World News
Former Bosnian Serb military chief Ratko Mladic dies at 84
Mladic was serving a life sentence at The Hague following his 2017 conviction for genocide and war crimes committed during the 1992–1995 Bosnian war.
The short version
- Former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic has died at age 84 at a prison hospital in The Hague after experiencing several strokes.
- Mladic was serving a life sentence following his 2017 conviction for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, including his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
- Prior to his death, Serbian state officials and Mladic's family had unsuccessfully requested his release on grounds of failing health.
Key facts
- Ratko Mladic died at age 84 at a UN detention center prison hospital in The Hague, according to Serbian state broadcaster RTS and the UN.[Deutsche Welle · France 24]
- Mladic had suffered several strokes in the months leading up to his death.[Deutsche Welle · France 24]
- The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia convicted Mladic in 2017 of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, sentencing him to life imprisonment.[Deutsche Welle · France 24]
- His convictions stemmed from actions during the 1992–1995 Bosnian war, including the 1995 Srebrenica massacre involving the execution of roughly 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys.[Deutsche Welle · France 24]
- The tribunal had previously rejected petitions from Mladic's family and Serbian officials seeking his release due to medical issues.[France 24]