Red Star Belgrade faces scrutiny following displays of support for Ratko Mladic during a high-profile match. The Serbian club’s supporters unveiled a large banner honoring the deceased military figure during Sunday’s Belgrade derby against Partizan Belgrade. The club itself also participated in the tribute, observing a moment of silence before the game and sharing video documentation on its official social media account.
Mladic, who passed away in August at age 84 while imprisoned by the United Nations, was convicted by the International Criminal Court in 2017. He received a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity related to conflicts in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990s. Most notably, he was found guilty in connection with the massacre of approximately 8,000 Bosniak Muslim civilians in Srebrenica in 1995, as well as orchestrating a prolonged siege of Sarajevo that resulted in over 10,000 deaths.
Despite the international nature of his crimes, Mladic maintains significant support among nationalist circles in Serbia, particularly among Red Star’s fanbase. The club has already faced consequences this season for similar commemorations. UEFA imposed a 90,000-euro fine on Red Star after fans displayed a banner celebrating Mladic during a Europa League playoff match against FC Viktoria Plzen, citing violations for discriminatory conduct and inappropriate messaging at a sporting event.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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