In a motion filed on the U.N. court’s website, defence lawyers for Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general serving a life sentence for his involvement in the 1992-95 war in Bosnia, are requesting his urgent release to Serbia on medical grounds. Mladic, who is 82 years old and has experienced cognitive impairments, has been hospitalized at least twice this year and needs specialized medical treatment that can only be provided in Serbia.
Known as the “butcher of the Balkans”, Mladic led Bosnian Serb forces during Bosnia’s war and was found guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. These crimes included terrorizing the civilian population of Sarajevo during a siege and the massacre of more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995.
Mladic’s lawyers argue that he can receive specialized medical treatment in Serbia for his illness, and being in the country would eliminate language barriers that currently hinder communication. The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), which oversees Mladic’s case, has not yet indicated when they will make a decision on the release application.