Ratko Mladic Fast Facts

CNN Editorial Research

Here is a look at the life of Ratko Mladic, former leader of the Bosnian Serb army, sentenced to life in prison for genocide and other war crimes.

Personal

Birth date: March 12, 1942

Birth place: Kalnovik, Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Birth name: Ratko Mladic

Father: Nedja Mladic

Mother: Stana Mladic

Marriage: Bosiljka Mladic

Children: Darko and Ana

Timeline

1965 – Graduates from a military academy and joins the Communist Party.

1992 – As a commander in the Bosnian Serb army, Mladic leads the siege of Sarajevo.

July 1995 – Mladic spearheads an attack on the town of Srebrenica. Approximately 8,000 Muslim men and boys are killed.

1995 – Mladic is indicted by the UN-established International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for war crimes and atrocities.

July 1996 – An international warrant is issued for his arrest.

1996-2001 – He takes refuge in Belgrade with the protection of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

2001 – Mladic goes into hiding after Milosevic is arrested.

October 12, 2007 – Serbian officials offer one million euros for information leading to the capture of Mladic.

May 26, 2011 – Mladic is arrested in Serbia.

July 4, 2011 – Mladic refuses to enter a plea so the presiding judge enters not guilty pleas to all counts against him.

May 16, 2012 – Mladic’s trial begins. He’s charged with two counts of genocide, nine crimes against humanity and war crimes.

January 28, 2014 – He refuses to testify at the genocide trial of former Bosian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic and denounces the ICTY court as “satanic.”

October 23, 2014 – The ICTY announces that the court will hear details about a mass grave investigators believe has ties to Mladic.

December 7, 2016 – During closing arguments, prosecutors recommend a life sentence for Mladic.

December 15, 2016 – Mladic’s trial is adjourned. Three UN judges begin deliberating on his fate. The process could take up to a year.

November 22, 2017 – Mladic is sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity.

March 22, 2018 – Appeals his conviction and sentence.

August 25-26, 2020 – Mladic’s appeal hearing takes place.

June 8, 2021 – A UN court upholds Mladic’s conviction and life sentence.

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