Bosnian envoy rejects calls for war criminal Ratko Mladic’s release at UN Security Council

The debate took place during a session on the future of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, where several member states addressed the Council following presentations by the institution’s president and chief prosecutor.

Among those speaking was Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ambassador, Sejla Djurbuzovic, who strongly rejected arguments in favour of Mladic’s early release.

“It is always fascinating, from the perspective of credibility and moral integrity, to listen to complaints from convicted war criminals and genocide perpetrators when they seek early release,” Djurbuzovic told the Council.

“Today we heard a new argument – humanitarian reasons. Let me be clear: we are talking about the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’. The man responsible for more than 8,000 innocent people killed in Srebrenica. The man who ordered the relentless shelling of Sarajevo for 1,425 days.”

Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, was convicted by international judges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Djurbuzovic questioned whether those advocating for his release showed the same compassion towards victims and survivors.

“I wonder whether they have ever looked into the eyes of a mother whose son was murdered, or who watched her daughter being repeatedly raped, or a woman who lost her entire family, with the same empathy and concern they now show for the monster responsible for these crimes,” she said.

She noted that many mothers of Srebrenica victims died without ever finding or burying the remains of their children.

“When he dies, he will at least have a grave. Many mothers died without being able to bury even a single bone of their children,” she said.

The Bosnian envoy also recalled Mladic’s remarks after Bosnian Serb forces entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995, when he declared that the town had been “given to the Serbian people” and spoke of taking revenge on “the Turks”.

“These are his words, not mine. This is not artificial intelligence. These statements were recorded by cameras following his every step,” Djurbuzovic said.

She asked whether Mladic had ever apologised, revealed the locations of mass graves or shown any sign of remorse that could justify calls for leniency.

“We have confidence in the explanation provided by President Graciela Gatti Santana, who rejected this request. According to her assessment, all provisions of the Mandela Rules have been fully respected,” she said, referring to international standards for the treatment of prisoners.

“The same cannot be said for those he captured and executed in Srebrenica.”

Djurbuzovic concluded by saying that Bosnia and Herzegovina wished Mladic “a very long life”.

“Long enough for him to be held accountable for the at least 8,000 innocent people he mercilessly sent to their deaths. That is all the empathy we can offer,” she said.