Australia's most decorated living soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been arrested and charged with five war crime murders. The alleged killings of unarmed Afghans occurred in three separate incidents between 2009 and 2012. Roberts-Smith, a former member of the Australian Defence Force, could face life imprisonment if convicted.
The charges stem from a joint investigation by the Office of the Special Investigator and the Australian Federal Police. While Roberts-Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross for his service, allegations of war crimes surfaced publicly in 2017 and 2018. A civil court ruling in 2023 found allegations of unlawful killings to be legitimate, leading to this criminal prosecution.
The arrest has ignited debate, with former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott questioning the timing and the standards by which military actions are judged. The investigation faced challenges due to the passage of time and lack of access to Afghanistan's crime scenes.