MINIĆ: HAGUE MECHANISM'S DECISION ON MLADIĆ IS INHUMANE AND RETALIATORY

ČELINAC, AUGUST 22 /SRNA/ — Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić described as inhumane the Hague Mechanism’s decision to reject the release of General Ratko Mladić for medical treatment, saying it had nothing to do with serving his sentence and amounted to retaliation.

Minić stressed there was no ordinary court anywhere in the world that would keep someone in such poor health in inadequate conditions.

"This is inhumane behavior and an inhumane decision that has nothing to do with serving a sentence. This is retaliation. They want, by every possible means, to show that they still have a system of retaliation and control," Minić told reporters in Čelinac.

He said he believed this would not continue for much longer, but added that, unfortunately, General Mladić's health condition showed that he had virtually reached the point where he required intensive care.

"What we can observe is that all convicted Serbs are serving their sentences in countries where national legislation is extremely strict, where penal measures are severe and prison conditions are poor," Minić said.

Others, he added, are sent to countries where penal systems vary considerably.

"We have a situation that Republika Srpska is changing. We are changing it through our relations with the United States, Israel and Russia. It will take time and, unfortunately, things like this will continue to happen," Minić said.

The Hague Mechanism yesterday rejected a request for General Ratko Mladić to be released for medical treatment in Serbia.

The general's son, Darko Mladić, told SRNA that two judges had supported his father's release this time, but that Mechanism President Graciela Gatti Santana had rejected their arguments, saying it had not been demonstrated that he would receive better care in Serbia than in the Netherlands.