JEDDAH — The UN War Crimes Tribunal's ruling on Tuesday upholding the conviction of Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic for his role in the genocide in Srebrenica, the siege of Sarajevo, and other war crimes has been welcomed. The verdict meant the international justice system had held Mladic to account, UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday. "Mladić's crimes were the abhorrent culmination of hatred stoked for political gain," Bachelet said in a statement. "Today's decision is about his individual responsibility for his dreadful acts, not about collective punishment or apportioning guilt to any particular community," Bachelet added. The conviction of Mladic on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes brings a measure of long-awaited justice to victims and their families in Bosnia and Herzegovina, US Secretary of State Antony Blinked was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Department of State on Tuesday. The crimes committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina mark one of the darkest chapters of history following World War II, the statement read. Despite efforts of perpetrators to silence witnesses, keep evidence of their crimes buried, and evade warrants of arrest, justice has prevailed in this case, Blinken said in the statement. "We commend the courage and resilience of survivors and their loved ones who have continued to fight for the official acknowledgment of these crimes," the US secretary of state said, adding: "The United States will continue to press for justice, mutual trust, and reconciliation as the foundation for peace and stability. Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić's conviction for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity has been upheld at appeal. Commenting on the verdict, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: "The UK has played a vital role in bringing Ratko Mladić and other war criminals to justice for the crimes they committed in the Western Balkans. "With Radovan Karadžić serving his life sentence in a British jail, and Ratko Mladić's convictions upheld, the international community has brought some solace to the survivors and families of victims, and helped puncture impunity for the worst international crimes imaginable," he added.
