politics

Ratko Mladić obituary

Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide for the Srebrenica slaughter and other crimes against humanity

Ratko Mladić obituary

TL;DR

  • Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide for the Srebrenica massacre, died aged 83 in a UN prison hospital.
  • He was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity during the Bosnian War.
  • Mladić initially assured Srebrenica residents of their safety before ordering the execution of over 8,000 men and boys.
  • His military career began in the Yugoslav National Army, and he rose through the ranks, embodying Serb chauvinism.
  • He led the Republika Srpska army, aiming to create a Greater Serbia through ethnic cleansing, overseeing massacres and the siege of Sarajevo.
  • Despite his conviction, Mladić is still seen as a hero by some nationalists in Serbia and Republika Srpska.
  • After years on the run, he was arrested in 2011 and convicted in 2017 by the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
  • Mladić remained isolated in prison and his health declined; attempts to release him on humanitarian grounds were denied.