Episode 162 – Australia’s War Crimes Experience with Graham Blewitt

Australia has recently intensified efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes, both domestically and internationally, following high-profile cases involving its military personnel and citizens accused of atrocities abroad.

The renewed scrutiny comes amid ongoing trials related to alleged war crimes committed by Australian soldiers in Afghanistan, as documented in the Brereton Report. Among the most prominent cases is that of Oliver Schulz, a former soldier arrested in 2023 and charged with the murder of an Afghan man. Additionally, retired soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, was charged in 2023 with five counts of murder as a war crime. The cases have drawn significant public attention, raising questions about accountability and the legacy of military operations in conflict zones.

Beyond Afghanistan, Australia has also pursued prosecutions related to terrorism and human rights abuses. In recent years, several individuals, including so-called "ISIS brides," have been arrested and charged with terrorism-related offenses and slavery.

The nation’s approach to war crimes prosecutions has historical roots. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Australia established the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) to investigate Nazi war crimes committed by individuals who had migrated to the country after World War II. The unit was formed following investigative journalism by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), which uncovered evidence suggesting that suspected war criminals were living in Australia. The public outcry led the government to create the SIU, which operated under the mandate to gather evidence and, where possible, prosecute suspects in Australian courts. Due to concerns about potential extradition to countries where they might face the death penalty, prosecutions were pursued domestically rather than through deportation.

Graham Blewitt, a retired Australian war crimes prosecutor, played a key role in these early investigations. His work with the SIU provided foundational experience that later proved valuable when he helped establish the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the 1990s. As deputy prosecutor at the ICTY, Blewitt was instrumental in setting up the tribunal’s investigative and prosecutorial frameworks, drawing on his prior experience in war crimes investigations.

The ICTY’s early years relied heavily on the expertise of professionals like Blewitt, who had backgrounds in tracking Nazi war criminals. This cross-jurisdictional collaboration underscored the global nature of war crimes investigations and the importance of shared methodologies in pursuing justice for historical atrocities. Blewitt’s career reflects Australia’s evolving role in international justice, bridging domestic prosecutions and international tribunals.

For those interested in further reading, Blewitt has authored books on his experiences, including "Justice and War Crimes," which details the early years of the ICTY, and "Nazis in Australia," which examines Australia’s post-World War II investigations into Nazi collaborators. He has also recommended documentaries, such as SBS’s "The Hunt for the Last Nazis," for those seeking additional context on the subject.