Serbia’s president criticizes UN court for not releasing war criminal Mladic to die at home
Summary
Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic criticized a United Nations war crimes court for refusing to release Ratko Mladic, a former Bosnian Serb army commander, who died in prison at age 84. Mladic was serving a life sentence for war crimes committed during the 1990s Balkan wars, including genocide.Key Facts
- Ratko Mladic was a Bosnian Serb military leader convicted of genocide and other crimes during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s.
- He was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 and had been in custody since 2011.
- Mladic died in prison at age 84, shortly after the U.N. court denied his request for release on humanitarian grounds.
- Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic called the court’s refusal “uncivilized behavior,” saying they wanted Mladic to die behind bars.
- The U.N. court said Mladic was receiving good medical care and had regular family visits, so early release was not granted.
- Bosnian Serbs held vigils honoring Mladic, viewing him as a hero, while victims’ families saw his death as justice.
- The 1995 Srebrenica massacre, overseen by Mladic, resulted in over 8,000 deaths and is recognized as Europe’s first genocide since World War II.
- The legacy of the Balkan wars still divides peoples in the region more than 30 years later.
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