Scandal about Roberts-Smith: Court confirms war crimes allegations!

Scandal about Roberts-Smith: Court confirms war crimes allegations!

The former elite soldier and carrier of the Victoria Cross, Ben Roberts-Smith, lost his appointment against a slander on Friday, May 16, 2025. Three federal judges in Sydney confirmed the judgment from 2023, according to which media reports on his alleged war crimes in Afghanistan are largely true. Roberts-Smith, who was considered a symbol of courage and patriotism in Australia, was held responsible in a civil process that is considered historical because he was the first in Australia to treat allegations of war crimes by his own armed forces

In 2018, Roberts-Smith had sued several newspapers of the media group Nine, including the "Sydney Morning Herald" and "The Age" after journalists reported that he was said to have killed unarmed Afghan civilians and took part in brutal rituals. The civil process, which lasted over 110 days of negotiations and cost more than 25 million Australian dollars, ended in 2023 with the judgment, which assessed the media reporting as "essentially correct". Judge Anthony received the conclusion that Roberts-Smith committed war crimes with “predominant probability”, including the killing of unarmed civilians.

important allegations and possible consequences

particularly serious allegations revolve around the killing of a tied man in the Afghan village of Darwan in September 2012, in which Roberts-Smith has stepped over a cliff and his subordinate to shoot him. Another accusation concerns the killing of a man with a leg prosthesis in April 2009. The appeal hearing took place in February 2024 and took ten days, with Roberts-Smith the opportunity to call the High Court, Australia's Higher Court.

The judgment could also result in criminal persecution by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator. Nick McKenzie, a journalist, described the judgment as a "clear victory" and asked the Australian authorities to pursue Roberts-Smith criminal. This cause is part of a broader processing of the Australian military operation in Afghanistan, to which an official report from 2020 showed that Australian elite soldiers probably killed 39 civilians and prisoners between 2005 and 2016.

context of military history of Australia

The current reporting in the Roberts-Smith case illustrates the long-term effects of the military commitment of Australia. Historically, Australia entered the Second September 3, 1939 in World War II by declaring war on Germany. By the end of the war in 1945, almost a million Australians served in the armed forces, which led to around 27,000 deaths and 23,400 wounded. During the war, the Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) were involved in a variety of conflicts against German, Italian and Japanese troops.

The Second World War led to major changes in Australian society and politics, including accelerated industrialization and comprehensive mobilization of industry and the civilian population. These historical connections to military history are relevant because the Causa Roberts-Smith is also part of a broader discussion about responsibility and ethics in military service.