Who Is Radovan Karadžić? Age, Biography and Wiki
Radovan Karadžić, born on June 19, 1945, in Petnjica, Montenegro, is a former Bosnian Serb politician and war criminal. He played a significant role during the Bosnian War, advocating for the Bosnian Serb cause. His actions during the conflict have led to various war crimes charges, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2016. As of 2025, he is 79 years old. His past continues to be a topic of conversation and controversy as the world grapples with the legacy of the Bosnian War.
| Occupation | Psychiatrists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 19, 1945 |
| Age | 79 Years |
| Birth Place | Petnjica, Montenegro, Yugoslavia |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | Montenegro |
Popularity
Radovan Karadžić's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
- Height: Approximately 6 feet (183 cm)
- Weight: Estimated around 180 lbs (82 kg)
- Body Measurements: Specific measurements are unclear, and they are not surfaced publicly due to his current incarceration.
Karadžić was transferred into ICTY custody in The Hague on 30 July. Karadžić appeared before judge Alphons Orie on 31 July, in the tribunal, which has sentenced 64 accused since 1993.
During the first hearing Radovan Karadžić expressed a fear for his life by saying: "If Holbrooke wants my death and regrets there is no death sentence at this court, I want to know if his arm is long enough to reach me here." and stated that the deal he made with Richard Holbrooke is the reason why it took 13 years for him to appear in front of t
he ICTY.
He made similar accusations against the former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Muhamed Sacirbey, Bosnian foreign minister at the time, claimed that a Karadžić-Holbrooke deal was made in July 1996.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Radovan Karadžić was married to Ljiljana Karadžić, with whom he has two children. Details about his romantic relationships outside of his marriage remain largely speculative due to his imprisonment and the limited information available. Currently, there are no reports of a boyfriend or girlfriend as he serves his life sentence.
Karadžić's father, Vuko (1912–1987), was a cobbler from Petnjica. His mother, Jovanka ( Jakić; 1922–2005), was a peasant girl from Pljevlja. She married Karadžić's father in 1943, aged twenty. Karadžić claims to be related to the Serbian linguistic reformer Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864), although as of 2014 this claim had not been confirmed.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, estimates surrounding Radovan Karadžić's net worth vary significantly. While no precise figures are available, it is widely acknowledged that his properties and wealth were seized following his conviction. His financial status has undoubtedly changed drastically since his conviction, moving from a once-prominent political figure to an imprisoned war criminal.
Soon after graduation, Karadžić started working in a treatment centre at the psychiatric clinic of the main Sarajevo hospital, Koševo.
According to testimony, he often boosted his income by issuing false medical and psychological evaluations to healthcare workers who wanted early retirement or to criminals who tried to avoid punishment by pleading insanity. In 1983, Karadžić started working at a hospital in the Belgrade suburb of Voždovac.
With his partner Momčilo Krajišnik, then manager of a mining enterprise Energoinvest, he managed to gain a loan from an agricultural-development fund, and they used it to build themselves houses in Pale, a Serb town above Sarajevo turned into a ski resort by the government.
Career, Business, and Investments
Karadžić began his career in medicine after earning a degree in psychiatry but pivoted to politics in the 1990s when he became a leading figure among the Bosnian Serb population. He was the President of Republika Srpska and played a pivotal role in the political landscape during the Bosnian War. His career, however, effectively ended after his indictment for war crimes. Any business endeavors have been overshadowed by his legal battles and imprisonment.
Karadžić was voted President of Republika Srpska, the Bosnian Serb administration, in Pale on about 13 May 1992 after the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
At the time he assumed this position, his de jure powers, as described in the constitution of the Bosnian Serb administration, included commanding the army of the Bosnian Serb administration in times of war and peace, and having the authority to appoint, promote and discharge officers of the army.
Karadžić made three trips to the UN in New York in February and March 1993 for negotiations on the future of Bosnia.
Social Network
Due to the serious nature of his crimes and ongoing controversies, Radovan Karadžić maintains no personal social media presence. His public image is heavily negative, leading to a complete absence from informal platforms where celebrities usually engage with their followers and fans.
On Friday 4 August 1995, with a massive Croatian military force poised to attack the Serb-held Krajina region in central Croatia, Karadžić announced he was removing General Ratko Mladić from his commandant post and assuming personal command of the VRS himself.
Karadžić blamed Mladić for the loss of two key Serb-held towns in western Bosnia that had recently fallen to the Croats, and he used the loss of the towns as the excuse to announce his surprise command structure changes. General Mladić was demoted to an "adviser".
Mladić refused to go quietly, claiming the support of the Bosnian Serb military and the people. Karadžić countered by attempting to pull political rank as well as denouncing Mladić as a "madman", but Mladić's popular support forced Karadžić to rescind his order on 11 August.
Education
Radovan Karadžić graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Belgrade, where he specialized in psychiatry. His education provided a foundation for his early career before he transitioned into the realm of politics, where he became well-known, albeit infamously, for his role in the conflicts of the former Yugoslavia.
Karadžić studied neurotic disorders and depression at Næstved Hospital in Denmark in 1970 and during 1974 and 1975 he underwent further medical training at Columbia University in New York. After his return to Yugoslavia, he worked in the Koševo Hospital in Sarajevo.
He was also a poet, influenced by Serbian writer Dobrica Ćosić, who encouraged him to go into politics. During his spell as an ecologist, he declared that "Bolshevism is bad, but nationalism is even worse".
