Serbia judges reject Ratko Mladic extradition appeal
I can’t believe some people are still trying to excuse this monster.
Serbia’s war crimes court has rejected Ratko Mladic’s appeal against his transfer to the UN tribunal in The Hague to face genocide charges.
The Belgrade court took just hours to make its decision after receiving the appeal papers on Tuesday morning.
Gen Mladic’s lawyer posted the appeal on Monday, saying the former Bosnian Serb commander needed medical attention and was too ill to face trial.
Doctors who examined him on Friday said he was fit enough to be extradited.
[…]
Now the appeal has been rejected, Serbia’s deputy war crimes prosecutor Bruno Vekaric said Gen Mladic would be sent to the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague “as soon as possible”.
The extradition order must first be signed by Serbia’s justice minister, who will hold a news conference later on Tuesday, prompting speculation Gen Mladic could be put on a flight to The Hague later in the day, says the BBC’s Mark Lowen in Belgrade.
From there, he is expected to be flown by helicopter to the ICTY detention unit in the city’s Scheveningen neighbourhood.
Once he has arrived at the tribunal, there will be an initial hearing before preparations begin for his trial on genocide and other charges.
[…]
On Sunday, thousands of people rallied in Belgrade against his arrest, hailing the general as a Serbian national hero and decrying the pro-Western government of President Boris Tadic for arresting him.
[…]