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France condemns Polanski arrest Polanski to fight US extradition
(about 3 hours later)
France has condemned the arrest in Switzerland of film director Roman Polanski, who has French citizenship. A lawyer acting for film director Roman Polanski say they will challenge his arrest in Switzerland and attempts to extradite him to the US.
Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand said he had been "stunned" to hear about the arrest, and President Nicolas Sarkozy was following the case. Prosecutors in Los Angeles want the Paris-born Polish filmmaker returned, so that he can be sentenced for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.
Mr Polanski, 76, faces extradition to the US for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles in 1977. He pleaded guilty at the time as part of a plea bargain but then fled abroad.
The Paris-born Polish filmaker was detained in Zurich on Saturday as he travelled to a film festival. Polanski was detained on Saturday as he arrived in Zurich to receive a lifetime achievement award.
He is being held under a 2005 international alert issued by the US. A Swiss spokesman said the US would now have to make a formal extradition request. French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand said he had been "stunned" to hear about the arrest, and added that President Nicolas Sarkozy was following the case.
Mr Polanski, 76, has French citizenship.
In its Monday edition the French daily Le Figaro quotes his Paris-based lawyer as saying: "We will be demanding that he be freed. Then we will fight the extradition."
'No choice'
The director is being held under a 2005 international alert issued by the US.
CASE TIMELINE 1977 - Polanski admits unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer, 13, in Los Angeles1978 - flees to Britain after US arrest warrant is issued 1978 - immediately moves to France where he holds citizenship1978 - settles in France, where he is protected by France's limited extradition with US2008 - Polanski's lawyer demands case be dismissed and hearing moved out of LA court2009 - Polanski's request to have hearing outside LA is denied Profile: Roman Polanski Roman Polanski: Your comments
Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said that because of agreements with the US, "when Mr Polanski arrived we had no choice from a legal point of view but to arrest him".Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said that because of agreements with the US, "when Mr Polanski arrived we had no choice from a legal point of view but to arrest him".
"He obviously has the right to appeal and I think he will do so," she added."He obviously has the right to appeal and I think he will do so," she added.
Lawyers acting for Mr Polanski say they will challenge his arrest and attempts to extradite him. The filmmaker was initially indicted on six counts and faced up to life in prison. Has not set foot in the US for more than 30 years.
'Never showed up'
Mr Mitterrand's office said the culture minister "strongly regrets that a new ordeal is being inflicted on someone who has already experienced so many of them".
Mr Polanski fled the US in 1978 after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl.
CASE TIMELINE 1977 - Polanski admits unlawful sex with Samantha Geimer, 13, in Los Angeles1978 - flees to Britain after US arrest warrant is issued 1978 - immediately moves to France where he holds citizenship1978 - settles in France, where he is protected by France's limited extradition with US2008 - Polanski's lawyer demands case be dismissed and hearing moved out of LA court2009 - Polanski's request to have hearing outside LA is denied Profile: Roman Polanski Roman Polanski: Your comments
He was initially indicted on six counts and faced up to life in prison.
The filmmaker has not set foot in the US for more than 30 years.
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.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.
Mr Polanski has been to Switzerland before, but this time US authorities apparently knew of his trip in advance.Mr Polanski has been to Switzerland before, but this time US authorities apparently knew of his trip in advance.
That gave them time to prepare the groundwork for his arrest and send a provisional arrest warrant to Swiss authorities, judicial officials said. That gave them time to prepare the groundwork for his arrest and send a provisional arrest warrant to Swiss authorities, the Los Angeles district attorney's office said on Sunday.
In the past, Mr Polanski had heard in advance about requests for his arrest on planned trips, and had changed his plans, said Sandi Gibbons, the Los Angeles district attorney's office spokeswoman.
"He never showed up in the country where he was supposed to be, and he was never arrested," she said.
The victim at the centre of the case, Samantha Geimer, has previously asked for the charges to be dropped.The victim at the centre of the case, Samantha Geimer, has previously asked for the charges to be dropped.