Ivan Polyukhovich

Ivan Timofeyevich Polyukhovich (; 1924 –1997) was an accused (and eventually acquitted) Ukrainian-Australian World War II war criminal. He was born at Serniki, Pinsk.

Background Following Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, some Ukrainians chose to collaborate with the Wehrmacht, including Polyukhovich, one of six siblings. He was employed by a forestry department and allegedly participated in the execution of about 850 people from the Jewish ghetto in Serniki in occupied Ukraine and further executions of civilians in the same area between August and September 1942. When the Germans retreated from Ukraine, Polyukhovich and his second wife Maria left with the German troops and later Polyukhovich was given work in Germany. On 28 December 1949, Polyukhovich, his wife Maria, and two step-daughters arrived in Melbourne, Australia. In 1958, they received Australian citizenship.

On 3 September 1990 the High Court began hearing a challenge to the constitutional validity of the War Crimes Amendment Act itself. The primary question was whether in 1989 there was either an obligation under customary international law or a matter of international concern that war criminals from the pre-1945 years be sought out and tried for their offences. On 14 August 1991 the war crimes legislation was endorsed by the High Court.