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Ratko Mladić, convicted war criminal, dies aged 84 in The Hague prison after his life sentence was upheld, marking an end to a controversial legacy.
Ratko Mladić, convicted for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, has died aged 84 in a UN detention facility in The Hague, a UN official confirmed. He had been receiving palliative care in the prison hospital after his 2017 life sentence was upheld on appeal in 2021.
Mladić was convicted for atrocities committed during the wars in the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 1995. He was arrested in rural Serbia in 2011 after 16 years on the run and subsequently tried at the UN court in The Hague.
In May, a UN court rejected a request for his release as he neared the end of his life, noting his condition was “dire” while saying he was receiving “comprehensive and compassionate treatment” in detention.
The available statements indicate Mladić died in UN custody in The Hague while under palliative care. His life sentence for genocide and other crimes, imposed in 2017 and upheld on appeal in 2021, remained in force at the time of his death. A recent court decision in May denied his release despite acknowledging his worsening condition.