Vucic: Hague Court Wanted Mladic to Die in Prison

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic asserted that the UN war crimes court in The Hague desired for Bosnian Serb wartime military chief Ratko Mladic to die behind bars. Vucic expressed strong disapproval, calling the court's actions "anti-civilizational behavior, behavior without precedent and without justification."

He told reporters that official Belgrade had not yet received any official notification regarding Mladic's death from the Hague. Mladic passed away in the detention unit hospital in Scheveningen, where he had spent the last four years. The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), the successor to the Hague Tribunal (ICTY), had previously denied requests for Mladic's transfer to Serbia for medical treatment.

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We see now that the Hague wanted Mladic to die behind bars. They did not want to let the general die in Serbia, die where he wanted to. That is anti-civilizational behavior, behavior without precedent and without justification.

Vucic also addressed reports about Mladic being buried with state honors, labeling them as lies that offend the family. He clarified that the organization of the funeral rests solely with the wishes of the Mladic family. The Justice Ministry had previously indicated that Mladic would be buried with state honors, even after his conviction for genocide in Srebrenica. "If Ratko Mladic’s family wants him buried in Serbia, the state will organize that in a dignified manner," Vucic stated, adding that teams would be dispatched to The Hague to assist with logistical matters.

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If Ratko Mladic’s family wants him buried in Serbia, the state will organize that in a dignified manner.