'Individual criminal responsibility' in document 'Australia - War Crimes Amendment Act 1988'

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RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION

An Act to amend the War Crimes Act 1945

5. Sections 3 to 14, inclusive, of the Principal Act are repealed and the following section and Parts are substituted:
...

(k) an offence of:

(i) attempting or conspiring to commit;

(ii) aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of; or

(iii) being, by act or omission, in any way, directly or indirectly

An Act to amend the War Crimes Act 1945

5. Sections 3 to 14, inclusive, of the Principal Act are repealed and the following section and Parts are substituted:

"PART III-WAR CRIMES
War crime to be indictable offence

"9. (1) A person who:

(a) on or after 1 September 1939 and on or before 8 May 1945 ; and

(b) whether as an individual or as a member of an organisation; committed a war crime is guilty of an indictable offence against this Act."

RELEVANT ROME STATUTE PROVISIONS

Article 25
Individual criminal responsibility
1. The Court shall have jurisdiction over natural persons pursuant to this Statute.
2. A person who commits a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court shall be individually responsible and liable for punishment in accordance with this Statute.
3. In accordance with this Statute, a person shall be criminally responsible and liable for punishment for a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court if that person:
(a) Commits such a crime, whether as an individual, jointly with another or through another person, regardless of whether that other person is criminally responsible;
(b) Orders, solicits or induces the commission of such a crime which in fact occurs or is attempted;
(c) For the purpose of facilitating the commission of such a crime, aids, abets or otherwise assists in its commission or its attempted commission, including providing the means for its commission;
(d) In any other way contributes to the commission or attempted commission of such a crime by a group of persons acting with a common purpose. Such contribution shall be intentional and shall either:
(i) Be made with the aim of furthering the criminal activity or criminal purpose of the group, where such activity or purpose involves the commission of a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court; or
(ii) Be made in the knowledge of the intention of the group to commit the crime;
(e) In respect of the crime of genocide, directly and publicly incites others to commit genocide;
(f) Attempts to commit such a crime by taking action that commences its execution by means of a substantial step, but the crime does not occur because of circumstances independent of the person's intentions. However, a person who abandons the effort to commit the crime or otherwise prevents the completion of the crime shall not be liable for punishment under this Statute for the attempt to commit that crime if that person completely and voluntarily gave up the criminal purpose.
4. No provision in this Statute relating to individual criminal responsibility shall affect the responsibility of States under international law.