Ratko Mladic's lawyers are awaiting a decision from a United Nations court on their request for his release from prison in The Hague, arguing that he is at the end of his life.
Mladic, 84, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity during the wars in the former Yugoslavia, a decision that was upheld even after an appeal in 2021.
According to the defense, he has long been bedridden or in a wheelchair and recently suffered a stroke that has left him almost unable to speak. Two doctors have assessed his condition as serious, with a high risk of imminent death.
Lawyers are demanding his immediate release for treatment in a hospital or hospice, while Serbian authorities have expressed their willingness to provide guarantees if he is released.
However, victims' groups in Bosnia strongly oppose the request, calling it a legal maneuver rather than a humanitarian need. The court has requested an independent medical evaluation before making a final decision.
