{
  "id": 11175084,
  "title": "Former Bosnian Serb leader Biljana Plavsic dies in Belgrade",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/former-bosnian-serb-leader-biljana-plavsic-dies-in-belgrade",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:19:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/2026/10/01/former-bosnian-serb-leader-biljana-plavsic-dies-in-belgrade"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Belgrade, Serbia — Former Bosnian Serb leader Biljana Plavsic, who admitted guilt at a United Nations tribunal to persecution as a crime against humanity for her role in the atrocities during the 1992-95 Bosnian War, has passed away in Serbia's capital city, Belgrade, according to Bosnian Serb public media. She was 96 years old.\n\nPlavsic served as the president of the Bosnian Serb political entity, Republika Srpska, shortly after the war ended. She was one of the key Bosnian Serb high officials responsible for implementing the peace agreement signed in Dayton, Ohio. Known to be more liberal than other Bosnian Serb leaders, Plavsic later became a vocal critic of wartime Bosnian Serb President Radovan Karadzic.\n\nDespite her opposition, Plavsic was indicted in 2000 by the U.N. tribunal for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide for her alleged role in the campaign to establish a separate Serb entity in Bosnia. She surrendered voluntarily to face justice in 2001 and pleaded guilty to the crime of persecution during the war, while other charges were dropped.\n\nThe U.N. court acknowledged Plavsic's guilty plea and her responsibility, stating that it should foster reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright praised Plavsic for actively supporting the Dayton peace agreement and standing up for it during a difficult time. However, the leader of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, expressed condolences for Plavsic's death, stating that she was his close associate and should be given full state honors. Dodik, barred from public office for his role in separating Republika Srpska from Bosnia, accused Plavsic of unjustly facing accountability before the Hague tribunal.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Former Bosnian Serb leader Biljana Plavsic dies at 96 in Belgrade.",
    "Plavsic served as president of Republika Srpska post-war.",
    "Indicted in 2000 for crimes against humanity during Bosnian War."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}