Ratko Mladic, the former Serbian general convicted of genocide during the Bosnian war, has died in prison in The Hague while serving a life sentence. He was a central architect of ethnic cleansing during the conflict.
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Key facts
- Ratko Mladic has died in prison in The Hague aged 84.
- He was serving a life sentence for genocide committed during the Bosnian war.
- Mladic was convicted over the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which at least 8,000 Muslims were killed.
- Srebrenica was the worst massacre in Europe since the second world war.
- Mladic was a fugitive for 14 years before his capture.
Ratko Mladic, the Serbian general widely known as the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, has died in prison in The Hague, according to the Guardian. He was 84 and had been serving a life sentence for genocide committed during the Bosnian war.
Mladic was one of the main architects of the policy of ethnic cleansing carried out during the conflict. He was convicted of genocide for orchestrating the 1995 killing of at least 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica, a UN-designated ‘safe area’.
The Srebrenica massacre is described by the Guardian as the worst massacre in Europe since the second world war. Mladic’s conviction followed years in which he evaded justice, having spent 14 years as a fugitive before his eventual capture.
His death was met with strong reactions in Bosnia. In footage reported by Al Jazeera, one person said, ‘Even his own family should not be mourning him,’ reflecting the enduring anger over the crimes committed under his command.
Mladic died while still incarcerated in The Hague, bringing to an end the life of a man whose name became synonymous with the atrocities of the Bosnian war.
Why it matters
Mladic's actions during the Bosnian war, particularly the Srebrenica massacre, left a lasting scar on Bosnia and on European history. His death closes a chapter for survivors and families who lived through the worst mass killing on the continent since World War Two.
Frequently asked questions
What was Ratko Mladic convicted of?
Mladic was convicted of genocide for orchestrating the 1995 killing of at least 8,000 Muslims in Srebrenica, a UN-designated 'safe area', during the Bosnian war.
How old was Mladic when he died and where?
According to the Guardian, Mladic died aged 84 in prison in The Hague while serving a life sentence.
How long was Mladic a fugitive?
Mladic was a fugitive for 14 years before he was captured, according to the Guardian.
Timeline
- Butcher of Bosnia Ratko Mladic still hailed as a hero by some Serbs
Al Jazeera: Hundreds of Bosnian Serbs gathered to pay tribute to former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić.
- Timeline: Life of Ratko Mladic, general turned ‘Butcher of Bosnia’
Al Jazeera: Mladic died in prison in The Hague after failed requests by Serbian authorities to secure early release to home country.
- People in Bosnia react to the death of Ratko Mladic, ‘butcher of Bosnia’
Al Jazeera: ‘Even his own family should not be mourning him.’
- Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies in The Hague
The Guardian World: Bosnian Serb commander responsible for Srebrenica massacre dies in prison while serving life sentence for genocide From the archive: Fourteen years a fugitive: the hunt for the Butcher of Bosnia Ratko Mladić will die in jail. But go to Bosnia: you’ll see that he won Ratko Mladić,