Europe

UN judges to deliver Radovan Karadzic appeals decisions

Associated Press
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FILE - In this Thursday July 31, 2008 file photo, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic stands in the courtroom during his initial appearance at the U.N.'s Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Nearly a quarter of a century since Bosnia’s devastating war ended, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is set to hear the final judgment on whether he can be held criminally responsible for unleashing a wave of murder and destruction during Europe’s bloodiest carnage since World War II. United Nations appeals judges on Wednesday March 20, 2019, will decide whether to uphold or overturn Karadzic’s 2016 convictions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and his 40-year sentence. (Jerry Lampen/Pool via AP, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 23, 1992 file photo, Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic holds a knife he said was seized from Bosnian Croat soldiers in Bosnia during a news conference in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Nearly a quarter of a century since Bosnia’s devastating war ended, former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic is set to hear the final judgment on whether he can be held criminally responsible for unleashing a wave of murder and destruction during Europe’s bloodiest carnage since World War II. United Nations appeals judges on Wednesday March 20, 2019, will decide whether to uphold or overturn Karadzic’s 2016 convictions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and his 40-year sentence. (AP Photo/File)

United Nations judges are set to hand down their decisions in the appeal by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic against his convictions and 40-year sentence for masterminding atrocities in his country's devastating 1992-95 war.

Karadzic appealed his 2016 convictions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, as well as his sentence. Prosecutors appealed his acquittal on a second count of genocide during Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II.

Relatives of victims of the war gathered outside the courtroom Wednesday ahead of the hearing that will announce the decisions.

Karadzic is one of the most senior figures tried by the Hague war crimes court. His case is considered as key in delivering justice for the victims of the conflict, which left over 100,000 people dead and millions homeless.