Lawyers for former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic have asked a United Nations court to release him from detention, arguing that his health has deteriorated significantly and that he may be near the end of his life.
Mladic, 84, is serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992–1995 Bosnian war. His conviction, including for the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo, was upheld on appeal in 2021.
In a submission to the court, his legal team said he has been largely immobile for a prolonged period and recently suffered a suspected stroke that left him with severe speech difficulties. They cited medical assessments indicating a high risk of imminent death and requested provisional or conditional release to a hospital or hospice facility.
Court seeks independent medical assessment
The presiding judge has requested an independent medical evaluation of Mladic’s condition, including his life expectancy and whether adequate care can be provided within the detention facility in The Hague.
Mladic has been held in a UN detention unit since his arrest in 2011, after spending more than a decade in hiding following the Bosnian war.
His lawyers argue that continued detention under his current condition constitutes inhumane treatment and no longer serves a legal purpose.
Victims’ groups oppose release
Organizations representing victims and survivors of the Bosnian war have strongly opposed any move to release Mladic, describing the request as a legal strategy rather than a humanitarian necessity.
They warn that previous attempts to secure his release on health grounds have been rejected and stress the importance of maintaining accountability for crimes committed during the conflict.
Background of the case
As commander of Bosnian Serb forces, Mladic oversaw military operations that included the siege of Sarajevo, which resulted in more than 10,000 deaths, and the killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995, classified as genocide by international courts.
His arrest in Serbia in 2011 ended 16 years on the run and led to one of the most significant war crimes trials related to the breakup of former Yugoslavia.