Whistleblower of Australian Crimes in Afghanistan Sentenced to Prison

Former Australian army lawyer David McBride has been sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for exposing war crimes in Afghanistan.

McBride was convicted for sharing secret military documents with journalists, revealing the Australian special forces’ “war crimes” in Afghanistan.

The Australian government claimed that McBride’s disclosures endangered the country’s security and defense.

A four-year investigation, known as the Brereton Report, concluded in 2020 that Australian special forces allegedly killed 39 unarmed civilian prisoners in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2016.

The disclosure of these war crimes has led to widespread criticism of the Australian army.