Fort Myers Naples, FL, August 28, 2026 —

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has publicly criticized the United Nations war crimes court in The Hague. The criticism stems from the court’s decision to deny an early release for Ratko Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army. Mladic died on Thursday while serving a life sentence for war crimes.

President Vucic described the court’s actions regarding the early release request as “uncivilized behavior.” The statement highlights a point of contention between Serbian leadership and the international tribunal concerning the handling of high-profile war crimes convictions.

Ratko Mladic was convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2017. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. His death occurred while he was incarcerated and serving this sentence. Details regarding the specific reasons for the denial of the early release request by the court were not immediately detailed in the context of President Vucic’s statement.

The former Bosnian Serb army commander’s trial and conviction were significant milestones in the pursuit of justice for atrocities committed during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. The court’s role in managing sentences and parole for convicted war criminals remains a sensitive issue in the region.

President Vucic’s remarks indicate a continued sensitivity and potential disagreement over the legacy and legal processes surrounding figures convicted of wartime atrocities. The Serbian government has previously expressed varying perspectives on war crimes trials and their outcomes.



Story summarized from the original created by AP on apnews.com, see more information here.

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