Thousands attend funeral of former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic in Belgrade
Reports from New York Times and Sky News note that large crowds gathered in Belgrade for Mladic's burial, with some government officials present despite the funeral being officially private. State media praised the deceased, while international observers note his war‑crime convictions.
First reported 1 week ago · latest update 1 week ago
Thousands of mourners gathered in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, on Monday for the funeral of Ratko Mladic, bowing their heads in respect before the coffin of the former Bosnian Serb general and convicted war criminal known as the “Butcher of Bosnia.”
Serbia’s strongman president, Aleksandar Vucic, a onetime champion of Mr. Mladic, who died Aug. 27 in custody in The Hague, stayed away from what the government insisted was a private, rather than state, event.
But state-controlled television and media outlets close to Mr. Vucic hailed the former general as a hero, without mentioning his conviction by a Hague Tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and other offenses. After the service, soldiers in camouflage uniforms and helmets carried the coffin out of St. Luke the Apostle church to a nearby cemetery.
Among those paying their respects at the Orthodox church were Mr. Vucic’s son, Danilo; several ministers, including the head of defense; and Aleksandar Vulin, a longtime ally of the president and former senior official who has pushed for close ties with Russia. The Hague court, Mr. Vulin said, “was created not to seek justice, but to seek revenge against the Serbs.”
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Thousand of Serbs Gather to Mourn Ratko Mladic, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’
The government insisted the funeral was a private affair, even as government ministers attended and state-controlled news media lavished praise on the convicted war criminal.
1 week ago · Andrew Higgins and Alisa DogramadzievaThousands gather for funeral of 'Butcher of Bosnia' Ratko Mladic
The funeral of former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic has taken place in the Serbian capital Belgrade, as thousands of people gathered in front of the church to pay their respects.
1 week ago