Does Polanski’s real-life drama finally have an ending? Today the Swiss Ministry of Justice denied a request to extradite film director Roman Polanski to the United States to face sentencing for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. Polanski is also no longer under house arrest and is not being electronically monitored. In a statement the ministry said, "The reason for the decision lies in the fact that it was not possible to exclude with the necessary certainty a fault in the US extradition request, although the issue was thoroughly examined. Moreover, also the principles of State action deriving from international public order were taken into account." The 76-year-old director moved to France in 1978 while facing charges in the U.S.
I am not sure if I approve of this decision. It is not as if Polanski was a political prisoner, he is instead accused of a crime against a 13 year-old girl. His release reeks of "special" treatment, which is one of the issues with which I write often. A system where certain members are treated differently than others is prone to abuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment