World media on Karadžić verdict: End of one of the most significant court battles

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Appeals Chamber of the Mechanism for International Courts, the successor of the Hague Tribunal, will today deliver a second-instance, final verdict for Radovan Karadžić.

Besides great interest from domestic and regional public, world media have also devoted significant attention to the verdict.

The Washington Post, in its preview of the verdict, states that Karadžić, a quarter of a century after the war, will face a second-instance verdict that will determine whether he is guilty of murders and destruction.

The American newspaper recalls the first-instance verdict and explains that one of the biggest dilemmas is whether the former leader of Bosnian Serbs will be convicted of genocide in seven municipalities, for which he was acquitted in the first instance.

Also, the Washington Post includes stories of surviving victims.

RTL Today states that opinion on Karadžić, although expecting a verdict for genocide and other crimes, remains divided among the public in the Balkans. Also, in the same article, Karadžić's journey from a poor family in Montenegro to a war criminal in Bosnia and Herzegovina is explained.

Euronews also writes that Radovan Karadžić will be sentenced today. The text states that his defense lawyers are seeking the annulment of the verdict and a retrial.

“The judges' decision on Wednesday will be final and cannot be appealed. The verdict will end one of the most significant court battles from the Balkan wars,” Euronews states.

The British Guardian also tells the story of Karadžić and his role in crimes, especially the genocide in Srebrenica.

“Karadžić's case still bitterly divides the country,” the Guardian states, and in its story on the verdict, it presents the expectations of victims of genocide and war crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.