Radovan Karadzic

Radovan Karadzic is a doctor, writer and politician from Serbia. Karadzic was the co-founder and president of the Serbian Democratic Party and, in 1990, became the president of the newly-formed Republika Srpska.¹

He was indicted on charges of war crimes and genocide in 1995 and went into hiding in 1996 under the alias Dragan Dabic. He was arrested in Belgrade, Serbia, on July 21, 2008.² Karadzic has refused to enter pleas on any of the 11 charges filed against him.

Fast Facts

1. Born: June 19, 1945
2. Birthplace: Montenegro
3. Moved to Sarajevo in 1960
4. Graduated from medical school in 1971¹
5. Has published poetry and a novel¹
6. Co-founded the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) in 1990¹
7. Became president of SDS in 1990¹
8. Declared independence for the Republika Srpska in 1992¹
9. Became the President of Republika Srpska¹
10. 1995: Indicted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and genocide²
11. Allegedly committed or sanctioned war crimes between 1992 to 1995²
12. Went into hiding in 1996²
13. Lived under the alias Dragan Dabic³
14. Arrested on July 21, 2008³

Charges Against Karadzic

Radovan Karadzic was charged, along with Ratko Mladic, with war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in 1995. Allegedly, Karadzic, who was the president of the Republika Srpska, ordered the killing of over 7,500 Muslim men and children. Karadzic went into hiding in 1996. ¹

Karadzic's Arrest

On July 21, 2008, after hiding for nearly thirteen years, Karadzic was found living openly in Belgrade with a large white beard to conceal his identity and using the name Dragan Dabic. While there, he was practicing alternative medicine. He was arrested by Serbian security forces as he was riding the public bus. Karadzic has been indicted on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and other atrocities stemming from the 1990s.⁴

Quotes

"One of the worst men in the world, the Osama bin Laden of Europe, has finally been captured. A major, major thug has been removed from the public scene."—Richard Holbrooke, Helped negotiate the Dayton Peace Agreement⁵

"Karadzic was accused of being the architect of the worst war crimes that have been perpetrated in Europe since the Nazis...It is a major credit to Serbia and at last brings the prospect of justice for Bosnia."—Paddy Ashdown, Former international administrator in Bosnia⁵

Categories