UN experts warn against glorifying war criminals after Mladić’s funeral
UN experts warned that glorifying people convicted of international crimes could cause additional harm to victims and survivors. The statement came after the funeral of convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladić, which took place on September 7 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Concerns over official honors
The experts said that official commemoration of people convicted of crimes could deepen the suffering of those affected and undermine memory, truth and accountability. They expressed particular concern over the presence of high-ranking officials from Republika Srpska — an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina — at Mladić’s funeral.
According to Anadolu Agency, the experts cited reports that Mladić’s coffin was transported to Serbia on a government plane and carried by uniformed servicemen. Military decorations were displayed during the service at a Belgrade church, and thousands of people attended the ceremony.
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International tribunal verdict
Former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladić was found guilty of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Among the crimes for which he was convicted was the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
Mladić died in August while serving a life sentence in The Hague. UN experts stressed that lasting reconciliation is based on truth, accountability and respect for victims, and called for commemorative events to rely on facts established by courts and reject denial of crimes and historical revisionism.
