Roberts-Smith attends Afghanistan deployment anniversary service amid murder charges
Ben Roberts-Smith attended a Canberra service marking 25 years since Australia deployed to Afghanistan, wearing his medals alongside about 600 veterans. His presence drew attention because he is facing five criminal charges over alleged murders in Afghanistan, though he denies wrongdoing and has not entered pleas.
Roberts-Smith was arrested in April and is accused of killing five unarmed Afghan men between 2009 and 2012; he travelled to the ceremony with court permission under his bail conditions. More than 35,000 Australians served in Afghanistan and the wider Middle East operation, 47 Australian Defence Force personnel died and 263 were wounded before the 2021 withdrawal. Civil court findings in Roberts-Smith’s defamation case used a lower standard of proof and are not criminal convictions.
- Roberts-Smith attended Afghanistan service anniversary ceremony in Canberra.
- He faces five war crime murder charges and denies wrongdoing.
- More than 35,000 Australians served; 47 died and 263 were wounded.
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Ben Roberts-Smith is an Australian military figure who became a decorated veteran during Australia's involvement in Afghanistan. Australia deployed more than 35,000 personnel to Afghanistan and the wider Middle East region between 2001 and 2021, with the operation resulting in 47 Australian Defence Force deaths and 263 wounded. This was one of Australia's longest and most significant military commitments in recent decades.
Roberts-Smith currently faces five criminal charges alleging the murder of unarmed Afghan men between 2009 and 2012. He denies these allegations and has not yet entered formal pleas. He was arrested in April and the matter is being prosecuted through the criminal justice system.
The case has drawn considerable attention because it involves a prominent and decorated military figure but also raises broader questions about conduct during military operations abroad. A separate civil defamation case previously reached findings against Roberts-Smith, though civil proceedings operate under a lower standard of proof than criminal trials and such findings are not criminal convictions. The allegations have formed part of wider examination of Australian military conduct in Afghanistan.
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The case for
Roberts-Smith is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty—a cornerstone of justice—and a court has already approved his attendance under bail conditions. His military service and medals represent his contribution to Australia's defence, distinct from allegations now being tested in criminal proceedings. Excluding him from a commemoration honouring 35,000 servicemembers would be to punish him before conviction, treating him as guilty of charges he denies.
The case against
Attending a solemn ceremony honouring fallen soldiers whilst facing charges of unlawfully killing unarmed men presents a profound ethical tension. For the families of those allegedly killed and for veterans who served with integrity, his presence adorned in medals at an event meant to preserve military honour could feel deeply disrespectful. The gravity of the allegations and the sacred nature of the commemoration warrant consideration of whether attendance, though legally permitted, aligns with the dignity such occasions demand.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Ben Roberts-Smith wears his medals at Afghanistan anniversary service while facing war crime murder charges”.