Victoria Court Dismisses Genocide Prosecution Against King Charles III
The Court of Appeal of Victoria dismissed a private prosecution attempt by Indigenous elder Robbie Thorpe against King Charles III for alleged genocide.
Three judges in the Court of Appeal of Victoria dismissed a private prosecution attempt against King Charles III, who serves as the head of state for both Australia and the United Kingdom. The legal action was initiated in 2023 by Robbie Thorpe, an Indigenous elder of the Krautatungalung people, who alleged that the monarch and Australian government institutions were perpetrating genocide through systems that disadvantage Indigenous Australians.
This ruling marks the third legal defeat for Thorpe since 2023. Legal experts noted that the King likely enjoys extensive immunity from criminal and civil liability in Australia, a status inherited from the United Kingdom. While Thorpe may still seek leave to appeal to the High Court of Australia, he has indicated intentions to pursue the matter internationally.
Thorpe claimed the International Criminal Court would expose Australia as a "lying, racist, illegal occupation committing genocide." However, legal analysts noted that while the International Criminal Court does not recognize head-of-state immunity, individuals cannot initiate prosecutions there and must instead submit evidence for the court's consideration.
