People

Radovan Karadzic

Radovan Karadzic was a Bosnian Serb leader convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity for his role in the Bosnian War.

Born
1945 CE
Role
Bosnian Serb political leader

Bosnian Serb political leader (1945-present)

Portrait of Radovan Karadzic in a dark suit before books and a Bosnia map
Facts

Radovan Karadzic timeline facts

Selected specifics from this profile's life story.

1945
Origins

Karadzic was born in Montenegro and later worked as a psychiatrist in Sarajevo.

1990s
Nationalist politics

He became a leading Bosnian Serb political figure as Yugoslavia collapsed.

1996-2008
Flight and arrest

He evaded capture for years before being arrested.

2016
Conviction

An international tribunal convicted him of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Life Journey

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1945

Origins

Karadzic was born in Montenegro and later worked as a psychiatrist in Sarajevo.

1990s

Nationalist politics

He became a leading Bosnian Serb political figure as Yugoslavia collapsed.

1992-1995

Bosnian War

His leadership was central to the Bosnian Serb wartime project.

1996-2008

Flight and arrest

He evaded capture for years before being arrested.

2016

Conviction

An international tribunal convicted him of genocide and crimes against humanity.

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Content note

This profile is written for educational use and connects to related Stories of History pages. Illustrations are original artistic interpretations.

References

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Further reading

  1. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Search results for Radovan Karadzic,” accessed June 2026.Open source
  2. WorldCat, Books and library holdings for Radovan Karadzic,” accessed June 2026.Open source

Primary sources

  1. Library of Congress, Search results for Radovan Karadzic,” accessed June 2026.Open source

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