Convicted War Criminal Ratko Mladić Laid to Rest in Controversial Belgrade Funeral

Hundreds of thousands gathered in Belgrade for the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, sparking domestic outrage and prompting U.S. lawmakers to urge Serbian authorities to distance themselves from the state-sponsored ceremony. The event intensified regional tensions over historical accountability and the treatment of wartime legacies.

7 Sept, 07:21 — 7 Sept, 10:07

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Why this matters

Ratko Mladic's funeral has reopened deep wounds from the Bosnian War and the Srebrenica genocide, which killed over 8,000 Bosniaks. The state-sponsored honors in Serbia signal to the international community, especially the EU, that nationalist narratives remain powerful in the country, potentially undermining its European integration progress. The event also tests the resilience of post-war reconciliation efforts in the Balkans.

Key entitiesRatko Mladic Srebrenica genocide European Union International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals Mothers of Srebrenica St. Luke's Church Topcider Cemetery

The Story

What 30 sources agree on, dispute, and miss

What sources agree on

Ratko Mladic died on August 27, 2026, while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
His funeral was held in Belgrade on September 7, 2026, with thousands of people attending.
The ceremony included military honors and the presence of Serbian Orthodox clergy.
The European Union and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals condemned the glorification of a convicted war criminal.

Key claims4 agreed · 1 disputed · 1 unverified

✓

Mladic was convicted of genocide for the Srebrenica massacre.

agreed·delfi-ltFrance 24il-sole-24-orenosbalkan-insight+7

✓

The funeral included military honors and state-level ceremony.

agreed·aktuality-skn1-serbiajutarnji-listbalkan-insightil-sole-24-ore

✓

The European Union condemned the glorification of Mladic.

agreed·Daily Sabahdelfi-ltn1-bihklix-ba

✓

Thousands of people attended the funeral.

agreed·France 24channel-news-asianosdelovijesti-me

✗

Mladic's daughter Ana committed suicide in 1994 out of shame for her father's crimes.

disputed·la-repubblica

Disputed byla-repubblica

La Repubblica notes that Serbian nationalists claim Ana was killed by enemies, not that she committed suicide.

Fans of Red Star and Partizan football clubs celebrated Mladic.

unverified·index-hr

Where they diverge

Characterization of the funeral

il-sole-24-oreklix-badanasn1-bih

A state-organized glorification of a genocidaire, reflecting a society that has not confronted its past.

delfi-ltaktuality-sknos24ur

A state funeral with military honors for a convicted war criminal, implying official endorsement.

Motivation of attendees

balkan-insightDaily Sabahthe-journal

Attendees are sympathizers and nationalists honoring a Serbian hero.

delovijesti-meaftonbladet

Mourners gathered out of obligation or curiosity, with some expressing divided opinions.

Role of the Serbian government

danasindex-hrklix-ba

The government is providing state honors, testing EU integration prospects and provoking international condemnation.

jutarnji-listbalkan-insight

The government is managing a delicate balancing act between nationalist sentiment and international pressure.

Coverage gaps

The story of Mladic's daughter Ana, who committed suicide in 1994 reportedly after hearing Bosniaks speak of her father's atrocities, and is buried at the same cemetery.

Reportedla-repubblica

Missingdelfi-ltaktuality-skchannel-news-asia+17

Condemnation from the Mothers of Srebrenica association specifically targeting Red Star and Partizan fans for glorifying Mladic.

Reportedindex-hr

Missingdelfi-ltaktuality-skchannel-news-asia+17

Warning from U.S. senators that the coming days will be a test for the Belgrade regime.

Reporteddanas

Missingdelfi-ltaktuality-skchannel-news-asia+17

Coverage matrix(30 sources)

1–10 of 30

	Reuters	helsingin-sanomat	nos	ruv	faz	aftonbladet	la-repubblica	France 24	die-presse	index-hr
Characterization of the funeral
Motivation of attendees
Role of the Serbian government
The story of Mladic's daughter Ana, who committed suicide in 1994 reportedly after hearing Bosniaks speak of her father's atrocities, and is buried at the same cemetery.
Condemnation from the Mothers of Srebrenica association specifically targeting Red Star and Partizan fans for glorifying Mladic.
Warning from U.S. senators that the coming days will be a test for the Belgrade regime.

Covered Divergent Not mentioned

The Story

Analyzing sources…

Source Diversity

Excellent (100/100)

30 sources33/33

Spectrum spread— 5/5 buckets covered33/33

Far L1

Far Left (1)

aftonbladet

Left13

Left (13)

danasn1-bihla-repubblicaindex-hrhelsingin-sanomatvijesti-men1-serbiahotnews+5 more

Center9

Center (9)

klix-baReutersekathimerinidelfi-ltaktuality-sknos24urjutarnji-list+1 more

Right6

Right (6)

la-vanguardiafazil-sole-24-oreirish-independentchannel-news-asiadie-presse

Far R1

Far Right (1)

Daily Sabah

Geographic diversity— 23 regions34/34

Serbia3Bosnia2Italy2Croatia2Ireland2Slovenia2Spain1Finland1Montenegro1Germany1Romania1Intl1US1Greece1Lithuania1Slovakia1Singapore1France1Netherlands1Turkey1Sweden1Iceland1Austria1

Political spectrum

LeftCenterRight

aftonbladet

la-repubblica

n1-serbia

index-hr

danas

n1-bih

the-journal

france24

balkan-insight

delo

vijesti-me

delfi-lt

aktuality-sk

nos

24ur

jutarnji-list

klix-ba

ruv

channel-news-asia

il-sole-24-ore

daily-sabah

Outlet rating This story

SourceOutletiGeneral editorial lean of the outletStoryiHow they covered this specific storyToneFactuality

aftonbladetcenter-leftleftneutral—calls him krigsförbrytare (war criminal)

la-repubblicacenter-leftleftanalytical—focuses on daughter's suicide, nationalist myths

n1-serbiacenter-leftleft

Coverage leans: center-left

The coverage is predominantly critical of the funeral and Serbian nationalism, with many outlets emphasizing Mladic's war crimes and international condemnation, though a few Serbian sources present the event neutrally or with nationalist undertones.

Sources

Showing 10 of 30 sources

ReutersVery High2h ago

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic - Reuters

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic Reuters

Read full article →

France 24High3h ago

Thousands of mourners gather in Belgrade for war criminal Mladic's funeral

Thousands of mourners on Monday gathered at a church in Belgrade to view the body of Ratko Mladic, who died in The Hague, Netherlands, on August 27 while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The European Union has heavily criticised the event, and Marta Kos, the bloc's enlargement commissioner, cancelled an upcoming visit to Serbia in protest.

By FRANCE 24

Read full article →

n1-serbia1h ago

US senators, congressman call Serbian authorities to stand back from Mladic funeral

Two US senators and a congressman called the governments of Serbia and the Republika Srpska to stand back from the funeral of Bosnian Serb war-time mi

Read full article →

YahooMostly Factual2h ago

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic

Read full article →

irish-independent2h ago

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital Belgrade

Serbia defies EU warnings against public homage to the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’

By Associated Press reporters

Read full article →

channel-news-asiaMostly Factual3h ago

Crowds gather for war criminal Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade

Read full article →

the-journal3h ago

Large crowds gather in Belgrade for funeral of Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic

In addition to genocide, Mladic was convicted of persecuting and forcibly expelling Bosnian Muslims and Croats.

Read full article →

ekathimeriniMostly Factual2h ago

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital ahead of funeral - ekathimerini.com

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital ahead of funeral ekathimerini.com

Read full article →

Daily SabahMixed4h ago

War criminal Mladic’s funeral draws crowds, EU backlash in Belgrade

Crowds gathered in Belgrade on Monday for the funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic, as the European Union accused some in Serbia of glorifying a man convicted of genocide...

Read full article →

balkan-insightMostly Factual4h ago

Live Blog: War Criminal Ratko Mladic’s Funeral in Serbia

Follow BIRN’s reporters for the latest developments as the wartime Bosnian Serb military chief, who died while serving a life sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity, is buried in the Serbian capital Belgrade.

By BIRN

Read full article →

Coverage Timeline

First report: die-presse · 7 Sept, 03:44|Full coverage: 30 · 7h|Window: 7h

Left-leaningCenterRight-leaning

die-presse7 Sept, 03:44First to report

Serbien richtet das Mladić-Begräbnis als Staatsspektakel aus [premium]

ruv7 Sept, 04:10

Búist við tugþúsundum við útför Mladićs — Bosníu-slátrarans

3h later

aftonbladet7 Sept, 07:02

Krigsförbrytaren Ratko Mladic begravs i Belgrad

delo7 Sept, 07:09

Na pogrebu Ratka Mladića se zbira nepregledna množica

jutarnji-list7 Sept, 07:18

FOTO Počasna vojna straža, na lijesu sablja: Nepregledna kolona ljudi došla ispratiti ratnog zločinca Ratka Mladića

Daily Sabah7 Sept, 07:21

Large crowds gather in Belgrade for funeral of Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic

channel-news-asia7 Sept, 08:18

Crowds gather for war criminal Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade

aktuality-sk7 Sept, 08:20

FOTO: Srbi vystrojili odsúdenému vojnovému zločincovi Mladičovi štátny pohreb

irish-independent7 Sept, 08:45

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital Belgrade

delfi-lt7 Sept, 08:55

Belgrade laidojamas karo nusikaltėlis Ratko Mladičius

ekathimerini7 Sept, 09:00

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital ahead of funeral - ekathimerini.com

Yahoo7 Sept, 09:20

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic

Reuters7 Sept, 09:21

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic - Reuters

il-sole-24-ore7 Sept, 09:23

Funerali di Mladic, la vittima di Sarajevo: «Una sconfitta della memoria»

hotnews7 Sept, 09:53

Mii de sârbi participă la funeraliile „Măcelarului Bosniei”, generalul Ratko Mladić

klix-ba7 Sept, 09:56

Srbija je s Vučićem skočila nazad 30 godina: Miloševića su sahranili u dvorištu kuće, a sada nacionalistički orgijaju s Mladićem

faz7 Sept, 09:56

Beisetzung von Mladić: Lange Schlange am Sarg des Kriegsverbrechers

n1-serbia7 Sept, 10:07

US senators, congressman call Serbian authorities to stand back from Mladic funeral

vijesti-me7 Sept, 10:12

Delegacija DNP-a odala počast ratnom zločincu Mladiću: "Sud naroda...

index-hr7 Sept, 10:24

Mladićev ispraćaj predvodi bivši zagrebački mitropolit

helsingin-sanomat7 Sept, 10:24

Serbia | Kansanmurhasta tuomittu sotarikollinen sai valtavan kunnianosoituksen

la-vanguardia7 Sept, 10:24

Serbia entierra a Marko Mladic, el 'carnicero de Bosnia', condenado por genocidio

la-repubblica7 Sept, 10:26

I funerali di Mladic oggi a Belgrado: migliaia di persone in fila per l’ultimo saluto al ‘boia di Srebrenica’

n1-bih7 Sept, 10:30

Skandalozno: Na ulazu u bh. grad postavljen bilbord koji veliča ratnog zločinca Ratka Mladića

danas7 Sept, 10:30Latest update

BH Telekom na kablovskoj platformi ukinuo signal RTRS, zbog programa posvećenog Mladiću

Story evolution

Initial coverage focused on the controversial decision for state honors, while on the day itself it shifted to reporting on crowd size and international reactions.

Preparation and controversySept 5-6

Days before the funeral, Serbian authorities announced military honors, sparking condemnation from international bodies and victims' associations.

Funeral daySept 7 morning

On Sept 7, thousands gathered at St. Luke's Church and Topcider Cemetery; ceremonies included Orthodox rites and a military guard.

Convicted War Criminal Ratko Mladić Laid to Rest in Controversial Belgrade Funeral

Why this matters

The Story

What sources agree on

Key claims4 agreed · 1 disputed · 1 unverified

Where they diverge

Coverage gaps

Coverage matrix(30 sources)

The Story

Source Diversity

Source Diversity

Political spectrum

Sources

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic - Reuters

Thousands of mourners gather in Belgrade for war criminal Mladic's funeral

US senators, congressman call Serbian authorities to stand back from Mladic funeral

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital Belgrade

Crowds gather for war criminal Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade

Large crowds gather in Belgrade for funeral of Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital ahead of funeral - ekathimerini.com

War criminal Mladic’s funeral draws crowds, EU backlash in Belgrade

Live Blog: War Criminal Ratko Mladic’s Funeral in Serbia

Coverage Timeline

Serbien richtet das Mladić-Begräbnis als Staatsspektakel aus [premium]

Búist við tugþúsundum við útför Mladićs — Bosníu-slátrarans

Krigsförbrytaren Ratko Mladic begravs i Belgrad

Na pogrebu Ratka Mladića se zbira nepregledna množica

FOTO Počasna vojna straža, na lijesu sablja: Nepregledna kolona ljudi došla ispratiti ratnog zločinca Ratka Mladića

War criminal Mladic’s funeral draws crowds, EU backlash in Belgrade

Live Blog: War Criminal Ratko Mladic’s Funeral in Serbia

Zadnje slovo od vojnega zločinca

Oorlogsmisdadiger Mladic opgebaard in Belgrado, duizenden mensen verwacht

Thousands of mourners gather in Belgrade for war criminal Mladic's funeral

Large crowds gather in Belgrade for funeral of Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic

Crowds gather for war criminal Ratko Mladic's funeral in Belgrade

FOTO: Srbi vystrojili odsúdenému vojnovému zločincovi Mladičovi štátny pohreb

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital Belgrade

Belgrade laidojamas karo nusikaltėlis Ratko Mladičius

Body of war criminal Mladic lies in state in Serbian capital ahead of funeral - ekathimerini.com

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic

Thousands gather in Belgrade for funeral of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic - Reuters

Funerali di Mladic, la vittima di Sarajevo: «Una sconfitta della memoria»

Mii de sârbi participă la funeraliile „Măcelarului Bosniei”, generalul Ratko Mladić

Srbija je s Vučićem skočila nazad 30 godina: Miloševića su sahranili u dvorištu kuće, a sada nacionalistički orgijaju s Mladićem

Beisetzung von Mladić: Lange Schlange am Sarg des Kriegsverbrechers

US senators, congressman call Serbian authorities to stand back from Mladic funeral

Delegacija DNP-a odala počast ratnom zločincu Mladiću: "Sud naroda...

Mladićev ispraćaj predvodi bivši zagrebački mitropolit

Serbia | Kansanmurhasta tuomittu sota­rikollinen sai valtavan kunnianosoituksen

Serbia entierra a Marko Mladic, el 'carnicero de Bosnia', condenado por genocidio

I funerali di Mladic oggi a Belgrado: migliaia di persone in fila per l’ultimo saluto al ‘boia di Srebrenica’

Skandalozno: Na ulazu u bh. grad postavljen bilbord koji veliča ratnog zločinca Ratka Mladića

BH Telekom na kablovskoj platformi ukinuo signal RTRS, zbog programa posvećenog Mladiću

Story evolution

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BH Telecom Blocks RTRS Broadcast Over Mladić Funeral Coverage

EU and Regional Officials Condemn Glorification of Ratka Mladić

Why this matters

The Story

What sources agree on

Key claims4 agreed · 1 disputed · 1 unverified

Where they diverge

Coverage gaps

Coverage matrix(30 sources)

Story evolution

Political spectrum

Serbia | Kansanmurhasta tuomittu sotarikollinen sai valtavan kunnianosoituksen