Serbia to grant state funeral to war criminal Ratko Mladić

Serbia has announced that Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army convicted of genocide and war crimes, will receive a state funeral. The decision, confirmed by Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujić, means Mladić will be honored with full military and state ceremony.

Mladić, often referred to as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died on Thursday in a detention facility in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence for his role in the Bosnian War. He was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for orchestrating a campaign of ethnic cleansing, including the Srebrenica massacre, and for crimes against humanity.

The announcement of a state funeral has sparked controversy and condemnation from victims' groups and international observers. Critics argue that honoring a convicted war criminal sends a deeply problematic message and disrespects the victims of the atrocities he committed. Mladić's legacy is associated with immense suffering and loss during the 1990s conflict.

This decision by the Serbian government is likely to face significant backlash, both domestically and internationally, given Mladić's conviction for some of the worst atrocities in modern European history. The move is seen by many as a controversial stance on the legacy of the Balkan wars.

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will be buried with all military and state honors