Hoyer Statement on the Arrest of Ratko Mladic

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Hoyer Statement on the Arrest of Ratko Mladic



WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the arrest of Ratko Mladic, who was charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia with genocide and other war crimes during the Bosnian war:

“I am pleased that war criminal Ratko Mladic has been arrested and will be brought to justice for committing heinous atrocities during the Bosnian war, including the genocide of 8,000 innocents at Srebrenica, and the shelling of Sarajevo that resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 civilians.

“In 1992 when I was serving as co-chair of the Helsinki Commission, I called for a tribunal to be created that would bring accountability for the crimes being committed in Bosnia. I said then that, ‘I believe there is one step we can immediately take to punish those individuals who, under the veil of war, have committed unspeakable atrocities against innocent men, women, and children throughout the former Yugoslavia: we can hold them personally accountable for their crimes against humanity.’ Today, we are holding Mladic accountable for his crimes.

“Mladic’s arrest shows that no matter how long it takes, those guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity must ultimately face justice. I hope this provides some measure of closure for the families of Mladic’s victims, and helps the region continue to heal from its past.”



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