Türkiye condemns Serbia’s mass public funeral for ‘Butcher of Bosnia’ Mladic

Türkiye has condemned Serbia’s decision to hold a mass public funeral for Ratko Mladic, the convicted war criminal widely known as the “Butcher of Bosnia.” Ankara called the ceremony “unacceptable,” saying it must not become a vehicle for denying the crimes committed under his command.

“It is unacceptable for the funeral ceremony of Ratko Mladic, who was convicted by international courts in final judgments for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, to be exploited in a manner that amounts to denying the grave crimes committed and the human suffering endured,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said Tuesday.

“Rejecting the relevant court judgments or attempting to portray convicted perpetrators as heroes deepens the pain of victims and their families, while also undermining the longstanding efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the region,” Keçeli added.

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It is unacceptable for the funeral ceremony of Ratko Mladic, who was convicted by international courts in final judgments for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, to be exploited in a manner that amounts to denying the grave crimes committed and the human suffering endured.

Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, died in The Hague on Aug. 27 at age 84 while serving a life sentence. He was convicted of crimes committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, including genocide for his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, in which more than 8,000 Bosnian men and boys were killed.

Keçeli said the Balkans must learn from the past and work together toward a peaceful, prosperous and shared future. He paid tribute to all innocent victims, particularly those killed in Srebrenica, and expressed solidarity with their families. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić offered to organize Mladic’s burial in Serbia.

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Rejecting the relevant court judgments or attempting to portray convicted perpetrators as heroes deepens the pain of victims and their families, while also undermining the longstanding efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the region.