Top Islamic scholar takes leave from Oxford over sex abuse probes

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan took a leave of absence on Tuesday from the University of Oxford following multiple rape and sexual misconduct allegations, the British institution said.

The announcement by Oxford that Ramadan would take a leave of absence came the same day a UK politician was found dead, only days after resigning over misconduct allegations as part of a wider harassment scandal embroiling parliament.

In a statement, Oxford said Ramadan’s leave was a mutual decision and would allow him to deal with the allegations against him.

“By mutual agreement, and with immediate effect, Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, has taken a leave of absence from the University of Oxford,” it said in a statement.

Ramadan’s duties will be reassigned and he will not be present on campus, the university said.

The Swiss-born professor has denied two allegations of rape made by French women, as well as further allegations in Swiss media of sexual misconduct against teenage girls in the 1980s and 1990s.

Oxford said the claims had caused “heightened and understandable distress” and its principal concern remains “the wellbeing of our students and staff.”

“An agreed leave of absence implies no presumption or acceptance of guilt and allows Professor Ramadan to address the extremely serious allegations made against him, all of which he categorically denies,” the university said.

Ramadan has furiously denied the allegations as a “campaign of lies launched by my adversaries” and is battling them in the courts.

He is the grandson of Hassan al-Banna, the founder of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Islamist movement.

The father of four, married for decades to a French Muslim convert, has repeatedly been accused of anti-Semitism over the years. However, he has rejected those allegations as well, fiercely defending his right to criticize the State of Israel.

His conservative brand of Islam has garnered legions of fans. He counts two million followers on Facebook, many of whom have flocked to his defense decrying a “Zionist plot” to ruin him.

Also on Tuesday, British police found the body of politician Carl Sargeant.

Sargeant’s body was found on Tuesday at an address in Connah’s Quay in north Wales.

The force said the death of the 49-year-old was not being treated as suspicious, while the Press Association news agency said Sargeant was understood to have committed suicide.

The former Welsh government minister resigned on November 3 and was suspended from the Labour party after he was informed of allegations against him.

Sargeant was one of a number of British politicians to have faced allegations of misconduct in recent weeks, prompting party leaders to introduce new safeguards for parliamentary staff on Monday.

Announcing his resignation on Friday, Sargeant said he found the allegations against him “shocking and distressing” and requested Labour carry out an independent investigation into the claims.

“Given the nature of the allegations, I agreed with the First Minister that it was right that I stand aside from cabinet today. I look forward to returning to government once my name has been cleared,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Accusations of misconduct have also been made against about a dozen MPs from the Labour Party and the ruling Conservatives, which led to the resignation last week of defence secretary Michael Fallon.

First Secretary of State Damian Green, Prime Minister Theresa May’s deputy, is under investigation by the government over harassment claims, some of which date back several years.

Wider sexual assault allegations include an unnamed Labour party member being accused of rape by a prominent party activist, Bex Bailey, who said the incident took place six years ago when she was 19.

A number of people who have come forward with allegations have complained of poor reporting procedures within political parties and Westminster.

Party leaders have vowed to overhaul the system and on Monday they promised to upgrade an existing complaints hotline with a face-to-face human resources service.

The new service will be in place by the end of the month, while a new grievance procedure will be introduced next year, May told reporters on Monday after meeting with Corbyn and other leaders in parliament.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.