Abu Ramadan will have to stand trial in a district court, the Bern cantonal prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
The controversial imam of a mosque in the town of Biel/Bienne is accused of inciting hatred against people from other religious groups and nationalities, notably Christians, Jews and Hindus as well as Russians.
The 68-year-old Libyan national is also accused of claiming welfare payments despite having an income from organising pilgrimages for Muslims.
He reportedly received about CHF590,000 ($652,000) in benefits between 2003 and 2017.
Ramadan has denied any wrongdoing, saying his sermons have been misinterpreted. He faces deportation from Switzerland if found guilty.
He was granted asylum in Switzerland in 1998 but lost that legal status after it was discovered that he received a valid Libyan passport in 2013.
It took the cantonal prosecutors nearly four years to conclude its preliminary investigation, including the translations of his sermons from Arabic into German.
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Switzerland investigates Muslim preacher over welfare fraud
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The public prosecutor in Bern opened a criminal investigation in early 2019 after the 66-year-old preacher was denounced by the municipality of Nidau, according to Swiss media reports. He is suspected of committing fraud by unlawfully obtaining social benefits or securing welfare through the omission of facts. The case was brought to light by media…
Bern opens criminal proceedings in Muslim hate preacher case
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A judicial enquiry has been opened in Bern against Muslim preacher Abu Ramadan, who allegedly delivered a sermon replete with hate speech in 2017.
Muslim preacher also delivered ‘hate’ sermons in Libya
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SRF and the Tages Anzeiger newspaper first reported on Ramadan’s sermons in August, having seen video footage of his preaching at the Ar’Rahman mosque in canton Bern. “Oh Allah, I beg you to destroy the enemies of our religion. Destroy the Jews, Christians, Hindus, Russians and the Shia,” he is heard saying. Now, the same…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.