Former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladić Dies in Dutch Prison at 84

Ratko Mladić, the former commander of Bosnian Serb forces who was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, died in a Dutch prison on Thursday at the age of 84. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia had convicted him in 2017 for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre and other atrocities committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.

Republika Srpska’s former president Milorad Dodik expressed condolences to Mladić’s family, describing him as a commander who fought for the “freedom of the Serbian people” and praising his military leadership. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said the arrangements for Mladić’s funeral would be decided by his son, Darko, and indicated that a state or military funeral could be considered.

Human-rights observers noted that, despite the conviction, Mladić continues to be celebrated by some supporters in Republika Srpska and Serbia, where his portrait appears on posters and flags and football fans have displayed banners in his honor. They warned that such reverence reflects ongoing denial of the war crimes and hampers reconciliation for survivors, particularly Bosniak and Croat communities.

The article also highlighted that commemorations for victims of the Srebrenica massacre and other wartime sites have faced harassment by authorities, underscoring persistent tensions in the region.