28 Jan 2010

Appeal for clemency for former Australian soldier

9:41 am on 28 January 2010

The Australian government is appealing for clemency for a former Australian soldier who has been sentenced to death in Afghanistan.

Robert Langdon, 38, has been convicted of the murder of an Afghan man while working as a security contractor last year. Langdon claims the killing was in self-defence.

His lawyers lodged an appeal to the Afghan supreme court following his sentencing a week ago.

Australia's Defence Minister, John Faulkner, says Canberra is making high-level representations on Langdon's behalf.