Lawyers seek release of war criminal Ratko Mladic due to critical health

Lawyers for Ratko Mladic, the convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal, have requested his release from jail in The Hague, citing serious health concerns and a high risk of imminent death.

Mladic, aged 84, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 wars in the former Yugoslavia.

His legal team reported that Mladic has been bedbound or wheelchair-bound for an extended period and recently suffered a suspected stroke that left him nearly unable to speak.

Two doctors have assessed his condition as serious, prompting the request for his immediate provisional or conditional release to a hospital or hospice where Serbian is spoken.

The Serbian government has expressed willingness to provide guarantees for Mladic's release.

The UN court judge overseeing the case has requested an independent health assessment, with findings expected shortly.

Mladic commanded Bosnian Serb forces during the conflict, which involved ethnic cleansing, the siege of Sarajevo resulting in over 10,000 deaths, and the massacre of 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica.

He was apprehended in 2011 after 16 years on the run and convicted in 2017, with his sentence upheld on appeal in 2021.

His lawyers argue that the current detention facilities are inadequate for his medical needs and that continued imprisonment constitutes cruel and inhumane treatment without serving any further purpose.

#RatkoMladic #UNcourt #Serbiangovernment #warcrimes #healthrelease