Things I Learned Today:

[carmen_lj]

Rape is okay so long as you are a rich and successful filmmaker.

At least according to the people signing this petition asking for the release of Roman Polanski.

Fucking hell.

The wording of the petition is as disgusting as the sentiment:

His arrest follows an American arrest warrant dating from 1978 against the filmmaker, in a case of morals.

"Case of morals" is the cool new term for rape, I take it. And it's the rape of a thirteen year old girl. So it's irrelevent whether she consented or not (she didn't).

It seems inadmissible to them that an international cultural event, paying homage to one of the greatest contemporary filmmakers, is used by the police to apprehend him.

HOW DARE THOSE SNEAKY POLICE TURN UP TO ARREST HIM SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY KNEW HE'D BE? Next they'll be, like, investigating crimes and searching for evidence and stuff. WHERE WILL THIS MADNESS END?

By their extraterritorial nature, film festivals the world over have always permitted works to be shown and for filmmakers to present them freely and safely, even when certain States opposed this.

Which they can do, as far as I'm aware, it's just that, for some MAD REASON filmmakers are not always above the law. (I mean the history of this case is pretty oh-dear-god, but making out it is a GROSS INJUSTICE when someone is arrested for a crime they've been convicted of and not served the sentence, and then committed several more crimes to escape is A BIT MAD.)

The arrest of Roman Polanski in a neutral country, where he assumed he could travel without hindrance, undermines this tradition: it opens the way for actions of which no-one can know the effects.

Yes, dammit! If you're on the run from the law and you can't be safe in Switzerland, where can you be safe?!

And I think we can guess the effects: if people, even filmmakers, commit a crime, they may actually be arrested, even by the Swiss. HORRORS.

This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom.

And why will it take away his freedom? OH YEAH, CAUSE HE DONE A RAPE.

Filmmakers, actors, producers and technicians - everyone involved in international filmmaking - want him to know that he has their support and friendship.

I fucking well hope not, or I'll never be able to watch a movie again.

If only in the name of this friendship between our two countries, we demand the immediate release of Roman Polanski.

PS. What is this rule of law of which you speak?

(I'm aware of the victim's desire just to not want to deal with any of this any more, but the criminal law is there to serve justice, not the victim, and however much one sympathises with her, it's hardly in the interests of a just and safe society to turn a blind eye to rapists and bail-jumpers.)

Comments

[cosmic.livejournal.com]

The thing that weirds me out about the arrest now is that he's been in Switzerland before, he apparently has a house in Switzerland. So, yes, I do question the timing. In that why the hell he wasn't arrested a gazillion years ago when he was doing a movie or living there if it's a coutry that has an extradition treaty with the US (unlike the bunch of other countries he's spent a lot of time in the past thirty years)?

[rhipowered.livejournal.com]

There's only been an international warrant on Polanski since 2005. Why that didn't stop the French, I don't know.

[jo-mako.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, the French are notorious for not turning anyone over for extradition. =/

[cosmic.livejournal.com]

Because he's a French citizen and the story I read in the paper said that French law doesn't allow its own citizens to be extradited to another country for trial.

[calapine.livejournal.com]

One time they tried he scarpered. Possibly he is quite good at hiding? And Europe is a bit in love with them and just sort of went lalala? I dunno, but better late than never, I guess.