Archive · 29 Aug 2026
Vucic Condemns UN Court After Ratko Mladic Dies in Hague
Ratko Mladic was a former Bosnian Serb army commander who died in prison in The Hague.
He was 83 years old.
He was serving a life sentence for serious crimes committed during the Bosnian war.
Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, criticized the UN court for not allowing Mladic to return to Serbia before he died.
Serbia said it was waiting to learn whether his body could be sent there.
The court had said Mladic’s health was fragile but stable and being managed.
The court is now investigating how he died.
Many Serbs respected Mladic, but survivors of the Srebrenica massacre strongly opposed him.
One survivor said he should have remained in prison longer.
Ratko Mladic died aged 83 on Thursday in a UN detention facility in The Hague.
Mladic was serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused the court of uncivilised behaviour for rejecting Mladic’s request to die in Serbia.
Serbia is awaiting information on whether Mladic’s remains will be returned for burial in the country.
The court has opened an inquiry into the circumstances of Mladic’s death.
- Who
- Ratko Mladic, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the UN war crimes court and survivors of the Srebrenica massacre.
- What
- Mladic died while serving a life sentence, prompting criticism from Vucic and an investigation by the court.
- When
- Mladic died on Thursday; Vucic spoke on Friday, and the court’s judge visited the detention facility that day.
- Where
- Mladic died in a UN detention facility in The Hague; Serbia is seeking the possible return of his remains.
- Why
- Vucic objected to the court’s refusal to let Mladic die in Serbia, while the court is investigating the circumstances of his death.
Criticism of the UN Court
Support for Continued Imprisonment
Where Mladic should have died
Criticism of the UN Court
Aleksandar Vucic said the court should have allowed Mladic to return to Serbia to die and called its refusal uncivilised and without justification.
Support for Continued Imprisonment
The court denied the request, saying Mladic’s health was precarious but stable and well-managed at the detention centre.
How Mladic should be remembered
Criticism of the UN Court
Vucic said Serbia would help provide a dignified burial, and Mladic remained a revered figure among many Serbs in Serbia and Bosnia’s Serb Republic.
Support for Continued Imprisonment
Survivors of the Srebrenica massacre said Mladic should not have left prison and wished he had remained there longer.
- Age at death
- 83
- Sentence
- Life imprisonment
- Convictions
- Genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes
- Detention location
- A UN detention facility in The Hague
- Serbian position
- President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia would help arrange a dignified burial if Mladic’s family requested it.
- Court action
- A judge investigating the death spent about three hours at the detention facility on Friday.
- Reported burial wish
- Serbian media reported that Mladic wanted to be buried in Belgrade beside his daughter Ana.