Serbia renews plea for Ratko Mladić's early release on humanitarian grounds

Serbia's Justice Minister Nenad Vujić has formally appealed to the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) for the early release of Ratko Mladić on humanitarian grounds. In a letter addressed to the tribunal's president, Graciela Gatti Santana, Vujić requested that Mladić be allowed to spend his final days in Serbia.

Minister Vujić expressed regret over the tribunal's August 20 decision to deny a previous request for early release. He urged President Santana to urgently reconsider the new request, emphasizing the exceptional humanitarian circumstances confirmed by the IRMCT's own medical services. Vujić argued that Mladić should be permitted to receive institutional medical and adequate palliative care in Serbia, closer to his family.

“

We ask that the President of the Mechanism urgently consider a new request, bearing in mind that despite the exceptional humanitarian circumstances confirmed by the medical service of the Mechanism itself, General Mladić has not been allowed to spend the last days of his life in Serbia, with continuous institutional medical and adequate palliative care and significantly greater proximity to his family.

The minister highlighted that while appropriate medical care in detention is necessary, it is not sufficient for humane treatment of someone in their final days. Serbia has offered to transfer Mladić to the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade and has reiterated its readiness to accept any restrictions, including regular medical reporting, immediate notification of any health changes, and controlled access, as deemed necessary by the IRMCT.

Previously, the IRMCT rejected Mladić's defense team's request for early release, with President Santana concluding that no exceptional circumstances justified his transfer to Serbia, as conditions and medical care in The Hague were adequate. Ratko Mladić, former commander of the Army of Republika Srpska, is serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during the Bosnian War.

“

Appropriate medical care in detention represents a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for humane treatment of a person in the final days of life.