Australia

Criminal Code Act 1995 Vol 2

Chapter 8—Offences against humanity and related offences

Division 268—Genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes against the administration of the justice of the International Criminal Court

Subdivision E—Other serious war crimes that are committed in the course of an international armed conflict

268.66 War crime—attacking persons or objects using thedistinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions

(2) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator attacks one or more buildings, medical units or transports or other objects; and
(b) the buildings, units or transports or other objects are using, in conformity with the Geneva Conventions or the Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, any of the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions; and
(c) the perpetrator intends the buildings, units or transports or other objects so using such an emblem to be the object of the attack; and
(d) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 20 years.

(3) Strict liability applies to paragraphs (1)(b) and (2)(b).


268.67 War crime—starvation as a method of warfare

(1) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator uses as a method of warfare:
(i) any intentional deprivation of civilians of objects indispensable to their survival; or
(ii) without limiting subparagraph (i)—the wilful impeding of relief supplies for civilians; and
(b) if subparagraph (a)(ii) applies—the relief supplies are provided for under the Geneva Conventions; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 25 years.

(2) Strict liability applies to paragraph (1)(b).


268.68 War crime—using, conscripting or enlisting children National armed forces

(1) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator uses one or more persons to participate actively in hostilities as members of the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 15 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 17 years.

(2) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator conscripts one or more persons into the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 15 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 15 years.

(3) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator enlists one or more persons into the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 15 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 10 years. Other armed forces and groups

(4) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator uses one or more persons to participate actively in hostilities other than as members of the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 18 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 17 years.

(5) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator conscripts one or more persons into an armed force or group other than the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 18 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty: Imprisonment for 15 years.

(6) A person (the perpetrator) commits an offence if:
(a) the perpetrator enlists one or more persons into an armed force or group other than the national armed forces; and
(b) the person or persons are under the age of 18 years; and
(c) the perpetrator's conduct takes place in the context of, and is associated with, an international armed conflict.

Penalty for a contravention of this subsection: Imprisonment for 10 years.

Keywords

National penalties - maximum penalty



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