The Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation also praised the role of investigative journalism in “uncovering the truth and raising public awareness” about what had taken place in the country.
Media magnate Kerry Stokes – who employs Mr Roberts-Smith at rival outlet Seven West Media – said the judgement did “not accord with the man I know”.
“I know this will be particularly hard for Ben, who has always maintained his innocence,” said Mr Stokes, who loaned the soldier money to fund his legal case. Mr Roberts-Smith had offered to hand in his Victoria Cross as collateral, local media reported.
The case comes three years after a landmark report found credible evidence that Australian forces had unlawfully killed 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013.
Accusations of war crimes have also been levelled at soldiers from the UK and US in recent years.
Local media say dozens of Australian soldiers are being investigated for their roles in alleged war crimes. But so far charges have only been laid against one, Oliver Schulz.
War historian Peter Stanley told the BBC ahead of the judgement that Mr Roberts-Smith’s case was “a litmus test” for allegations of Australian wrongdoing in Afghanistan.
“The Ben Roberts-Smith episode is just a precursor to the major series of war crimes investigations, allegations, prosecutions, and possibly convictions that we’ll see over the next few years.”
Source – BBC News
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