(RTTNews) - Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf said Wednesday that her ministry is not planning to challenge a court decision to accept a bail offer made by internationally renowned film-maker Roman Polanski, who is currently under detention in Switzerland in connection with his 30-year old conviction in the U.S. for having sex with a minor girl.

The minister's statement that she sees no reason to appeal the court ruling paves the way for Polanski's transfer from his prison cell to house arrest and electronic monitoring at his Swiss chalet until the court issues a verdict on a case connected to his extradition to the United States.

Her remarks came just hours after a Swiss court accepted Polanski's bail offer of $4.5 million. However, his release on bail was subject to a Swiss Justice Ministry decision whether to challenge Wednesday's ruling. Though the ministry has 10 days to appeal the ruling, a spokesman has said a decision on the issue was expected shortly.

Wednesday's ruling comes after the Swiss criminal court rejected Polanski's earlier bail application last month on grounds that he posed a great flight risk. At that time, the court said it was declining Polanski's proposal of combining bail and house arrest with electronic monitoring over concerns that Polanski could easily escape across the border from Switzerland to France.
However, the court in Bellinzona ruled Wednesday that the bail amount offered, combined with the other measures such as the deposit of identification documents and the assignment of his residence under electronic surveillance, are "sufficient to prevent the risk of flight."

Polanski is currently engaged in another legal battle with the Swiss government over his extradition to the United States, which is expected to be a lengthy process. Wednesday's ruling will have no bearing on that case.

Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on September 26 in connection with his conviction in the U.S. for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. He had initially pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with the girl, but in 1978 fled US for France before he could be sentenced. He was arrested in Zurich when he came to collect an award at the city's film festival.

Polanski is a world renowned film director, and has won an Academy Award for Best Director in 2003 for "The Pianist." He was also nominated for the best director Oscar for "Tess" and "Chinatown."

by RTT Staff Writer

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