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.
Popular Stories
More
Foreign affairs
Go to war or stay put? Ukrainian men in Switzerland face fresh dilemmas
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
Swiss to reduce administrative burden on farms from 2026
This content was published on
From 2026, the number of inspections of farms is to be reduced, without any loss of quality, said economics minister Guy Parmelin.
Swiss insurance boss proposes Singapore-style healthcare system
This content was published on
CEO of Swiss health insurer Sanitas has said that healthcare costs could be reduced if Switzerland were to follow the Singapore model.
Swiss minister talks crime and security in visit to the Netherlands
This content was published on
Swiss justice minister Beat Jans spent two days in the Netherlands discussing security, police cooperation and justice with international bodies.
Study finds more heavy metal detected in Swiss grassland
This content was published on
Copper and zinc can be expected to accumulate in the soil, particularly if farmyard manure is used for several years and is greater than the amount of nutrients absorbed by the grass. This was announced by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) on Friday. The findings are based on the results of the seventh National Soil Monitoring of Switzerland (Nabo).
Lilo Baur wins Swiss Grand Prix for performing arts
This content was published on
The Swiss actress and theatre director Lilo Baur has received this year's Swiss Grand Prix for Performing Arts, also known as the Hans Reinhart Ring.
Court rules al-Qaeda supporter can stay in Switzerland
This content was published on
A Kurdish supporter of the Islamist terrorist network al-Qaeda can stay in Switzerland, the Federal Administrative Court has ruled. It has withdrawn the annulment of the man’s provisional admission.
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has closed criminal proceedings relating to the Swiss owners affected by the Volkswagen “Dieselgate” emissions scandal.
This content was published on
The employment outlook in Switzerland will remain stable towards the end of 2024, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich.
Swiss woman accuses Donald Trump of sexual assault
This content was published on
A former Miss Switzerland candidate has accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in New York in 1993. The US Republican candidate’s campaign team has denied the accusations.
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.
Read more
More
Switzerland investigates Muslim preacher over welfare fraud
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
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
This content was published on
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…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
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.