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| Polish court rejects US request to extradite Roman Polanski | Polish court rejects US request to extradite Roman Polanski |
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| A Polish court has rejected a US extradition request for the film director Roman Polanski over his child sex conviction. | |
| “[Polanski’s] extradition is inadmissible,” said Judge Dariusz Mazur at the district court in the southern city of Krakow. The decision is not legally binding, as prosecutors can appeal. | “[Polanski’s] extradition is inadmissible,” said Judge Dariusz Mazur at the district court in the southern city of Krakow. The decision is not legally binding, as prosecutors can appeal. |
| The Oscar-winning director pleaded guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl during a photo shoot in Los Angeles fuelled by champagne and drugs. | The Oscar-winning director pleaded guilty in 1977 to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl during a photo shoot in Los Angeles fuelled by champagne and drugs. |
| He served 42 days in jail as part of a 90-day plea bargain, but fled the country for France the following year, believing that the judge hearing his case could overrule the deal and impose a longer prison sentence. | He served 42 days in jail as part of a 90-day plea bargain, but fled the country for France the following year, believing that the judge hearing his case could overrule the deal and impose a longer prison sentence. |
| Polanski has been in Poland to shoot a new drama about the Dreyfus affair, based on a novel by Robert Harris. The 82-year-old was born in France but grew up in Poland and holds dual nationality. | Polanski has been in Poland to shoot a new drama about the Dreyfus affair, based on a novel by Robert Harris. The 82-year-old was born in France but grew up in Poland and holds dual nationality. |
| While French law forbids extradition of its citizens, Polish law does not. Polanski’s lawyers had been trying to strike a deal giving him immunity from legal action while he shot in Krakow. | While French law forbids extradition of its citizens, Polish law does not. Polanski’s lawyers had been trying to strike a deal giving him immunity from legal action while he shot in Krakow. |
| Mazur said the case was very complicated, but an extradition procedure would violate Polanski’s human rights because he could be subjected to confinement. | Mazur said the case was very complicated, but an extradition procedure would violate Polanski’s human rights because he could be subjected to confinement. |
| The director’s lawyer Jan Olszewski argued on Friday that the US request had legal flaws. “This is not about justice or the interest of the victim,” Olszewski said. | |
| Polanski previously appeared in a Polish court in February. The judge presiding over that case said the court could not make a ruling because it still had to consider extra documents submitted by Polanski’s lawyers. | Polanski previously appeared in a Polish court in February. The judge presiding over that case said the court could not make a ruling because it still had to consider extra documents submitted by Polanski’s lawyers. |
| In 2009, Polanski was arrested in Zurich on a US warrant and placed under house arrest. He was freed in 2010 after Swiss authorities decided not to extradite him. | In 2009, Polanski was arrested in Zurich on a US warrant and placed under house arrest. He was freed in 2010 after Swiss authorities decided not to extradite him. |
| Since fleeing the US in 1978, Polanski has won an Oscar for The Pianist. His most recent film, Venus in Fur, was released in 2013. | Since fleeing the US in 1978, Polanski has won an Oscar for The Pianist. His most recent film, Venus in Fur, was released in 2013. |
| If an appeal is successful and the court makes a legally binding decision to grant the US request, it will be up to the Polish justice minister to decide whether to hand Polanski over. | If an appeal is successful and the court makes a legally binding decision to grant the US request, it will be up to the Polish justice minister to decide whether to hand Polanski over. |
| The leader of Poland’s newly elected Law and Justice party, Jarosław Kaczyński, recently suggested there would be no leniency for the director if the court ruled to extradite him. “There was open talk that he should not be made responsible for his deeds because he is an outstanding, world-famous film-maker. We will totally reject this attitude,” he said. | The leader of Poland’s newly elected Law and Justice party, Jarosław Kaczyński, recently suggested there would be no leniency for the director if the court ruled to extradite him. “There was open talk that he should not be made responsible for his deeds because he is an outstanding, world-famous film-maker. We will totally reject this attitude,” he said. |