Türkiye slams funeral for 'Butcher of Bosnia' Ratko Mladic
10:47, 08/09/2026, TuesdayU: Update: 10:53, 08/09/2026, Tuesday
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Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the planned funeral ceremony for Ratko Mladic amounts to denying the Srebrenica genocide and other crimes against humanity, warning that portraying convicted perpetrators as heroes deepens the pain of victims and undermines regional reconciliation efforts in the Balkans.
Türkiye's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned plans to organize a funeral ceremony for Ratko Mladic, the convicted war criminal known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," calling the move unacceptable and warning that glorifying perpetrators deepens the pain of genocide victims and their families.
Condemnation of funeral plans
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said the proposed ceremony for the former Bosnian Serb Army commander amounts to denying the grave crimes committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. "It is unacceptable for the funeral ceremony of Ratko Mladic, who was convicted by international courts in final judgments for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, to be exploited in a manner that amounts to denying the grave crimes committed and the human suffering endured," Keceli said. He noted that rejecting international court judgments undermines longstanding peace efforts in the region.
Warning to Balkan leaders
"Rejecting the relevant court judgments or attempting to portray convicted perpetrators as heroes deepens the pain of victims and their families, while also undermining the longstanding efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in the region," Keceli stated. The spokesperson emphasized that the Balkans must learn from past atrocities to build a peaceful and prosperous future, adding that such commemorations dishonor the memory of those killed. He expressed particular solidarity with the families of the more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys massacred in Srebrenica in July 1995.
Mladic's death and burial offer
Mladic died on August 27 in The Hague at the age of 84 while serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, according to prison authorities. The former military leader was convicted for his central role in the Srebrenica genocide and other atrocities committed during the Bosnian War. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has offered to organize the burial in Serbia, though the date and location remain unconfirmed.