TWO JUDGES WERE IN FAVOR OF GENERAL MLADIĆ’S RELEASE, BUT SANTANA REJECTED THEIR ARGUMENTS

BELGRADE, AUGUST 21 /SRNA/ - The Hague Mechanism today rejected the request for General Ratko Mladić to be released for medical treatment in Serbia and has begun to let him die, the general’s son, Darko Mladić, told SRNA, adding that they had stopped monitoring his blood pressure and conducting ECG tests, and had discontinued his diabetes medication.

"The Hague Mechanism today rejected the request to release General Ratko Mladić for treatment in Serbia, with the cynical justification that we had not proved that he would receive better care in Serbia than he is receiving in the Netherlands," the general’s son said.

He said that what was different this time was that two judges were in favor of releasing General Mladić, but Mechanism President Graciela Gatti Santana rejected their arguments.

According to Darko Mladić, the request was rejected "in a cynical manner and without any substantive reasoning."

"They applied some new rules to the general that had never been applied to others before. They are making up new rules and new circumstances for him," Darko Mladić said.

He stressed that the cardiologist who came from Serbia today to examine General Mladić found that the detention unit in The Hague had stopped his treatment — they had stopped monitoring his blood pressure and performing ECG tests, and had discontinued his diabetes medication, even though he has diabetes.

"It’s not just that he isn’t receiving the best possible treatment; they are literally killing him through medical means. The medical staff is kind to him; they bathe him and shave him, but there is no treatment," Darko Mladić said.

He stressed that this was extremely alarming and announced that the family and legal counsel would respond urgently.

According to him, the doctor from Serbia who examined General Mladić today said that such treatment was unbelievable and that, in any hospital in any country, they would face a lawsuit if they stopped monitoring a patient’s blood pressure, conducting ECG tests, and discontinued their medication.

"Because they feel safe, thinking that no one can sue them, they seem to have reached the point where, as the Tribunal is being shut down, they want to get rid of him too. Apparently, this has been going on for several weeks. That is why they say he is nearing death because they are leading him to his death," Darko Mladić concluded.

General Mladić has been held at a detention hospital in The Hague since 2024, where he is receiving palliative care.

The Mechanism has repeatedly rejected requests for his temporary release to receive medical treatment in Serbia.