Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Parties to the commission of offences

68: Party to murder outside New Zealand

You could also call this:

“You could get in trouble for helping someone plan a murder in another country.”

If you help someone do something outside of New Zealand that would be murder if it happened in New Zealand, you can go to prison for up to 14 years. This includes if you encourage, advise, or assist them to do it.

If you try to get someone to commit murder outside of New Zealand, even if they don’t actually do it, you can still go to prison for up to 10 years.

You have a defence if you can prove that what you helped with or encouraged wasn’t actually against the law in the place where it happened or was going to happen.

This law doesn’t change or limit sections 9 to 11 of the International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328509.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
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67: Conspiracy between spouses or civil union partners, or

“A married couple or civil union partners can be charged with planning a crime together or with others.”

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69: Party to any other crime outside New Zealand, or

“You can get in trouble for helping someone do a crime in another country, even if you're in New Zealand.”

Part 4 Parties to the commission of offences

68Party to murder outside New Zealand

  1. Except as hereinafter provided, every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years who, in New Zealand, aids, incites, counsels, or procures the doing or omission of an act outside New Zealand which, if done or omitted in New Zealand, would be murder.

  2. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who, in New Zealand, incites, counsels, or attempts to procure the doing or omission of an act outside New Zealand which, if done or omitted in New Zealand, would be murder, when no such act is in fact done or omitted.

  3. It is a defence to a charge under this section to prove that the doing or omission of the act was not an offence under the law of the place where it was, or was to be, done or omitted.

  4. Nothing in this section limits or affects sections 9 to 11 of the International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000.

Compare
  • 1908 No 32 s 189(b)
Notes
  • Section 68(4): inserted, on , by section 181(1) of the International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000 (2000 No 26).