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Convicted War Criminal Mladic Seeks Release Over Deteriorating Health
Lawyers say the 84-year-old is in advanced medical decline after a suspected stroke, and a judge has ordered an independent health assessment.
- Lawyers for convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladic are awaiting a United Nations court decision on their bid to release him from The Hague on grounds he is near the end of his life.
- Mladic commanded Bosnian Serb forces during the 1990s in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where his troops committed "ethnic cleansing," besieged Sarajevo with more than 10,000 deaths, and massacred 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica.
- Defense lawyers argue detention constitutes "cruel, inhumane punishment," claiming the "risk of imminent death is high" following a suspected stroke that left Mladic struggling to speak.
- Judge Graciela Gatti Santana requested an independent health assessment due Friday, while Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic stated his government is prepared to provide guarantees to the court.
- Bosnian groups representing victims oppose the release, dismissing the request as a "legal tactic" rather than humanitarian, noting previous attempts in 2025 were unsuccessful.
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Former Bosnian-Serbian army chief Ratko Mladić was arrested in 2011 and has been in The Hague ever since. He suffered a stroke in mid-April. His lawyer applied for early release.
‘Butcher of Bosnia’ responsible for massacre of 8,000 Muslims begs for prison release
Attorneys for notorious war criminal dubbed the "Butcher of Bosnia" have pleaded for his release from prison after about 15 years behind bars, saying he's already on his death bed after having a stroke.
·New York, United States
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Ratko Mladic, who has been called the 'butcher of Bosnia', is close to death and should be released, according to lawyers.
·Copenhagen, Denmark
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources8
Leaning Left4Leaning Right3Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
13%
R 37%
Factuality
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