Paul Haggis, an Oscar-winning screenwriter, was arrested in Italy on charges of sexual assault.

According to his lawyers, Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis is under house arrest in southern Italy on charges of sexual assault and serious physical harm, which he denies. ‘Mr Paul Haggis was arrested on Sunday when the Brindisi prosecutors issued an emergency order, and he is presently under house arrest in Ostuni. By Thursday, he will be questioned by a court, who will determine whether or not to confirm his arrest ‘ Michele Laforgia, his Italian lawyer, told Reuters.

In a statement released on Sunday, public prosecutors in Brindisi said Haggis was charged with forcing a lady to have sexual intercourse over the course of two days in Ostuni, Italy.

‘I am unable to discuss the evidence because of Italian legislation. Having stated that, I am optimistic that all charges levelled against Mr. Haggis will be dismissed ‘Priya Chaudhry, Haggis’ personal attorney, said in a statement.

Both lawyers stated that Haggis was pleading not guilty and that he would cooperate with the authorities. According to the prosecution, ‘a young foreign woman was forced to seek medical attention’ as a result of the sexual relations.

They claimed that the male suspect escorted the woman to Brindisi airport on Sunday after the alleged assault, where she was abandoned despite her ‘precarious bodily and psychological circumstances.’ Prosecutors did not mention Haggis by name, instead referring to him by his initials.

According to Reuters, the unidentified woman will be interrogated in the next ten days in what is known in Italy as an evidentiary incident, which establishes the evidence for a future prosecution.

‘Million Dollar Baby’ was written by Haggis, who also co-wrote and directed the crime drama ‘Crash.’ For ‘Crash,’ he received two Academy Awards: one for ‘Best Picture’ and the other for ‘Best Original Screenplay.’

In 2018, he disputed four women’s allegations of sexual misconduct, including two who accused him of rape.
Haggis was in Ostuni to teach at the Allora Fest, a new film festival organised by Silvia Bizio, a Los Angeles-based Italian journalist, and Sol Costales Doulton, a Spanish art critic, that runs from June 21 to June 26.

The festival’s directors ‘quickly proceeded to eliminate any participation of the director from the event,’ according to the Allora Fest, which ‘learned with dismay and astonishment the news.’