More Tariq Ramadan controversy

Three political parties are demanding the resignation of a Swiss Islamologist, who is an "integration adviser" for the local government in Rotterdam and the visiting Professor of Identity and Citizenship at Rotterdam's Erasmus University. They take the view that these posts are incompatible with Ramadan's role as host of Islam and Life, a television show on Press TV, which is financed by the regime in Iran. "On the day when there were massive student demonstrations against Ahmadinejad's 'election victory,' Tariq Ramadan's Press TV programme focused on the question of discrimination in European Universities […] and he did not say a word about student Neda Agha Soltan, who had just been shot," reports De Volkskrant.

The daily also notes that it is not the first time that Ramadan has been criticized: "Earlier this year, questions were asked about his position in the wake of homophobic and sexist remarks, which caused some representatives to walk out of a session of the municipal council." In response to questions from Volksrant, Ramadan insists that Press TV allows him "the freedom to focus on any subject," and that he has "never been in contact with any member of the Iranian government." He also points out that he has "repeatedly said that the repression and assassination of citizens […] must be condemned."