On May 27, 1999, the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague confirmed the indictment against then-Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević, formally charging him with war crimes.
On April 1, 2001, Milošević was arrested in Belgrade. Shortly afterward, and following a decision by the Serbian government, he was extradited to The Hague on June 28, after the indictment for war crimes in Kosovo had already been made public.
He was later also charged with war crimes in Croatia and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The trial against Milošević began on February 12, 2002, at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
The presentation of evidence covering crimes in Kosovo, Croatia, and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina continued until February 25, 2004. His defense phase began at the end of August that year.
The trial was repeatedly interrupted due to his cardiovascular problems and high blood pressure.
On March 11, 2006, at 9:30 a.m., Milošević—often referred to as the “Butcher of the Balkans”—was found dead in his cell.
