Greens announce War Crimes Investigation Unit
Greens announce War Crimes Investigation Unit | Australian Greens Skip to main content Search Get Involved Join Donate Our plan Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Get Involved Join Donate Search Our plan Toggle Tax the 1% Tackle the cost of living Healthcare for all Fix the housing crisis Strong climate action Policy principles & aims Our team Toggle Federal MPs State/territory MPs Officeholders Media releases Take action Toggle Volunteer Donate Issues & campaigns Events Greens Shop Leave a bequest Our movement Toggle About the Greens Become a member Jobs Green Magazine All news Greens announce War Crimes Investigation Unit 2025-01-30 Talking big on community cohesion while letting war criminals live freely among the people they have harmed is a farce.
Australia shouldn’t be a safe haven for war criminals, but right now, it is. This is why the Australian Greens will create a dedicated permanent body that can investigate and prosecute war crimes. This initiative involves a $10 million annual commitment.
It would create an office similar to the existing Office of the Special Investigator but without a politicised remit that restricts its ability to make findings and undertake prosecutions. Numerous countries, including the UK, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, France and Switzerland, have permanent and specialised bodies to investigate and prosecute international crimes.
These units have led to successful investigations, arrests and prosecutions. In 2022, Sweden prosecuted Hamid Nouri for his involvement in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners. The same year, the UK investigated and arrested a suspect in the murder of the reporter Mylvaganam Nimalarajan in Sri Lanka.
Many multicultural and diaspora community groups, including Rwandans, Sri Lankans, Tamils, Fijians, Ukrainians and Palestinians, have voiced concerns about war criminals in Australia not facing justice and the risks they pose to their communities. Alleged war criminals who have harmed these communities should be subject to proper investigation and prosecution in Australia.
Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said: “Community members who have experienced torture or been subject to genocide and war crimes need to know they are safe here from those who committed these crimes. That’s what this War Crimes Investigation Unit will produce. “The community expects war crimes to be treated seriously but instead have seen delay and avoidance that has prevented accountability for war crimes, even those committed by Australian troops.
“While Labor flip-flopped about whether it would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu for his role in perpetrating a genocide, the Greens won’t. The Government isn’t even monitoring which Australians are fighting for the Russian or Israeli militaries despite the clear risks of involvement in serious war crimes in both conflicts. “Not only has Labor not taken action on his war crimes, but they appointed Fijian Colonel Penioni Naliva to a senior role within the Defence force despite serious allegations of torture against him.
“In recent years, alleged war criminals have treated Australia as a safe haven, knowing they won't face justice because it's nobody's job to investigate them. This impunity must end. “Establishing a War Crimes Investigation Unit is an essential part of upholding the international order and global human rights and it is criminal that Australia does not already have one.
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