a minute agoRatko Mladic before the Court: I worked honestly in peace and war.
Periskopi(6 years ago)
(6 years ago)Former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic addressed The Hague tribunal on Wednesday, where the second and last day of the hearing for an appeal against his life sentence took place. Mladic was sentenced in 2017 for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during [...]
Former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic addressed The Hague tribunal on Wednesday, where the second and last day of the hearing for an appeal against his life sentence took place.
Mladic was sentenced in 2017 for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the war in Bosnia in 1992-95.
The crimes include the Srebrenica massacre in 1995, in which Bosnian Serb forces have killed over 8,000 Muslim men and boys.
“Srebrenica is the key to this trial. It used to be a mining city where gold and lead were extracted. In Srebrenica, as far as I know, in the time of the former Yugoslavia, there were no pre-military, no armies. And, as an officer, I have never entered Srebrenica, only during this war, neither in Zepa, nor in Gorazde”, Mladic said at the end of the appeals process, follows the rap.
He was allowed ten minutes to address the House of Appeals, though he demanded that complaints last 31 minutes, but that was rejected.
During his speech, Mladic said he is not defending himself but other patriots.
I don't defend myself, I'm a man who's been a professional soldier for the rest of his life. I have been working honestly in peace and war, in accordance with the laws of my country, which was destroyed by the NATO pact”, Mladic said.
He said that he is not a saint but a mere man and added that fate has led him to defend his country.
“Ratko Mladic did not start the war. He did not make plans to attack Yugoslavia. This indictment has fallen into water”, Mladic said.
Prosecutor Laurel Baig urged judges in The Hague to keep Mladic's sentence in force, saying he “has been responsible for the Srebrenica operation”.
“Srebrenica was Mladic's operation”, Baig said.
A day earlier, Mladic's lawyer, Dragan Ivjetic, told The Hague war crimes tribunal that Mladic is not mentally capable of participating in the appeals hearing.
“To condemn or prosecute against someone who is unable to stand trial is a denial of the right process”, Ivvesic said.
The hearing continued despite Ivqi's objections.
