Affaire Polanski : La demande formelle d’extradition est arrivée
LE TEMPS: L’Office fédéral de la justice a reçu hier une demande formelle d’extradition pour le cinéaste franco-polonais, incarcéré en Suisse dans le cadre d’un mandat d’arrêt américain depuis le 26 septembre. Roman Polanski risque deux ans de prison aux Etats-Unis.

Les Etats-Unis avaient 40 jours pour faire parvenir une demande formelle d’extradition après l’arrestation, le délai a donc étré respecté, explique l’OFJ dans un communiqué. L’Office va transmettre cette demande au canton de Zurich, chargé de la notifier au cinéaste qui disposera d’un délai pour faire des observations et dire s’il accepte cette extradition.

L’OFJ sur cette base décidera ensuite s’il convient d’accorder ou non son extradition aux Etats-Unis. La décision de l’OFJ sera susceptible de recours dans les trente jours auprès du Tribunal pénal fédéral et, en dernière instance, auprès du Tribunal fédéral. >>> Le Temps | Vendredi 23 Octobre 2009

Roman Polanski: US Formally Asks Switzerland for Extradition
THE TELEGRAPH: The United States has formally asked Switzerland to extradite the detained Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski over a three-decades-old child sex case, Swiss authorities said on Friday.

"The US Embassy in Bern submitted the formal extradition request to the Federal Office of Justice on 22 October 2009, within the deadline of 40 days stipulated under the bilateral extradition treaty," the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said in a statement.

The request would be forwarded to the canton of Zurich, where Polanski was detained upon his arrival on September 26 to collect an award at the city's film festival.

A local court will then hold a hearing and, "based on the results of the hearing and the information provided by Polanski's lawyer," the justice office will decide if it should accept the extradition request.

"The authorities in Zurich will take charge of the Roman Polanski hearing. They will hold a verbal hearing that would be transmitted to us," Folco Galli, spokesman for the justice office, said.

If the federal justice office accepted the extradition request, Polanski can appeal against the decision before the country's top criminal court.

He will also have a further chance to appeal to the federal supreme court.

Polanski's lawyer Herve Temime said the film director will fight the US request.

"Mr Polanski is not changing course. He will not accept the US extradition request," Temime told AFP. >>> | Friday, October 23, 2009