, Turkey
- Osman Bakar, ISTAC-IIUM, Malaysia
- Alassane Diedhiou, Vice-Rector, University Assane Seck, Senegal
- Oumar Sy, University Assane Seck, Senegal
- Sari Hanafi, American University of Beirut, Lebanon
- Humayun Ansari, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
- Adil Salahi, Author and scholar, UK
- Asma Afsaruddin, Indiana University Bloomington, USA
- David Palumbo-Liu, Stanford University, USA
- Geneviève Rail (Emeritus), University of Concordia, Canada
- Khalil Elahee, University of Mauritius, Mauritius
- Ermin Sinanovic, United States Naval Academy, USA
- Jacques Neirynck, EPFL (Emeritus), Switzerland
- Chiara Sebastiani, University of Bologne, Italy
- Ray Jureidini, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
- Massimo Campanini, University of Trento & IUSS di Pavia, Italy
- Paul Aarts, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Richard Francis Gombrich, University of Oxford, UK
- Ulises Tamayo, Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, Mexico
- Anwar Alam, Policy Perspectives Foundation, New Delhi, India.
- Lord Professor Bhikhu Parekh, University of Westminster, UK
- John Holmwood, University of Nottingham, UK
- Fethi Mansouri, University of Deakin, Australia
- Richard Friedli, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
- Craig Calhoun, Arizona University, USA
- Anna Triandafyllidou, Ryerson University, Canada
- Shahram Akbarzadeh, Deaken University, Australia
- Raphaël Confiant, writer, University of Antilles, France
- Akeel Bilgrami, Columbia University, USA
- John Keane, University of Sydney and WZB, Germany
- Shad Saleem Faruqi, University of Malaya, Malaysia
- Nader Hashemi, University of Denver, USA
- Dr Marie-Lorraine Pradelles Monod, psychologue, France
- Dr Jaspal Kaur Sadhu Singh, Help University, Malaysia
- Dr Haitham al-Haddad,Chair of the fatwa committee, UK
- Dr Aasim Padela, University of Chicago, USA
- Dr Yvonne Haddad, Georgetown University, USA
- Dr Dalia Mogahed, Director, Consultant, USA
- Maximin Emagna, Président Europe Belgium Diversity, Belgium
- Dr Eric Hazan, writer, founder and publisher “La Fabrique”, France
- Dr Anas Altikriti, CEO Cordoba Foundation, UK
- Dr Shazad Amin, CEO Mend, UK
- Dr Manazir Ahsan, Chair, The Islamic Foundation, UK
- Dr Fatiha Talahite, CNRS, France
- Dr Raghad Altikriti, President, MAB, UK
- Ellen van de Bovenkamp, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Dr Murshid Davids, Director, South Africa
- Dr Hatem Bazian, Director IRDB, University of California-Berkeley, USA
- Dr Alain Gabon, Virginia Wesleyan University, USA
- Dr Abdullah Faliq, London Metropolitan University, UK
- Dr Sarah Marusek, University of Leeds, UK
- Dr Farooq Murad, Islamic Foundation, UK
- Dr Ismail Patel, Chair, Friends of Al-Aqsa, UK
- Dr Fanny Bauer-Motti, psychologist, UK
- Dr Ramon Grosfoguel, University of California-Berkeley, USA
- Dr Haoua Sounna Mamadou, Vice-President AFMA, Niger
- Dr Abderrahmane Lahlou, Consultant Education & Finance, Morocco
- Dr Jaouad Iraqi, jurist, Morocco
- Dr Arujunan Narayanan, HELP University, Malaysia
- Dr Shabbir Akhtar, University of Oxford, UK
- Dr Silvia Maeso, Centre for Social Studies, Portugal
- Dr Pravini Baboeram, DNI, The Netherlands
- Dr Alexander Fluegel, EPO, The Netherlands
- Dr Quraysha Ismail Sooliman, University of Pretoria, South Africa
- Dr Amanj Aziz, Nyans, Sweden
- Mohamed Nour Dachan, President UCoII (Emeritus), Italy
- Dr Massoud Shadjareh, Chair, Islamic Human Rights Commission, UK
- Dr Belem Bassirou, Ministery of Environment, Burkina Faso
- Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa, Monash University, Malaysia
- Dr Aliou Baldé, University Assane Seck, Senegal
- Dr Sehija Dedovic, Center for Education and Research-Nahla, Bosnia
- Dr Ibrahima Ndiaye, economist (UvS), Senegal
- Dr El Hadji Séga Gueye, lecturer, France
- Dr Mohammad AbdurRahman Siddiqi, Chairman (IMCJ), Japan
- Dr Francois Deroche, medical doctor and President JDSF, France
- Dr Homa Katouzian, University of Oxford, UK.
- Dr Diadié Maiga, World Health Organization, Congo-Brazzaville
- Dr Ahmed Ismail Manjra, paediatrician, South Africa
- Dr Bilal Hassam, medical doctor, United Kingdom
- Sante Ciccarello, Islamic Relief, Italy
- Dr Mohammed Hashas, FSCIRE-La Pira Center, Italy
- Dr Shaker Elsayed, Imam, USA
- Dr Riccardo Mazzeo, writer, publisher, Italy
- Dr Patrizia Dal Monte, theologian, Italy
- Dr Paolo Gonzaga, writer, translator, Italy
- Ms Yvonne Ridley, Journalist and author, Scotland
- Mr Cheick Oumar Sissoko, film director and politician, Mali
- Mr Jamal Elshayyal, Journalist and war correspondent, Qatar
- Mr Sandew Hira, co-Director DIN, The Netherlands
- Sharifah Nazneen Syed Agha, Human rights lawyer, Malaysia
- Mr Ricardo Faty, professional footballer (soccer), France-Senegal
- Mr Mohamed Diame, professional footballer (soccer), France-Senegal
- Mr Doudou Jacques Faty, professional footballer (soccer), Senegal
- Mr Ousmane Coulibaly, professional footballer (soccer), Mali
- Ms Munisah T Yusoff, Academic consultant, Malaysia
- Ms Adélita Genoud, independent journalist, Switzerland
- Mr Mamadou Beloum, former Mayor of Seguenega, Burkina Faso
- Mr Michael Gunga, Sales Director & Business Consultant, UK
- Mr Azad Ali, Community Relations Director, CAGE, UK
- Mr Moazzam Begg, Outreach Director, CAGE, UK
- Mr Mouhad Reghif, Bruxelles Panthères, Belgium
- Mr Tan Sri Jawhar Hassan, Chairman of ISIS, JUST, Malaysia
- Ms Rosiah Jantan, JUST, teacher and writer, Malaysia
- Ms Thevaki Sriseyohn, clinic psychologist, UK
- Mr Hamza Roberto Piccardo, writer, publisher, Italy
- Mr Kevin Allagapen, Global Service Analyst, UK
- Mr Regis Joffre, Solutions Architect, UK
- Ms Basma Elshayyal, University of Warwick, UK
- Ms Houria Bouteldja, PIR, France
- Mr Abdurrahim Boynukalin – Director, Turkish-British Association
- Mr Ajmal Masroor, Director, Barefoot Inst & Freelance Broadcaster, UK
- Ms Rakhia Ismail, Councillor, Mayor of Islington, UK
- Mr Mohammed Kozbar, Chairman Finsbury Mosque, UK
- Mr Jan Ritsema, Performing Arts Forum, France
- Mr Giovanni Sarubbi, Director « Il Dialogo.org », Italy
- Mr Davide Piccardo, Director, LaLuce.news, Italy
- Ms Feïza Ben Mohamed, journalist, France
- Mr Tengku Iskandar Tengku Adnan, Researcher, JUST, Malaysia
