Radovan Karadžić
Who was Radovan Karadžić?
Bosnian Serb psychiatrist-turned-politician who served as President of Republika Srpska during the Bosnian War and was later convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for genocide and crimes against humanity.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Radovan Karadžić (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Radovan Karadžić was born on June 19, 1945, in Petnjica, Montenegro, then part of Yugoslavia. He studied medicine at the University of Sarajevo, specializing in psychiatry, and later continued his education at Columbia University in New York. Before entering politics, Karadžić worked as a psychiatrist and was known for his poetry, earning the Mikhail Sholokhov International Award for Literature and Art.
In 1990, Karadžić co-founded the Serb Democratic Party in Bosnia and Herzegovina as tensions rose across Yugoslavia. When Bosnia declared independence in 1992, he became the first president of the breakaway Republika Srpska, a role he held until 1996. During the Bosnian War (1992-1995), he managed military and political activities that would later be examined by international courts. His leadership during this time involved working with military commanders and enforcing policies that affected civilians in Bosnia.
After the war, Karadžić was charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. He avoided capture for over a decade, living under a false name in Belgrade, where he worked at a clinic focusing on alternative medicine. In July 2008, Serbian authorities arrested him in Belgrade.
Once extradited to The Hague, Karadžić was tried by the ICTY on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2016, he was found guilty on 10 of these charges, including genocide in Srebrenica, and sentenced to 40 years in prison. An appeals court rejected his appeal in 2019 and increased his sentence to life imprisonment. He is currently serving his sentence at HMP Parkhurst on the Isle of Wight, England. Throughout his life, he received several honors including the Order of the Republika Srpska, though his later conviction overshadowed his earlier work in psychiatry and literature.
Before Fame
Karadžić grew up in Yugoslavia during the rebuilding period after World War II, under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito. The focus on education and career development during his early years influenced him to study medicine in Sarajevo in the 1960s and 1970s. He made his mark in two areas before moving into politics: he worked as a psychiatrist in Sarajevo and also gained recognition as a published poet in Yugoslav literary circles.
In the late 1980s, Yugoslavia faced growing political unrest as nationalism rose among its different ethnic groups. During this time of constitutional crisis, Karadžić shifted from his medical and literary careers to politics, advocating for Bosnian Serb interests as the multi-ethnic federation started breaking apart along ethnic lines.
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the Serb Democratic Party in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990
- Served as the first president of Republika Srpska from 1992 to 1996
- Received the Mikhail Sholokhov International Award for Literature and Art for his poetry
- Completed psychiatric training at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
- Awarded the Order of the Republika Srpska for his political leadership
Did You Know?
- 01.During his years as a fugitive, he posed as Dragan Dabić, a New Age healer with long hair and a beard, practicing alternative medicine in Belgrade
- 02.He published several volumes of poetry and children's books before entering politics, with his literary work focusing on Serb national themes
- 03.His wife Ljiljana Zelen Karadžić is also a psychiatrist who worked alongside him in Sarajevo before the war
- 04.He spent time in the United States during the 1970s as part of his psychiatric training at Columbia University
- 05.During his trial, he chose to represent himself legally for portions of the proceedings before the International Criminal Tribunal
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Order of the Republika Srpska | — | — |
| Mikhail Sholokhov International Award for Literature and Art | — | — |