In a bid to secure the release of 82-year-old Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, his defense lawyers have filed an urgent motion with the U.N. court requesting his immediate transfer to Serbia on health grounds. Mladic, who is currently serving a life sentence for his role in the Bosnian war from 1992-1995, has been known to suffer from cognitive impairments and has been hospitalized at least twice this year.
Despite being convicted on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, Mladic’s lawyers argue that he requires specialized treatment in Serbia for his undisclosed but potentially life-threatening condition. They also claim that being in Serbia would eliminate language barriers, making communication easier for Mladic.
As the former leader of Bosnian Serb forces during the war, Mladic has been dubbed the “butcher of the Balkans.” His crimes include the terrorizing of civilians in Sarajevo during a siege and the massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995. However, it is not clear what specific health condition Mladic is suffering from.
The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) must now decide on the application for Mladic’s release. Until then, he remains detained in The Hague where he has resided since his final conviction on appeal in 2021.
