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| Roman Polanski 'held in Zurich' | Roman Polanski 'held in Zurich' |
| (12 minutes later) | |
| Film director Roman Polanski has been taken into custody on a 31-year-old US arrest warrant, organisers of the Zurich Film Festival say. | |
| The organisers say Polanski, 76, was detained by police on Saturday as he travelled to Switzerland from France to collect a lifetime achievement award. | The organisers say Polanski, 76, was detained by police on Saturday as he travelled to Switzerland from France to collect a lifetime achievement award. |
| Police in Zurich could not immediately confirm the information. | Police in Zurich could not immediately confirm the information. |
| Mr Polanski admitted unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977, but fled to France before sentencing. | Mr Polanski admitted unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977, but fled to France before sentencing. |
| He was initially indicted on six felony counts and faced up to life in prison. | He was initially indicted on six felony counts and faced up to life in prison. |
| In recent years, he has tried to have the rape case dismissed, claiming the original judge, who is now dead, arranged a plea bargain but later reneged. | |
| A US judge formally rejected Mr Polanski's request in May. | |
| Judge Peter Espinoza agreed there was misconduct by the judge in the original case, but said Mr Polanski must return to the US to apply for dismissal. | Judge Peter Espinoza agreed there was misconduct by the judge in the original case, but said Mr Polanski must return to the US to apply for dismissal. |
| Mr Polanski's lawyers said he would not return to the US because he would be immediately arrested as a fugitive. | Mr Polanski's lawyers said he would not return to the US because he would be immediately arrested as a fugitive. |
| The Polish-born filmmaker has not set foot in the US for more than 30 years. He has even avoided shooting in the UK for fear of extradition. | The Polish-born filmmaker has not set foot in the US for more than 30 years. He has even avoided shooting in the UK for fear of extradition. |
| His Oscar for directing the 2002 The Pianist was collected by Harrison Ford. | |
| The organisers of the Zurich Film Festival said Polanski's detention had caused "shock and dismay," but that they would go ahead with a planned retrospective of the director's work on Sunday. | The organisers of the Zurich Film Festival said Polanski's detention had caused "shock and dismay," but that they would go ahead with a planned retrospective of the director's work on Sunday. |
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