Polanski battle begins; lawyers file motion for release

By Scott Roxborough

Lawyers acting for imprisoned director Roman Polanski filed a motion Tuesday to the Swiss Federal Criminal Court requesting his release.

The court said it would decide on whether or not to release the 76-year-old Oscar-winning director in the next few weeks. That suggests Polanski could remain in jail in Switzerland until then.

The Swiss court must first rule on the legality of the U.S. request to arrest Polanski. If the ruling goes against him, Polanski could appeal to Switzerland's highest court, the Federal Tribunal, to overturn the decision.

The Swiss Justice ministry has reportedly not ruled out the possibility that Polanski could be released on bail under the strict condition he not leave the country. But this move is unlikely as there appears to be no precedent for it in Swiss law.

Polanski was arrested on Saturday as he arrived in Switzerland to receive a lifetime achievement award from the Zurich Film Festival. He was picked up on a warrant related to a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year-old girl dating back to 1977.

A growing number of film industry figures have joined the movement calling for Polanski's release, including Weinstein Co. boss Harvey Weinstein, Cannes Festival director Thierry Fremaux and directors Pedro Almodovar, Fatih Akin, Walter Salles and Wong Kar Wai.

Director Jan Kounen and international sales outfit Wild Bunch on Tuesday pulled their film "Coco Chanel and Igo Stravinsky" from the Zurich Film Festival in protest of Polanski's arrest and Kounen cancelled his trip to Switzerland.