Zdravko Tolimir in the courtroom

The Dutch authorities have informed the Mechanism for the International Criminal Tribunals that according to the autopsy results, Zdravko Tolimir died of natural causes. The autopsy has been carried out as part of the standard procedure mandated under the Dutch law. Tolimir passed away on 9 February 2016 in the UN Detention Unit in Scheveningen.

In its announcement the Mechanism didn’t specify the cause of death of the former assistant to the commander of the VRS Main Staff for security and intelligence. Tolimir was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in genocide and other crimes in Srebrenica and Zepa in 1995. The last time Tolimir spoke about his health was in February 2015: he told Judge Meron that he had had three stents implanted in his heart.

Sharing