United Nations appeals judges have upheld 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 Wednesday that means the 73-year-old former Bosnian strongman will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
WATCH BELOW: Karadzic’s lawyer says a life sentence is no different than 40 years
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.
WATCH BELOW: Critics react to Karadzic’s original sentence in 2016
Separately, the judges rejected a prosecution appeal against Karadzic’s acquittal on a second count of genocide in the same war.