By Greg Hall
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Former Serbian commander Ratko Mladic appeared before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to enter a plea last Friday. The once feared warrior and general is now long gone, replaced by an ill, elderly man. Yet, upon hearing the charges against him, Mladic gawked at the judge and answered the judge’s questions with contempt, claiming the allegations were “obnoxious” and “monstrous.” Mladic seemed more concerned with his health then with the allegations set before him.
Mladic was handed over to the tribunal to face charges for the worst war crimes and atrocities since World War II. After his capture, he attempted to avoid extradition, contending that he was not mentally or physically fit to stand trial. Serbian judges rejected his appeal and ordered the extradition to The Hague as soon as possible.
Mladic was indicted by the tribunal sixteen years ago for his role in the 43-month siege of the Bosnian capital and the massacre of over 8,000 Muslim men and boys during the 1992-95 Bosnian war.
“Mladic was the highest-ranking Bosnian Serb military leader during the wars in Bosnia. He is charged with responsibility for the role that he and his military forces played in the violent criminal campaigns that swept across Bosnia and Herzegovina,” chief prosecutor for ICTY Serge Brammertz said.
Mladic was captured after sixteen years of being on the run. Milos Saljic , Mladic’s attorney, visited Mladic in prison and reported that Mladic was “crying and very emotional” after a farewell visit from Mladic’s wife and sister last week.
After being captured, Mladic expressed that he should have just killed himself before being subjected to the authorities. Now, Mladic is threatening a hunger strike where he will refuse to take his medication and the food delivered to him unless he gets “adequate medical care, a lawyer, and allow his family to visit him.” Mladic was moved from a hospital prison to a cell. It is believed that Mladic is so sick that he may not live to see the start of his trial.
Mladic’s arrest and prosecution indicate a major step in the international effort to end impunity. After sixteen years of being on the run, the authorities caught up to him. It took a long time but it sent a message that the international community will not tolerate impunity, even if it takes sixteen years to get justice.
For more information, please see:
RIA Novosti – Mladic Threatens Hunger Strike if Rights not Observed – 6 June 2011
New Vision – Ratko Mladic and the End of Impunity – 5 June 2011
New York Times – Mladic Refuses to Enter Plea at War Crimes Tribunal – 3 June 2011
The Times of India – Mladic Must Face War Crimes Charges: Prosecutor – 1 June 2011
Taiwan News – Mladic Appeal on UN Court Extradition Rejected – 31 May, 2011
