WHEN Tariq Ramadan, the Oxford professor of Islamic Studies, flew from London to Paris to be questioned over rape allegations, he must have been confident he was not walking in through the iron gates of an Al-Shabab court in Africa.
That was Paris on Feb 2. Ramadan had walked in, but he was not allowed to walk out with his basic human right to the presumption of innocent until proven guilty.
For the next 45 days, he was held in solitary confinement and denied family contact.
Even his lawyer, M. Emmanuel Marsigny, was kept in the dark about his whereabouts.
While under detention, he was treated like a war criminal.
But the plaintiffs were afforded media spotlight without proof to warrant their flawed accusations.
Ramadan’s unjustified detention has not ceased as it should have upon the establishing of his deteriorating health.
He was in good shape when he arrived at the Fleury-Mérogis prison on Feb 2.
Although diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he was used to the tingling feeling in his legs and finger tips.
Within 15 days of his incarceration, reports showed the tingling had worsened, intensifying from the toes to the hips, as well as half of both his hands. In addition, he had migraines.
He started having difficulty in moving his limbs.
A campaign report, released early this month, indicated that on March 20, he was moved to Fresnes prison, despite having experienced four emergency hospitalisations at the Fleury-Mérogis prison.
On June 12, when he was once again admitted to Pitié-Sal-pêtrière Hospital, the neurologist noted serious and potentially irreversible health deterioration on many levels, including the inability to move without a walker, a general loss of sensation, loss of memory, loss of ability to concentrate, paresthesia (a tingling or numbness in parts of the body) and incontinence.
His condition worsened, but repeated requests for bail by his defence team have been denied.
Proposals put forward by the defence lawyers — for house arrest with an electronic monitoring device, the surrender of his Swiss passport and to report daily to the police — were rejected.
The magistrates’ insensitivity for Ramadan’s physical and psychological wellbeing has led the defence team to suspect a biased investigation.
Some said that although the case against Ramadan was advanced under the banner of the “Metoo#” movement, fingerprints of a potential Islamophobic motive are all over the case.
In conjunction with the next hearing set for July 18 and 19, and alarmed by his deteriorating health, international campaign groups have announced July 17 as International Day of Action at French embassies to denounce Ramadan unjust treatment.
Today, at 6pm, the support committee will hold a vigil at Fresnes prison.
The aim of this campaign is for bail to be granted to Tariq, so he can receive treatment for his deteriorating health, and be allowed to communicate with his family.
ELMA BERISHA
Executive committee member, International Movement for a Just World