UN Tribunal Rejects Early Release Request by Mladic

A United Nations tribunal has rejected a request for early release by former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic. The 84-year-old, who is serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes committed during the Bosnian war, argued that his health had seriously deteriorated and described his condition as irreversible.

The court acknowledged that Mladic is in the terminal phase of his life and said his condition is critical. However, judges ruled that the UN detention facility in The Hague provides adequate medical care and sufficient conditions for treatment and comfort. According to the ruling, there is no alternative treatment available elsewhere, including in the Netherlands.

Mladic is one of the most notorious war crimes convicts from the former Yugoslavia. He was convicted over the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo during the 1990s Bosnian war. He has been hospitalized repeatedly in recent years and also suffers from cognitive impairment.

(reuters, mja)