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Portrait of Slobodan Milosevic

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Born in Serbia · Nationalities Yugoslav, Serbia and Montenegro — Yugoslav wars / alleged international crimes / Kosovo / Croatia / Bosnia / ICTY

Slobodan Milosevic

Authoritarian regimes, wars and mass atrocitiesPolitics and government

Documented profile covering 13 controversies, including “1991–1992: Persecution and forced displacement of Croats and other non-Serbs across large areas of Croatia” and “1991: Crimes around Vukovar and execution of at least 200 people at Ovčara included in indictment”.

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Profile No. 1870 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Slobodan Milosevic

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
13Documented controversies
10Sources
1Formal charge · all time1 closed without conviction
0Conviction

§ 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 · 12 documented stages

11–14 March 2006: Dies of natural causes in detention and trial closes without verdict

Case dismissed / dropped
01

11–14 March 2006

11–14 March 2006: Dies of natural causes in detention and trial closes without verdict

Case dismissed / dropped

Milošević died of a heart attack in the ICTY detention unit, a few weeks before his defence was due to end. The trial was formally terminated.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaSlobodan Milošević Trial - the Prosecution's caseCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaProcedural History — Slobodan MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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03

April 2001–12 February 2002

2001–2002: Arrested in Serbia, transferred to The Hague and single Kosovo–Croatia–Bosnia trial begins on 66 counts

Formally charged

After losing power, Milošević was arrested and transferred to the ICTY. The Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia indictments were tried together.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaIndictments — Slobodan MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaProcedural History — Slobodan MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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04

1998–June 1999

1998–1999: Alleged campaign to expel approximately 800,000 Albanians from Kosovo

Formally charged

The ICTY accused Milošević of directing a coordinated policy intended to drive much of Kosovo's Albanian population out through military operations, destruction, intimidation and deportations.

State of the evidence
ICTY_formal_indictment_and_prosecution_evidence_no_final_verdict
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaIndictments — Slobodan MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaPresident Milosevic and Four other Senior FRY Officials Indicted for Murder, Persecution and Deportation in KosovoCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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05

January–June 1999

1999: Račak, Bela Crkva, Velika/Mala Kruša, Izbica and other massacres included in indictment

Formally charged

The Kosovo indictment listed several massacres of Albanian civilians, including Račak, Bela Crkva, Velika Kruša, Mala Kruša and Izbica.

State of the evidence
ICTY_formal_indictment_no_final_verdict
Attribution
Command responsibility

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaPresident Milosevic and Four other Senior FRY Officials Indicted for Murder, Persecution and Deportation in KosovoCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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06

1999

1999: Systematic destruction and looting of Albanian property and religious sites in Kosovo as part of alleged persecution

Formally charged

The prosecution described burned villages, looted property and destroyed mosques as part of the alleged campaign of expulsion and persecution.

State of the evidence
ICTY_indictment_evidence_no_final_verdict
Attribution
Command responsibility

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaMilosevic et al. Kosovo - Second Amended IndictmentCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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07

27 May 1999

27 May 1999: First serving head of state indicted by an international criminal tribunal

Formally charged

The ICTY indicted Milošević, then President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, for murder, deportation and persecution in Kosovo.

Legal status — source text
indicted_for_Kosovo_crimes_while_in_office
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaIndictments — Slobodan MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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08

1992–1995

1992–1995: Alleged criminal enterprise to permanently expel non-Serbs from large areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Formally charged

The ICTY accused him of participating in an enterprise aimed at forcibly removing most non-Serbs from extensive regions through killings, persecution, detention and deportations.

State of the evidence
ICTY_genocide_and_crimes_against_humanity_indictment_no_final_verdict
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaJudge Richard May confirms Indictment charging Slobodan Milosevic with Genocide in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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09

1992–1995

1992–1995: Camps, torture, sexual violence and civilian killings in Bosnia included in indictment

Formally charged

The prosecution presented evidence concerning dozens of detention sites where Bosnian Muslims and Croats were held in inhumane conditions, tortured, raped or killed.

State of the evidence
ICTY_prosecution_evidence_no_final_verdict
Attribution
alleged_JCE_responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaJudge Richard May confirms Indictment charging Slobodan Milosevic with Genocide in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaProsecution CaseCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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10

July 1995

1995: Srebrenica — genocide and complicity allegations concerning execution of thousands of Bosnian men and boys

Formally charged

The Bosnian indictment included genocide and complicity in genocide, particularly in relation to the execution of several thousand men and boys following the fall of Srebrenica.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
alleged_JCE_participant

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaJudge Richard May confirms Indictment charging Slobodan Milosevic with Genocide in Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaMotion for Judgement of Acquittal — MiloševićCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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11

August 1991–June 1992

1991–1992: Persecution and forced displacement of Croats and other non-Serbs across large areas of Croatia

Formally charged

The ICTY accused Milošević of participating in a criminal enterprise to remove non-Serbs, involving murders, inhumane detention and the displacement of at least 170,000 civilians.

State of the evidence
ICTY_formal_indictment_and_prosecution_evidence_no_final_verdict
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaJudge Rodrigues confirms Indictment charging Slobodan Milosevic with Crimes committed in CroatiaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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12

1991–1992

1991: Campaign against Dubrovnik and other Croatian localities included in persecution allegations

Formally charged

The Croatian case included operations by the Yugoslav People's Army and Serbian forces against Dubrovnik and other areas as part of an alleged policy of taking control and expelling non-Serbs.

State of the evidence
ICTY_indictment_and_prosecution_evidence_no_final_verdict
Attribution
alleged_JCE_and_state_control

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaJudge Rodrigues confirms Indictment charging Slobodan Milosevic with Crimes committed in CroatiaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

Add to this entry

13

1991

1991: Crimes around Vukovar and execution of at least 200 people at Ovčara included in indictment

Formally charged

The indictment linked Milošević to the political and security system supporting the forces responsible for crimes at Vukovar, including the execution of at least 200 Croats and other non-Serbs at Ovčara.

State of the evidence
ICTY_prosecution_case_against_Milosevic_no_final_verdict
Attribution
direct_as_alleged_JCE_participant_not_physical_perpetrator

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaProsecution Case - Croatia and Bosnia and HerzegovinaCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 13 September 2026

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02

16 June 2004

2004: Rule 98 bis decision — almost all counts maintained, but certain crime scenes removed; no finding of guilt

No legal proceedings

At the close of the prosecution's case, the Chamber maintained all 66 counts, including genocide, while excluding certain specific crime scenes for insufficient evidence.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    International Criminal Tribunal for the former YugoslaviaMotion for Judgement of Acquittal — MiloševićCourt 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 (5)
  1. Vojislav Koštunica2 documented references
  2. Franjo Tuđman1 documented reference
  3. Ibrahim Rugova1 documented reference
  4. Momir Bulatović1 documented reference
  5. Zoran Đinđić1 documented reference

III. Has something changed?

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