Karadzic, along with his wartime military commander, Ratko Mladic, disappeared several months after the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) issued its initial indictments against them in 1995.
Karadžić je, kao i njegov bivši vojni komandant, Ratko Mladić, nestao nekoliko meseci nakon što je Međunarodni krivični sud za bivšu Jugoslaviju (MKSJ) 1995. godine podigao prve optužnice protiv njih.