The Arrest of Ratko Mladić
Non-Governmental Organizations can ascertain with pleasure that the arrest of Ratko Mladić demonstrated that in Serbia there is enough political will and capacity to put an end to the many-years long hiding of the fugitive of Hague.
Impunity as a principle that we have been watching for years loses its force with the arrest of Ratko Mladić. We can expect that the case of Mladić will finally move from speculations to judicial paths where the concrete responsibility will be determined.
The positive message that is being sent with this act needs to be followed by the raising of the question of responsibility for the crimes in Sarajevo, Srebrenica and other places in the territory of ex-Yugoslavia, so that those who are on indictments of the Tribunal in Hague are not made into heroes.
The arrest also sends the clear message to the region about the readiness of Serbia to embark into the fulfillment of the conditions that are not imposed by the EU, but by our right mind and justice.
What remains as the responsibility of Serbia, when we speak about the cooperation with the tribunal in Hague, are the arrest of Goran Hadžić, as well as the further cooperation during the trial of Ratko Mladić and the others in front of the Tribunal in Hague.
Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights – YUCOM
Belgrade Center for Human Rights
Citizens’ Initiatives
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
