Polanski appeals against decision to reject bail

Guidon added that according to the law, Polanski can make repeated requests to be released on bail.

Switzerland's top criminal court said Tuesday that film-maker Roman Polanski, being held here on three decades-old child sex charges, has appealed against a decision to turn down his bail request.

- We received the confirmation today. It is an appeal against the Swiss Federal Office of Justice's decision to reject his bail request - said Patrick Guidon, spokesman for the court.

Guidon added that according to the law, Polanski can make repeated requests to be released on bail.

The Swiss Federal Justice Office turned down Polanski's most recent appeal to be freed on bail on Friday, saying the risk that the French-Polish movie director would escape the country was "still too high."

Switzerland's top criminal court rejected a similar request from the 76-year-old film-maker on October 20.

The court found then that Polanski's bail offer of his chalet in the Swiss ski resort of Gstaad was not in line with requirements set by the law. It then told Polanski that he could make a renewed bail offer to the Justice Office.

The director of "Rosemary's Baby", "Chinatown" and "The Pianist" has been regarded as a fugitive by US authorities since he fled the United States in 1978 after admitting to having sex with a 13-year-old girl.

He was detained by Swiss police acting on a US extradition warrant when he went to Zurich to collect an award at the city's film festival last month.

The United States has since formally asked Switzerland to extradite Polanski.