Roman Polanski- No Justice Needed

[tibilicus]

I will be first to support the idea that the US has pretty odd ideas of extradition deals. For example, the current extradition deal with the UK is pretty bizarre, whereby it is extremely hard for us to get permission to extradite from the US but the process of extraditing from the UK is relatively straight forward.

This, however, isn't the point. We're not talking about a criminal who may have done something but one who has been found guilty of one charge and fled the court date for the more serious charges brought against him. The argument about the USA and it's concept of sovereignty and perceived "bullying" nature is also irrelevant. This guy raped a child, a crime recognised as severe in every single western nation and in most non-western nations. The Swiss should have a moral duty to extradite, not just because it's wrong, but because they are harbouring a criminal they would otherwise condemn by their own legal system. If any one else living in Switzerland raped a child they would be arrested and imprisoned. Just because the crime was committed in another country doesn't mean this man should be considered free.