Radovan Karadzic, the former president of Republika Srpska serving a life sentence for genocide and other war crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, was transported to a hospital from his prison cell, where he was held for seven hours without explanation, according to his lawyer, Goran Petronijevic.

Petronijevic confirmed to Detektor that Karadzic was taken to the hospital in the afternoon without any clarification. He has yet to speak directly with Karadzic but expects a call if possible. Petronijević expressed concerns about the situation, stating that he intends to inform the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), noting that Karadzic's rights as a prisoner are being “continuously violated.”

Petronijevic criticized the conditions in the UK, where Karadzic is serving his sentence, claiming that they do not meet international standards required for prisoners convicted by an international tribunal. He described the prison conditions as poor, suggesting they fail to meet the criteria necessary for hosting such convicts.

Karadzic was sentenced to life imprisonment by the MICT in March 2019 for his role in the Srebrenica genocide, the persecution of Bosniaks and Croats across Bosnia and Herzegovina, the terrorization of Sarajevo's population during the city’s siege, and holding UN peacekeepers hostage.

The lawyer also stated that Karadzic was taken to the hospital without any opportunity to contact his family. Petronijevic mentioned that Karadzic did not request this transfer himself, as previous requests for hospitalization were denied. This time, he was taken against his will, kept for seven hours without food, water, or access to a toilet, blood was forcibly drawn, and he was returned to his cell around midnight without any medical results being provided.

Detektor did not receive a response from the MICT, which typically does not comment on the health status of convicts.