CONTROVERSIA
Portrait of Radovan Karadzic

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Born in Montenegro · Nationality Bosnian — Bosnian War / genocide / crimes against humanity / war crimes / ICTY–Mechanism

Radovan Karadzic

Authoritarian regimes, wars and mass atrocities

Documented profile covering 10 controversies, including “1991–1995: Joint criminal enterprise aimed at permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Croats from claimed territories” and “1992–1995: Persecution, inhumane detention, torture, rape and sexual violence in municipalities”.

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Profile No. 1871 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Radovan Karadzic

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
10Documented controversies
3Sources
0Formal charge · all time
1Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 10 documented stages

20 March 2019: Principal convictions upheld and sentence increased to life imprisonment

Conviction
01

20 March 2019

20 March 2019: Principal convictions upheld and sentence increased to life imprisonment

Conviction

The Appeals Chamber upheld the substance of the convictions, overturned a limited number of findings concerning certain incidents and replaced the 40-year sentence with life imprisonment.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsKARADŽIĆ, Radovan (MICT-13-55-ES)Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Karadžić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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02

2012–24 March 2016

2012–2016: Genocide count concerning several municipalities in 1992 ultimately rejected

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Karadžić was acquitted of the genocide count concerning several Bosnian municipalities in 1992, although he was convicted of other serious crimes committed in the same areas.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsKARADŽIĆ, Radovan (MICT-13-55-ES)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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03

24 March 2016

24 March 2016: Sentenced to 40 years for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes

Conviction

The ICTY convicted him on ten of eleven counts covering Srebrenica, Sarajevo, the municipalities and hostage-taking.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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04

October 1991–November 1995

1991–1995: Joint criminal enterprise aimed at permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Croats from claimed territories

Conviction

The judges concluded that Karadžić had made a significant contribution to a plan to permanently remove non-Serbs through crimes committed in numerous municipalities.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Karadžić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

05

1992–1995

1992–1995: Persecution, inhumane detention, torture, rape and sexual violence in municipalities

Conviction

Bosnian Muslim and Croat civilians were arrested, held in inhumane conditions, beaten, tortured and subjected to sexual violence during territorial takeovers.

Attribution
Command responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsKARADŽIĆ, Radovan (MICT-13-55-ES)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

1992–1995

1992–1995: Murders, extermination and expulsions of civilians in Bosnian municipalities

Conviction

Bosnian Serb forces committed large-scale executions, murders and expulsions in municipalities targeted by the political project.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Karadžić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

07

1992–November 1995

1992–1995: Sniping and shelling campaign intended to terrorise Sarajevo civilians

Conviction

Karadžić was convicted of using the campaign of sniping and shelling in Sarajevo as a means of political and military pressure.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsKARADŽIĆ, Radovan (MICT-13-55-ES)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

26 May–19 June 1995

May–June 1995: UN personnel taken hostage to prevent further NATO strikes

Conviction

UN personnel were detained, sometimes handcuffed near military targets, to exert pressure on NATO; Karadžić was found to have participated in this criminal enterprise.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsKARADŽIĆ, Radovan (MICT-13-55-ES)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

09

July 1995

July 1995: Capture of Srebrenica and forcible transfer of approximately 30,000 women, children and elderly people

Conviction

Following the fall of the enclave, approximately 30,000 Bosnian Muslims, mainly women, children and elderly men, were expelled to territory controlled by the Bosnian government.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Legal status — source text
convicted_as_part_of_Srebrenica_JCE
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

13 July 1995 et jours suivants

July 1995: Execution of thousands of Srebrenica men and boys — genocide

Conviction

Karadžić was convicted of genocide for his participation in the enterprise to kill Bosnian Muslim men and boys from Srebrenica.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Radovan Karadžić for crimes in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Karadžić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (2)
  1. Alija Izetbegović1 documented reference
  2. Zoran Đinđić1 documented reference

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