Poland launched a fresh bid today to extradite Oscar-winning
director Roman Polanski to the United States to face sentencing over a
1977 case of statutory rape.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro announced he has appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn an October ruling that Polanski should not face extradition, saying no-one should be above the law.
"He is accused of a terrible crime against a child, the rape of a child," Ziobro, who is also prosecutor general, told Polish public radio.
"Were he a teacher, a doctor, a plumber or a painter, I'm sure any country would have extradited him to the United States long ago."
The announcement appears to be part of what the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government, which took office after October elections, touts as a moral revolution in strongly Catholic Poland.
Polanski is still wanted by the United States for sentencing over the 1977 statutory rape of Samantha Gailey after a photoshoot in Los Angeles.
He was arrested after Gailey, now Geimer, accused him of forcing her to have sex after drugging her.
She was 13 at the time. Polanski was 43. He pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor, or statutory rape, avoiding a trial, but then fled the country fearing a hefty sentence
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro announced he has appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn an October ruling that Polanski should not face extradition, saying no-one should be above the law.
"He is accused of a terrible crime against a child, the rape of a child," Ziobro, who is also prosecutor general, told Polish public radio.
"Were he a teacher, a doctor, a plumber or a painter, I'm sure any country would have extradited him to the United States long ago."
The announcement appears to be part of what the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government, which took office after October elections, touts as a moral revolution in strongly Catholic Poland.
Polanski is still wanted by the United States for sentencing over the 1977 statutory rape of Samantha Gailey after a photoshoot in Los Angeles.
He was arrested after Gailey, now Geimer, accused him of forcing her to have sex after drugging her.
She was 13 at the time. Polanski was 43. He pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor, or statutory rape, avoiding a trial, but then fled the country fearing a hefty sentence
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