Australia's most decorated soldier has been granted conditional release while facing serious war crime charges.
Ben Roberts-Smith, a former member of the Australian special forces, was arrested last week on five charges related to alleged murders during missions in Afghanistan.
Investigators suspect he killed or ordered the killing of unarmed Afghan prisoners between 2009 and 2012, though he denies all allegations.
The decision for conditional release was made by a Sydney court, considering the case's complexity and the expected length of the trial. However, strict conditions have been imposed: he must report to police three times a week, grant authorities access to electronic devices, and his passport has been confiscated. The court also set a financial guarantee of 250,000 Australian dollars and restricted his movement within the country.
This case follows a 2023 civil defamation trial, where a judge found some of the murder allegations had a "substantially true" basis. Now, in the criminal proceedings, these charges must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutors have described the case as very serious and warned of flight risk and evidence tampering, while the defense argues their client needs freedom to prepare a proper defense.
The case is expected to be one of the most complex and closely watched trials in Australian legal history.