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Roman Polanski arrested
Fans of Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski have reacted angrily to the 76-year-old’s arrest in Zurich on child sex charges.
Roman Raymond Polanski is a Polish-French film director, producer, writer and actor. Polanski is one of the world’s best known contemporary film directors and is widely considered as one of the greatest directors of his time.
On 26 September 2009 Polanski was arrested by Swiss police at Zürich Airport while trying to enter Switzerland, in relation to his outstanding 1978 U.S. arrest warrant.
Polanski had hoped to attend the Zurich Film Festival to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The arrest followed a request by the United States that Switzerland apprehend Polanski. U.S. investigators had learned of his planned trip several days earlier, which had given them enough time to negotiate with Swiss authorities and lay the groundwork for an arrest.
The United States had been seeking his arrest and extradition worldwide since 2005. While there had been a U.S. arrest warrant for him since 1978, an international arrest warrant was issued in 2005. The United States must make a formal extradition request within 40 days to have Polanski extradited and stand trial.
The Swiss Justice Ministry said Polanski was put “in provisional detention.” An arrest warrant or extradition to the United States could be subject to judicial review by the Federal Criminal Court (Bundesstrafgericht) and then the Federal Supreme Court (Bundesgericht), according to a ministry spokesman.
Polish foreign minister Rados?aw Sikorski announced he might request clemency for Polanski from U.S. president Barack Obama. French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner said he had asked his Swiss counterpart to ensure that Polanski’s rights are fully respected and that a “favourable solution” would be rapidly found.
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