SANTANA: MOTION WAS REJECTED BECAUSE "RATKO MLADIĆ'S CONDITION IS POOR DUE TO CHRONIC ILLNESSES"

THE HAGUE, MAY 14 /SRNA/ - President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals /IRMCT/, Graciela Gatti Santana, explained the decision to reject the request for the release of Ratko Mladić for medical treatment in Serbia, stating that his condition is poor due to chronic illnesses, while also acknowledging that he is in the "final stages of his life."

In the decision she signed, Santana stated that Mladić’s condition is largely based on "chronic and multiple illnesses", and that previous decisions granting release on humanitarian grounds were made in cases of "sudden and acute deterioration in the health of other detainees."

Santana claims that the condition of Ratko Mladić is "different from incurable diseases with rapid progression," and therefore differs from the cases of Lieutenant General Nebojša Pavković, former FRY State Security Service special units commander Franko Simatović, and former head of the Crisis Staff of the Serb Autonomous Region of Krajina, Radoslav Brđanin.

The decision also reiterates that Mladić is under the supervision of "the best experts" and "is receiving all necessary medical care."

The condition of General Ratko Mladić significantly worsened following two strokes. Although the defense team has repeatedly pointed to his very poor health, the Mechanism has ignored all requests for his release on humanitarian grounds.

In addition, the Mechanism has declined to provide specific responses to media questions regarding General Mladić, including numerous inquiries submitted by SRNA.