Lawyer expecting Polanski's release from hospital

AFP - Film director Roman Polanski, who was arrested in Switzerland on a US warrant over child sex offence charges, is in hospital for medical tests and should soon head back to prison, his lawyer said Monday.

"I hope that he will return to prison today," Herve Temime told AFP, confirming that the Franco-Polish director has been in hospital in recent days.

Temime had said on Saturday that Polanski was undergoing medical checks but did not specify for what and where.

According to Swiss tabloid Blick, Polanski has been admitted to the University Hospital of Zurich under an alias.
  

It also quoted Temime saying that Polanski was in the hospital over "small health problems that he has had in the past weeks."

When asked, Termime confirmed the information, without giving further details about the nature of the illness.

"There is nothing to be alarmed about," said Temime, pointing out that Polanski is 76 years old, and has not been "in the best of health."

The Oscar-winning director has been regarded as a fugitive by US authorities since he fled the country in 1978 after admitting to sex with a 13-year-old girl.

He was detained by Swiss police when he went to Zurich to collect an award at the city's film festival.

The Swiss government has said it opposed bail for the director and referred the matter to the tribunal court in the town of Bellinzona, where an appeal had been lodged.