The non-governmental organisations are pleased to conclude that Ratko Mladić’s arrest demonstrates that there is political will and sufficient capacity in Serbia to put an end to the years-long hiding of the Hague indictee. Impunity – a principle we have witnessed for years – has lost its might with Mladić’s arrest and we expect that the Mladić case will finally move from speculations to court, which will establish his individual accountability.
The positive message sent by this act must be accompanied also by raising the issue of accountability for the crimes in Sarajevo, Srebrenica and elsewhere in the former Yugoslavia, to prevent the turning of ICTY indictees into heroes.
The arrest also sends a clear message to the region that Serbia is willing to fulfil the requirements imposed on us not by the European Union, but rather, by common sense and justness.
As regards cooperation with the ICTY, Serbia is still under the obligation to arrest Goran Hadžić and cooperate with the Tribunal during the trials of Ratko Mladić and other ICTY indictees.
Committee of Human Rights Lawyers – YUCOM
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
Civic Initiatives
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
