Genocide Convict Mladić Buried With Military Honors
Convicted genocide perpetrator Ratko Mladić is being buried with military honors in Belgrade on Monday, as thousands paid tribute and rival football ultras chanted his name earlier this week.
Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb army commander convicted of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, is being buried with military honors in Belgrade on Monday.
Mladić died on August 27 at age 84 while serving a life sentence in The Hague, and his body was flown back to Serbia on a government plane on September 3.
His coffin lay in state from early morning at St. Luka Church in Belgrade's Vidikovac district, with a military honor guard and his officer's cap and saber resting on the coffin.
Crowds Kiss the Coffin
Thousands of Serbs began lining up from 7 a.m. to pay respects, with many kissing the closed coffin.
Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije led the funeral service. Following the ceremony, a procession moved the coffin to Topčider Cemetery, where Mladić is being buried next to his daughter Ana with an honor unit and ceremonial firing.
Supporters openly treated him as a hero, with some mourners wearing shirts bearing his image and describing him as a man who "gave everything for the Serbian people," drawing attendees from both Serbia and Republika Srpska.
Football Match Becomes a Tribute
Earlier this week, Belgrade's Eternal Derby between Red Star and Partizan opened with an official minute of silence for Mladić, during which ultras from both rival clubs chanted his name together.
Red Star fans displayed a banner reading "Pravac Potočari", a reference to Mladić's 1995 order during the Srebrenica massacre, alongside his image.
The Srebrenica Memorial has called for Red Star to be banned from European competitions in response.
Government Distances Itself, Critics Condemn
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said he would not attend the funeral due to official duties.
The government provided the plane, security and some military protocol but scaled it back after criticism from the European Union over glorifying a convicted war criminal.
The public homage across Belgrade and Pale has drawn strong condemnation from the EU and Bosniak officials, who view it as official glorification of a man found guilty of genocide.
Zülal Merve Bulut
Zülal Merve Bulut is an international affairs reporter covering geopolitics, conflict, diplomacy, and human rights, focusing on the United States, the Middle East, and global politics. She reports on breaking news, analysis, and interviews to explain key international developments shaping today’s world. She is based in Istanbul.
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