Swiss Refuse To Extradite Roman Polanski

In a surprising rebuke to the United States, the Swiss have decided to block the extradition of filmmaker Roman Polanski on the curious grounds “that it was not possible to exclude with the necessary certainty a fault in the US extraditionary request.” Putting aside that the reason is incomprehensible, the decision appears to affirm that there are two different systems of justice for celebrities and non-celebrities.

Previously, Justice Minister Widmer-Schlumpf insisted that extradition was needed to show that “[i]t is the rule of law and everybody is treated the same way, whether it is an ordinary citizen or a famous personality.” France and international stars, however, waged a determined campaign to block the efforts to punish Polanski for unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

The Swiss seem to struggle to come up with some plausible reason for blocking the extradition given the fact that, while Polanski is no commoner, his crime is a common case of a fugitive avoiding jail: “Considering all the aspects of this case – and in particular the extradition request which is not satisfying as far as the presentation of the facts of the case is concerned and the principles of state action deriving from international public order – the extradition request has to be rejected.” That is a great deal of effort and many words to excuse an unprincipled decision.

Polanski, 76, has been under house arrest in his Gstaad chalet and can now leave his gilded cage.

Source: SwissInfo.