REFUSAL TO RELEASE MLADIĆ FOR TREATMENT IS ACT OF DISGRACE AND INHUMANITY, DEFENSE WILL NOT GIVE UP REQUEST

BELGRADE, MAY 14 /SRNA/ – Lawyer Branko Lukić told SRNA that the decision of the Hague Mechanism to refuse to allow General Ratko Mladić to receive treatment in Serbia has exceeded every law and dignity, adding that they are upset because they cannot break his spirit, but that the defense will not give up its request for his release.

"There is no law here. This is pure human mercilessness. There is dishonor on display. The legal conditions for early release are met, as soon as the medical conditions are met. But in that court, law never applied. Force and injustice", said Lukić, a member of Mladić’s defense team. He said the reasoning of Judge Santana for the refusal is merely, in his words, eye-wash, because they do not want to act humanely, but must write something, and even what is written is poorly written. "General Mladić has preserved his spirit and they cannot break that, and that is what bothers them the most - that they have no poison against his spirit", he stressed. Lukić said that the only steps the defense can take are to submit a new request, but that this is not possible without new facts. "A new fact will have to appear, and that will not be difficult given his health condition. We will only keep pressing them. While they release documentation, while they allow our doctors… all of that takes time. But we cannot give up. As we did not give up on his defense, we will not give up on trying to have him released for proper medical treatment", he emphasized. He added that the defense will analyze the Mechanism’s decision. "If the same request were submitted under the same conditions, they could declare it malicious, meaning that the request is being filed in bad faith. If they release him, like General Nebojša Pavković, maybe he would survive a few more weeks. That is how they are. They release only so they do not have to transport a body. But the question is whether they would even do that", Lukić said. He said the decision of the Mechanism has exceeded all measure and dignity and that there is nothing worse. "It is as if they are trying to prove how much they hate Serbs and that they are anti-Serb. They do not need to prove it anymore, we understand it. But they feel the need to keep proving it. They are not even a court, they are nothing. What are they"? Lukić asked. He noted that adequate treatment cannot be provided in prison because it is not designed for that, especially not for a person in such condition. The Hague Mechanism rejected the defense request for General Ratko Mladić to be released for treatment in Serbia due to his serious health condition, stating that although he is "in the final stages of his life", his condition is "poor due to chronic illnesses" but "different from incurable rapidly progressing diseases". The decision also claims that General Mladić is under the supervision of "top experts" and is "receiving all necessary care".