I note that the article doesn't actually outline the grounds on which they were denied, just the application was delayed meaning they weren't granted in time for travel.
For a second here I thought the applicants dobbed themselves in, because at the end of all Australian visa applications it asks you about war crimes.
This is how it read back in 2020: "Has any applicant ever been charged with, or indicted for: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, torture, slavery, or any other crime that is otherwise of a serious international concern?"
And someone actually ticking yes on that question is just nuts. Surely they did not tick yes.