"Today, one of those orchestrating the joint criminal entreprise that lead to the crimes that have ravaged the heart of Europe 25 years ago was finally brought to justice. This is a landmark decision for international justice and a long-awaited moment for the numerous victims and their families."
Commander of the Main Staff of the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) from May 1992 to at least November 1996 and Colonel General, Ratko Mladic was convicted to life imprisonment for genocide, the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, extermination, deportation, forcible transfer of population, and the war crimes of murder, terror, unlawful attacks of civilians and hostages takings. His responsibility in the execution of nearly 8000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in July 1995 was recognised. He can appeal the decision. The appeal proceedings, if any, will be carried out by the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (MICT).
Mladic was arrested and transferred to the ICTY in May 2011 and his trial began in May 2012. This is the last trial judgment of the ICTY before the end of its mandate and the closing of its doors planned for 31 December 2017 (except for the appeals chambers and the penitentiary). Since its establishment in 1993, the ICTY has issued 161 indictments that led to 123 arrests and 84 convictions, including Mladic’s conviction today.