CONTROVERSIA
Portrait of Ratko Mladic

Photo: Фото: Михаил Евстафьев / Photo by Evstafiev Mikhail · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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

Ratko Mladic

Authoritarian regimes, wars and mass atrocities

Documented profile covering 10 controversies, including “1992–1995: Joint criminal enterprise aimed at permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Croats from claimed territories” and “1992–1995: Persecution, deportation and forcible transfer in Bosnian municipalities”.

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Profile No. 1872 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Ratko Mladic

Photo: Фото: Михаил Евстафьев / Photo by Evstafiev Mikhail · CC BY-SA 3.0 · 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

8 June 2021: Appeal largely rejected; convictions and life sentence finally upheld

Conviction
01

8 June 2021

8 June 2021: Appeal largely rejected; convictions and life sentence finally upheld

Conviction

The Mechanism upheld the convictions and life imprisonment. The prosecution's appeal against the acquittal of genocide in the municipalities was also rejected.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsMLADIĆ, Ratko (MICT-13-56)Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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02

22 November 2017

22 November 2017: Acquitted of genocide count concerning municipalities in 1992

Acquitted / conviction overturned

The ICTY held that the evidence did not establish that genocide was the objective of the overall criminal project in several municipalities in 1992.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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03

22 November 2017

22 November 2017: Sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes

Conviction

Mladić was convicted on counts 2 to 11: genocide at Srebrenica, persecution, extermination, murder, deportation, forcible transfer, terror, unlawful attacks 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 Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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04

May 1992–November 1995

1992–1995: Joint criminal enterprise aimed at permanently removing Bosnian Muslims and Croats from claimed territories

Conviction

As commander of the VRS Main Staff, Mladić was convicted of playing a major role in the plan to permanently expel non-Serbs from claimed territories.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

05

1992–1995

1992–1995: Persecution, deportation and forcible transfer in Bosnian municipalities

Conviction

Mladić was convicted of persecution, deportation and forcible transfer of Bosnian Muslim and Croat civilians in multiple municipalities.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsMLADIĆ, Ratko (MICT-13-56)Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

1992–1995

1992–1995: Extermination and murders of civilians in municipalities

Conviction

The judgment established murders and extermination during territorial takeovers and persecution by Bosnian Serb forces.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

07

May 1992–November 1995

1992–1995: Campaign of sniping and shelling against Sarajevo intended to spread terror

Conviction

The VRS under his command carried out a campaign of sniping and shelling against Sarajevo's civilian population; Mladić was convicted of murder, terror and unlawful attacks.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

May–June 1995

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

Conviction

UN personnel were captured and held near military sites to deter further NATO air strikes.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsMLADIĆ, Ratko (MICT-13-56)Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić caseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

09

July 1995

July 1995: Forcible transfer of Bosnian Muslim civilian population from Srebrenica

Conviction

Following the capture of Srebrenica, women, children and elderly people were separated from the men and forcibly transferred out of the enclave.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaTribunal convicts Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

July–October 1995

July–October 1995: Massacre of Srebrenica men and boys — genocide

Conviction

Mladić was convicted of genocide, persecution, extermination and murder for his leading role in the plan to eliminate Bosnian Muslims 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 Ratko Mladić for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanityCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Residual Mechanism for Criminal TribunalsAppeals Chamber delivers judgement in the Mladić 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 (1)
  1. Vojislav Koštunica1 documented reference

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