Oscars: Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski expelled from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

'The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity'

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which hosts the Oscars has voted to expel U.S. comedian Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski as members.

They gathered on Tuesday night to make the decision, SkyNews reports.

A statement released by the Academy on Tuesday night said: "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors met on Tuesday night (May 1) and has voted to expel actor Bill Cosby and director Roman Polanski from its membership in accordance with the organisation’s Standards of Conduct. The Board continues to encourage ethical standards that require members to uphold the Academy’s values of respect for human dignity."

Polanski has been removed from the Academy 15 years after he received Best Director and Best Picture Oscars for The Pianist.

In 1977, Polanski was arrested and charged with raping 13-year-old Samantha Geimer.

He pled guilty and was imprisoned for 42 days until he received probation in a plea deal.

Polanski heard that the judge was going to revoke the plea deal and fled to Paris before sentencing.

While Cosby has never won an Oscar, his name was removed from the website of the Television Academy on Wednesday.

The actor-comedian was recently found guilty for three counts of aggravated indecent assault in his retrial from accusations by former Temple University worker Andrea Constand.

Cosby claims that the situation with Constand was consensual and that he gave her Benadryl to help her relax.