US Government wants Roman Polanski extradited immediately (Roundup)

People News

Oct 23, 2009, 15:36 GMT

Geneva - The United States has officially requested the extradition of film-maker Roman Polanski, the Swiss government said Friday.

(FILE) A file picture dated 22 March 2004 shows Polish-French actor, director Roman Polanski attending a press conference in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The US has formally asked Switzerland the extradition of Polanski, Swiss officials say. Polanski has been arrested on 26 September 2009 as he arrived in Switzerland to attend the Zurich Film Festival. He has been wanted in the US on charges of having sex with a 13 year old girl in 1977. EPA/CAETANO BARREIRA .The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) received the formal extradition request Thursday evening from the US embassy in the country. The Franco-Polish director is being held in Zurich, where he was arrested on September 26. His arrest was based on a US warrant issued in 1978 stemming from Polanski's admission to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in California in 1977. Polanski fled the US after spending 42 days in prison for psychiatric tests and has never been sentenced. On Tuesday, a Swiss court rejected his request to be released on bail, ruling that he presented a 'high' risk of flight. Lawyers for the film-maker have said he was ill and suffering from a 'painful hernia.' The federal government in Bern would pass the case to the canton of Zurich 'for the purpose of holding a hearing for Polanski.' The FOJ would then make a decision based on the hearing, during which Polanski's lawyers would be able to give information and present a defence. 'In case extradition is considered to be admissible, Polanski will have the option of appealing against the FOJ's decision before the Federal Criminal Court and the Federal Supreme Court as the court of last instance,' the ministry said in a statement. Polanski's lawyers have been sending mixed messages as to whether he would try to fight the extradition or agree to go across the Atlantic and wage a legal battle there. He has not been to the United States since 1978.