Polanski wants to be free from jail

Roman Polanski was arrested Saturday night at the Zurich airport.

Polanski was visiting Zurich to receive an award at the Zurich film festival on Sunday; he has had dual citizenship with Poland and France and has visited Switzerland many times over the years. He has homes in both France and Switzerland.

The arrested was carried out by Swiss officials ordered by American authorities due to extradition laws. It was merely a matter of opportunity a source has said.

The 76 year old director was busted back in the late 70's on a charge relating to the statutory rape of a 13 year old girl. The crime took place at Jack Nicholson's L.A. home; Nicholson was not present at the time of the incident. While spending 42 days at a state prison in 1977, Polanski was being psychiatrically evaluated for the crime, and on the eve of his sentencing fled the country and has been a fugitive ever since.

"Mr. Polanski forfeited his rights by fleeing and has no standing to challenge his treatment unless he returns. Mr. Polanski's representatives counter that the need to remedy corrupt justice in Los Angeles supersedes any requirement that Mr. Polanski return" as stated by Los Angeles prosecutors according to NYTimes.com.

Polanski has filed papers with the Swiss Courts asking for his release. The Swiss Criminal Court stated today that they will make a decision in the upcoming weeks about Mr. Polanski's request. Any decision made can be overturned by the Swiss Justice Ministry.

"We are going to try to lift the arrest warrant in Zurich. The [extradition] convention between Switzerland and the United States is not very clear", states Polanski's lawyer George Kiejman as reported BBC.com.