Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated soldier, lost a defamation lawsuit against three newspapers that accused him of committing war crimes in Afghanistan. The judge found substantial truth in numerous claims made against him, dealing a blow to his reputation and that of the Australian military.Â
Key Points:Â
- The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Canberra Times were found to have established substantial truth in several accusations against Roberts-Smith. This included instances of murder and other war crimes.
- Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko ruled that the papers had proven Roberts-Smith ordered troops under his command to shoot an unarmed Afghan civilian and was involved in the killing of a man with a prosthetic leg, which was then used as a drinking vessel.
- The ruling has been celebrated as a victory for press freedom in Australia and hailed as a validation for public interest journalism.
- Roberts-Smith was absent from the court when the verdict was delivered. The fallout from the trial exposes further the inner workings and “warrior culture” of the Australian troops deployed in Afghanistan.
- The future of Roberts-Smith’s medals and the possibility of additional charges against him remain unclear. His case has brought attention to war crimes committed by Australian soldiers and will impact their conduct in future deployments.
- The journalists behind the investigative reports that led to the trial, Nick McKenzie and Chris Masters, were praised for their rigor and dedication to exposing the truth about the allegations.
