General Ratko Mladić, known as the “Butcher of Bosnia” and convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, died in prison on Thursday. He was either 83 or 84 years old, according to differing accounts.
As commander of the Bosnian Serb forces, Mladić was held responsible for the deaths of an estimated 100,000 people during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. He was also the architect of the Srebrenica genocide, where at least 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed.
The Serbian government in Belgrade announced that Mladić would be buried with “all the military and state honours to which he is entitled,” a decision that has defied international condemnation. The office of UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned those in power to “refrain from denying the seriousness of the crimes,” including the Srebrenica genocide or glorifying war crimes.
Džemil Hodžić, founder of the Sniper Alley photo project, stated that Mladić's legacy continues to divide the Balkans, with some considering him a hero despite his atrocities. Emir Suljagić, director of the Srebrenica Memorial, noted that Mladić's death does not alter historical facts or erase the consequences of genocide.