GUILTY

Radislav Krstić was a general in the Army of Republika Srpska. (Case number: MICT-13-46)

He was sentenced to 35 years in prison for aiding and abetting genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war. His requests for temporary release have been denied by the court multiple times.

„The law condemns... the deep and lasting injury inflicted, and calls the massacre at Srebrenica by its proper name: genocide. (Appeal Judgement, Prosecutor v. Radislav Krstić, 19 April 2004, para 37)

This was the first trial in which it was established that genocide was committed in Srebrenica. The trial of Radislav Krstić, one of the generals of the Army of Republika Srpska, made history as the first verdict of the International Court confirming that the crimes committed in Srebrenica in 1995, among others, constitute the crime of genocide.

The judges were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime of genocide was committed in Srebrenica. Considering the horrific nature of these atrocities, presiding judge Almiro Rodrigues directly addressed the accused during the pronouncement of the verdict, with the words: "... in July 1995, you, General Krstić, agreed to evil." The Trial Chamber found Krstić guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws and customs of war. In April 2004, the Appeals Chamber confirmed the Trial Chamber's conclusion that genocide was committed in Srebrenica.

"After the Army of Bosnian Serbs captured the protected zone of Srebrenica in July 1995, the conquerors abandoned all semblance of humanity, committing atrocities that, in type and scope, had not been seen in Europe since World War II. Over a period of about five days, members of the RS Army systematically murdered thousands of Muslim civilians and soldiers who had laid down their arms. This trial is the triumph of evil, a story of how officers and soldiers of the RS Army, men who claimed to be professional soldiers representing the ideals of a proud Serbian past, organized and willingly participated in genocide or silently observed it. They left behind thousands of slain unarmed men and shattered the lives of multiple generations of Bosnian Muslims" were the words with which Mark Harmon opened the trial in this historic case against Radislav Krstić on March 13, 2000, where he led the prosecution team that included Peter McCloskey, Andrew Cayley, and Magda Karagiannakis.