David McBride, a former Australian military lawyer who leaked classified documents exposing alleged war crimes by Australian forces in Afghanistan, has lost his appeal to reduce his prison sentence. The Australian Capital Territory Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed his request on May 28, 2025.
McBride was sentenced last year to five years and eight months in prison, with a non-parole period of two years and three months, after pleading guilty to theft and unauthorized communication of military information. The leaked documents led to the 2017 Afghan Files reports detailing serious allegations against Australian troops.
Despite arguments that his actions were in the public interest, the court upheld the original sentence. McBride’s legal team has expressed intent to take the case to the High Court and called for a pardon.
Human rights advocates have criticized the ruling as harsh and called for stronger protections for whistleblowers. McBride remains eligible for parole in August 2026.