Ratko Mladić Dies In Prison: How Did He Get The Nickname ‘Butcher Of Bosnia’?

Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb military commander convicted of genocide and war crimes over atrocities committed during the 1990s Bosnian War, has died aged 84 in a UN prison hospital in The Hague. Mladić, known as the “Butcher of Bosnia”, was serving a life sentence for his role in the conflict, including the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

As commander of the Bosnian Serb army, Mladić oversaw the siege of Sarajevo and campaigns of ethnic cleansing against Bosniaks and Croats during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Who Was Ratko Mladić?

Born in 1942 in what was then Yugoslavia, Mladić pursued a military career and rose through the ranks of the Yugoslav People's Army. As Yugoslavia began breaking apart in the early 1990s, he became commander of the Bosnian Serb army. He emerged as one of the principal military figures behind the campaign to establish Serb-controlled territory in Bosnia and remove non-Serb populations.

Mladić was serving a sentence of life imprisonment following his conviction for genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war by the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2017.  The conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals on 8 June 2021.

Sarajevo Siege And Srebrenica Massacre

Mladić became notorious for his role in the nearly four-year siege of Sarajevo, where Bosnian Serb forces subjected civilians to sustained artillery and sniper attacks. The siege killed thousands and devastated the Bosnian capital.

His forces later carried out the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995. After Bosnian Serb troops captured the UN-designated “safe area”, more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed. The massacre was later recognised as genocide by the international tribunal that prosecuted Mladić.

16 Years On The Run, Then A Life Sentence

Mladić remained at large for nearly 16 years after being indicted for war crimes. He was finally arrested in Serbia in 2011 and transferred to the tribunal in The Hague.

In 2017, the tribunal convicted him of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced him to life imprisonment. His conviction and sentence were upheld on appeal in 2021. He remained imprisoned in The Hague until his death.

Mladić remained a divisive figure in the Balkans. While he was condemned internationally and by survivors as a war criminal, he continued to be revered by some Serbian nationalists as a defender of their people. His death closes the life of one of the most notorious commanders of the Bosnian War, but debates over the conflict and its legacy remain deeply contested.

Russian Consulate in Belgrade expressed its condolences. In a post on X, it said, “In connection with the death of General Ratko Mladić, we express our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement that Guterres took note of the death of Ratko Mladić, former commander of the Bosnian Serb armed forces.

Mladić was serving a sentence of life imprisonment following his conviction for genocide, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war by the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in 2017.  The conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Appeals Chamber of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals on 8 June 2021, the UN statement noted.

“The Secretary-General stands in solidarity with the victims, survivors and their families who suffered the crimes for which Mr. Mladić was found guilty. These judicial findings are final, and the facts they conclusively established form part of the historical record.  The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all those in position of power to refrain from denying the seriousness of the crimes that have been adjudicated,” the statement added.

The statement said that Guterres strongly condemns any denial of the Srebrenica genocide as a historical event, and any actions that glorify those convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide by international courts. Accountability remains an essential step for lasting peace, trust and reconciliation in the region. The United Nations remains fully committed to supporting efforts towards achieving accountability and justice for all, the statement said.