The arrest of Ratko Mladic is a “great day” for the dispensation of international justice, says former chief prosecutor of the UN war crimes tribunal Carla Del Ponte.

In her role as prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia from 1999-2007, the Swiss prosecutor sought Mladic’s arrest in Serbia:

“The important thing is never to give up, never stop fighting for justice, if anything to preserve the memory of the victims of the massacres. I’m convinced that today’s news will send a message to other international tribunals that the truth rewards.”

“Securing the arrest means that this kind of people will feel less safe from now on,” added Ms Del Ponte. “Maybe you don’t succeed right away, but sooner or later, the good work will pay off.”

Mladic has been indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 1995 massacre of some 7,500 Muslim men and boys by in the UN-protected Srebrenica enclave in eastern Bosnia – the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II. He is also wanted in connection with the four-year siege of Sarajevo.