The Hague on Mladic: Detainees' health priority, measures in force since March

In a written response to the N1 TV European correspondent query about Mladic's health, the Mechanism said it could not comment on the health condition of the detainees since that information was confidential.

"The Mechanism is not able to comment on the health status of a detainee in the Mechanism's custody as this information is confidential. However, the wellbeing of the detainees under the Mechanism's care continues to be a priority for the Mechanism," the response said.

It added that "the Mechanism is conscious of the risks that COVID-19 poses to its detainees, considering their age and health profile and medical histories. Accordingly, the United Nations Detention Unit (UNDU) in The Hague, in coordination with the Dutch Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI), has implemented many measures to protect the health of the detainees. In particular, since Saturday, March 14 2020, non-essential activities and services at the UNDU have been suspended, including visits to detainees."

Several media in Serbia have reported Mladic was infected with the coronavirus, quoting his son who claimed The Hague Tribunal refused to test him, even though he had a fever and other symptoms of COVID-19 for days.

The former commander of the Army of the Republika Srpska, Mladic, 78, was sentenced to life imprisonment by The Hague Tribunal in 2017.

He was found guilty of genocide in Srebrenica, persecution of Muslims and Croats throughout BiH, terrorising the population of Sarajevo with prolonged shelling and sniping, and taking UNPROFOR members hostage during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the first-instance, Mladic was acquitted of genocide charges in six other Bosnian municipalities.

Both defence and prosecutors appealed the verdict. The hearing was initially scheduled for March 17 and 18 but was postponed due to the operation Mladic underwent on March 28.

The panel resigned from the second hearing date, June 16 and 17, because four of its members did not have flights from Africa to the Netherlands due to restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The hearing is rescheduled for August 24 and 25. Mladic has been in custody in Scheveningen since June 2011.