New York, November 28: Roman Polanski will have to spend one more weekend in jail, with Swiss authorities saying he won’t be transferred to his chalet, where he is to be placed under house arrest, before Monday.
The filmmaker, who has been hunted by the US ever since he fled the country in 1978 after admitting to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl, was granted bail by Swiss authorities on Wednesday as he awaits a ruling on the US extradition request.
The surprise decision by the Swiss prompted a quick reaction from Interpol, which called on governments to be vigilant in case the 76-year-old Polanski goes on the run again.
“He will not be transferred to Gstaad today or during the weekend,” Folco Galli, Swiss justice ministry spokesman told AFP, referring to the ski resort where Polanski will be under house arrest in his chalet.
Galli added that authorities have not received the bond of 4.5 million francs ($4.9 million), which counts among bail conditions set by the court.
On Friday morning, Polanski’s lawyer Lorenz Erni was seen entering the prison where Polanski is reportedly held in northern Zurich’s Winterthur. He left over an hour later without speaking to reporters.
Polanski has never returned to the US since fleeing three decades ago, even missing the Oscar award for The Pianist in 2003.
Acting on a US warrant, Swiss police detained Polanski when he arrived at Zurich airport on September 26 to attend a film festival where he was to receive a special award.
The United States has formally asked Switzerland to extradite Polanski but Swiss authorities said Thursday the request is still being examined.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s top criminal court on Wednesday said that it would grant bail to the Franco-Polish Oscar-winning director.
It said that the 4.5 million Swiss francs ($4.9 million) in bail offered by Polanski together with such supporting measures as deposit of identity papers and house arrest under electronic monitoring were “sufficient to avert the risk of flight.”
The Swiss justice ministry said a day later that it would not challenge the court’s decision, and that it was preparing to release the filmmaker.
The move prompted Interpol to quickly issue a statement, warning governments to be vigilant in case Polanski skips bail.
“Mr Polanski has given us more than 30 years of proof that he does not feel bound to respect any court decision with which he does not agree,” said Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble in a statement.
“Given Mr Polanski’s history of international travel while defying a judicial order, a $US4.5 million bail and an electronic bracelet does not mean that law enforcement lets its global guard down,” he warned.
“If Mr Polanski defies the conditions of his release, no country should welcome, offer safe haven to, or defend his conduct.”
Interpol issued a reminder to its 188 member countries that Polanski remains subject to a “Red Notice”, or international wanted persons notice, and should be arrested if he attempts to travel.
—Agencies