Crimes Act 1961

Crimes against public order - Treason and other crimes against the Sovereign and the State

77: Inciting to mutiny

You could also call this:

"Trying to get soldiers to disobey orders is a serious crime"

If you owe allegiance to the Sovereign in right of New Zealand, you can go to prison for up to 10 years. This happens if you try to persuade someone in the New Zealand forces to not do their job, for a traitorous or mutinous reason. You can do this anywhere, inside or outside New Zealand, and it's still against the law.

If there's a war or New Zealand forces are fighting, you also can't try to persuade someone in another country's armed forces to not do their job. This applies to forces that are allies of New Zealand, whether they are from a Commonwealth country or not.

You will be in trouble if you do any of these things, and you could face imprisonment for a long time.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328525.

Topics:

Crime and justice > Criminal law

76: Punishment for being party to treason, or

"Helping someone commit treason can lead to up to 7 years in prison if you don't report or try to stop it."

78: Espionage, or

"Sharing secret information that could harm New Zealand's safety is against the law."

Part 5Crimes against public order
Treason and other crimes against the Sovereign and the State

77Inciting to mutiny

Every one owing allegiance to the Sovereign in right of New Zealand is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who, within or outside New Zealand, for any traitorous or mutinous purpose,—
endeavours at any time to seduce any person serving in the New Zealand forces from his or her duty; or
during any war or state of hostilities in which New Zealand forces are engaged, endeavours to seduce any person serving in any allied armed force, whether a Commonwealth force or not, from his or her duty.

Compare

1908 No 32 s 100
1954 No 29 s 3