Mistake of law - national proceedings

New Zealand

Crimes Act 1961

Part 3
Matters of justification or excuse

Ignorance of law

25 Ignorance of law

The fact that an offender is ignorant of the law is not an excuse for any offence committed by him.

International Crimes and International Criminal Court Act 2000

PART 2 - INTERNATIONAL CRIMES AND OFFENCES AGAINST ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

General principles of criminal law

12.
General principles of criminal law—

(1)For the purposes of proceedings for an offence against section 9 or section 10 or section 11,—

(a)the following provisions of the Statute apply, with any necessary modifications:

(x)article 32 (which relates to mistakes of fact or law):

Rome Statute

Article 32 Mistake of fact or mistake of law

2. A mistake of law as to whether a particular type of conduct is a crime within the jurisdiction of the Court shall not be a ground for excluding criminal responsibility. A mistake of law may, however, be a ground for excluding criminal responsibility if it negates the mental element required by such a crime, or as provided for in article 33.