The renowned Swiss philosopher Tariq Ramadan was arrested on January 31 on suspicion of having sexually assaulted two women. After he was taken into custody, it was revealed that Dr. Ramadan has multiple sclerosis. His lawyers contended that his disease could not be treated properly while he was in jail, and appealed for his release on medical grounds. A few days ago a judge decided that the defendant would remain in custody.
Over the weekend tens — perhaps even dozens — of people rallied in the center of Paris to demand justice for Tariq Ramadan. Many thanks to Ava Lon translating this video report, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:
Video transcript:
| 00:00 | We are live. Salam Aleikum [Banner: Presumption of innocence. Stop the double standard.] | |
| 00:04 | Good morning, everybody. | |
| 00:08 | You’ll be able to take advantage of this rally, which fights | |
| 00:12 | based on the presumption of innocence for | |
| 00:16 | professor Tariq Ramadan. Voilà. You, you are, | |
| 00:20 | you are… — I’m just watching. — you are just watching, all right. So there. | |
| 00:24 | I might talk later — So, in there, we, in this rally, | |
| 00:28 | first there was authorisation, one person who obtained an authorisation, now… | |
| 00:32 | The rally is people who will… | |
| 00:36 | …Why are we here? We are here to demand that Tariq Ramadan | |
| 00:40 | have access to medical treatment. An adequate treatment. We are here so | |
| 00:44 | the penal code, the first thing that is almost part of the penal code | |
| 00:49 | in the first place, is the presumption of innocence, | |
| 00:53 | that it might be enforced. We are here to say: “Stop the lynching!” | |
| 00:57 | We are here to say: “Stop the double standard!” | |
| 01:01 | We demand that the presumption of innocence be enforced. | |
| 01:05 | So we are here until 6 pm | |
| 01:09 | in the Place du Trocadero, voilà. | |
| 01:13 | This rally is the logical continuation of the hashtag #FreeTariqRamadan. | |
| 01:17 | Why did it happen? Because there were many people worried | |
| 01:21 | about his health. You know that recently he was hospitalized again, | |
| 01:25 | hospitalized again even | |
| 01:29 | though a certificate was signed previously… | |
| 01:33 | how to say… a certificate… | |
| 01:37 | of compatibility for his detention. So this is the proof that | |
| 01:41 | his detention isn’t compatible with this health. | |
| 01:45 | So we have decided to support Professor Tariq Ramadan | |
| 01:49 | for his integrity, and | |
| 01:54 | so that the justice be served. We are here | |
| 01:58 | pushed by justice and for justice. Voilà. So now Ill try | |
| 02:02 | to see if there are people who would like to | |
| 02:06 | say something and spend time with you. | |
| 02:10 | Are there people who would like to say something? I’m here. | |
| 02:14 | [Banner: With T. Ramadan, No to the feminist dictatorship] I’m here live on my YouTube channel. | |
| 02:19 | “With T. Ramadan. No to the dictatorship…” — no, it’s — | |
| 02:23 | Well, I didn’t give my opinion on feminism, but for me | |
| 02:27 | those who call themselves feminists, there, no. They are | |
| 02:31 | discrediting | |
| 02:35 | the word of the woman, and the woman. No, this isn’t feminism, ladies! | |
| 02:39 | [unintelligible]This is really their dark side. We will call them | |
| 02:43 | Darth Vader. The f[eminist] Darth Vader! Voilà, because — | |
| 02:47 | You get it. Me, I don’t… | |
| 02:51 | I’m here to support Tariq Ramadan. Voilà. So now I’ll see what’s going on, | |
| 02:55 | and what are the questions that are being asked; Voilà. —That his medicine be given to him. | |
| 02:59 | His treatment. Because if this isn’t, done it’s with the purpose | |
| 03:04 | of silencing him causing him to die, as well. | |
| 03:08 | Of killing him. In prison. —To give him his medical treatment? | |
| 03:12 | Medical treatment, and that his wife may see him, and that he gets his mail, | |
| 03:16 | because — you know — they aren’t even giving him his mail. | |
| 03:20 | So do you find it normal? 2018 human rights? | |
| 03:24 | France is the first country which created human rights. | |
| 03:28 | Can you believe it? France! If you send an animal, | |
| 03:32 | a cat, into the snow, oh, poor cat! But a man, | |
| 03:36 | a human, I’m talking about a human! | |
| 03:40 | There is a will to… | |
| 03:44 | I’ll see how many people are there. We aren’t yet — | |
| 03:49 | we aren’t all of us here yet. So do you have something | |
| 03:53 | to say, sir, concerning the three medical certificates which | |
| 03:57 | said that it was incompatible [with T: Ramadan being imprisoned], | |
| 04:01 | and the fourth one came and confirmed the | |
| 04:05 | Incarceration? —Yesterday | |
| 04:09 | I heard… — Are you OK with my filming? —I don’t mind. | |
| 04:13 | Yesterday, I was informed — the imam told us about Tariq Ramadan | |
| 04:17 | in prison. And after that I heard | |
| 04:21 | that there was this rally, this mobilization. We have to | |
| 04:25 | be there for him, because he was there for us. He defended us | |
| 04:29 | when we needed him. When others were insulting us | |
| 04:34 | he was our sunshine, for all of us. | |
| 04:38 | When there was injustice we counted on him. Now it’s our turn | |
| 04:42 | to give it back to him [justice]. —What do you want? Because now we are waiting. It’s true that | |
| 04:46 | there are other people who are arriving. The rally in fact | |
| 04:54 | is for everybody and I’m here for him… | |
| 04:58 | I’m here for, for, to tell him “thank you”. | |
| 05:02 | I’m here to support him; because it’s not normal to be a hypocrite | |
| 05:06 | and watch a person on TV who helped us, | |
| 05:10 | a person who supported and defended all of us. | |
| 05:14 | And it doesn’t exist, the other fanatics. | |
| 05:18 | we are all Muslims; we are all for peace. | |
| 05:23 | Just one more sentence: | |
| 05:27 | Islam, the word Islam means “Peace”. That’s all. |
There is a certain irony in that the location (Trocadero) where this demonstration took place is exactly the same spot and perspective that the newsreel of Hitler when he visited Paris was shot from.