The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals ('Mechanism') in The Hague refused to consider the early release of Milomir Stakic, sentenced to 40 years in prison for crimes against Bosniaks and Croats in Prijedor during the 192-1995 BiH war.

In the published decision, the president of the Mechanism, Carmel Agius, emphasized that Stakic has not yet served two-thirds of his sentence, which is a necessary condition for submitting a request for early release.

Stakic will serve two-thirds of the sentence in 2027.

Stakic did not submit a request himself, but the French authorities, where he serves his sentence, informed the court in The Hague that according to their laws, the convict acquires the right to request early release after serving the half of the sentence.

In 2003, Stakic was sentenced in the first instance verdict to live imprisonment.

Originally charged with genocide, Stakic has been in prison since March 23, 2001, when he was arrested by Serbian authorities in Belgrade who extradited him to The Hague.