World News
Body of convicted Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic returned to Serbia with military honors
The former general, who died in UN custody while serving a life sentence for genocide, was received in Belgrade ahead of a planned funeral.
The short version
- The body of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic arrived in Belgrade from The Hague aboard a Serbian government plane.
- Mladic died at age 84 in a UN detention facility while serving a life term for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War.
- The reception with military honors and upcoming commemorative events have drawn criticism from the UN tribunal and EU officials.
Key facts
- Ratko Mladic's casket was transported from Rotterdam The Hague Airport to Belgrade on a Serbian government aircraft accompanied by his son and Serbia's justice minister.[Al Jazeera]
- Mladic died at age 84 in a UN detention facility while serving a life sentence following his 2017 conviction for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.[Al Jazeera]
- Upon arrival in Belgrade, the flag-draped casket was carried off the aircraft by six soldiers as part of military honors.[Al Jazeera]
- Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic cited state security estimates predicting that tens of thousands of people could attend funeral services.[Al Jazeera]
- The UN tribunal issued a statement condemning actions that glorify individuals convicted of international crimes, and the EU enlargement commissioner warned that glorifying war criminals is incompatible with EU membership or candidacy.[Al Jazeera]
What remains uncertain
- Official details and the final schedule for Mladic's funeral remain unconfirmed by his family, though pro-government outlets reported a commemoration on Saturday and a funeral on Monday.[Al Jazeera]