WAR CRIMES TRIALS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 7, 9 July 1945, Page 5

WAR CRIMES TRIALS

PROCEDURE IN ZONES OF OCCUPATION

!Rec. 12.20 p.m. " RUGBY, July B*.- ---! . The British • War Office has issued a". I special army order giving regulations} j for the trial of war criminals, that is: to say, enemy subjects and persons associated with them who are to be) " charged with violations of the lawS and the usages of war, for instance, fouj the treatment of prisoners of war or? • of inhabitants of occupied countries. The regulations govern the procedrf ure to be followed by the courts] . which will try war criminals in thffi zones occupied by the British ArmyJ These courts will not try major wary criminals, who are to be dealt with 3 under the procedure now under dis-j cussion in London with the othec? Powers. a The army order also provides for thai issue of warrants to British com* manders-in-chief, enabling them to] . convene military courts for the trial] of war criminals and to delegate this' power to their subordinate com-! manders. It may be expected that! these warrants will be issued verys shortly. When this has been done the! trials will begin. The collection of evidence, and other^ preparations for the prosecution oi-j war criminals, has been going on for; some time, and cases have been pre^ pared for trial. The circumstances ii\,. which war criminals will be brought! to trial render it necessary to provide) in the regulations for special rules! of procedure in such matters as the! nature of evidence .which may be ad« mitted by the military.: courts. The1 prescribed punishments are death, inw prisonment, confiscation of property,; and fines. The power to confiscate and 1 impose fines provides a ready means,1 of enforcing legal, restitution in casesin which property has been wantonly' destroyed or looted. Finally, provi-: sion is made for the submission ot petitions-afteria. conviction against the' findings and the sentence, and for' their speedy decision. '"" • -, . The general; purpose and spirit ofi.- 7the regulations. Is summarisect in the' 'v last paragraph, which: states: '"In any"- " case not provided for in the regulaV tions, such course-will be adopted asj appears best calculated to do justice.'* '*> —8.0. W. " ;