Thousands turn out in Serbia for funeral of 'Butcher of Bosnia' Ratko Mladić

Thousands gathered in Belgrade, Serbia's capital, to mourn the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, widely known as the Butcher of Bosnia. The 84-year-old died while serving a life sentence at the UN prison in The Hague. Guilty of genocide, Mladić was found responsible for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, where approximately 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys were killed.

This event is considered Europe's worst atrocity since World War Two. Initially, a state funeral was planned for Mladić, but it was scrapped due to objections from European leaders. The European Union denounced glorification of war criminals, stating that glorification, denial, and revisionism of genocide run counter to fundamental European values.

Mladić commanded Bosnian Serb forces during the 1990s Bosnian War, committing ethnic cleansing and besieging Sarajevo, causing over 10,000 deaths. Arrested in 2011, Mladić was sentenced to life in prison in 2021 after a nine-year trial. Despite his conviction, Mladić is revered as a national hero by many Serbs. Serbian government ministers, including Defence Minister Bratislav Gašić and Minister of Justice Nenad Vujić, joined the funeral procession.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church delivered a eulogy, stating that Mladić's name would remain in the memory and prayers of Serbs. Long lines formed outside the St Luka church, where Mladić's coffin lay in state. The funeral service was attended by veterans and men draped in Mladić's picture. Thousands attended to pay their respects, with some expressing deep sorrow at the event rekindling painful memories of the war.