UN judges up sentence of ex-leader Karadzic to life over Bosnia genocide

United Nations appeals judges uphold the convictions of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and increased his sentence from 40 years to life imprisonment.

Karadzic showed almost no reaction as presiding judge Vagn Joensen of Denmark read out a damning judgment that means the 73-year-old former Bosnian strongman will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Joensen said the trial chamber was wrong to impose just a 40-year sentence given what he called the “sheer scale and systematic cruelty” of his crimes.

Applause broke out in the public gallery as Joensen passed the new sentence.

Separately, the judges rejected a prosecution appeal against Karadzic’s acquittal on a second count of genocide in the same war.

— AP