The Swedish government Thursday rejected an appeal for pardon by former Bosnian Serb president Biljana Plavsic, who is serving a 11-year jail term for crimes against humanity, reported dpa.
She was convicted in 2003 by the UN war crimes tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for crimes committed during the Bosnian war from 1992 to 1995. It was the second time Plavsic, 78, had appealed for pardon, citing health reasons.
She is serving the sentence at Hinseberg prison, 200 kilometres west of Stockholm. Sweden signed a 1999 agreement with the UN tribunal to offer prison space for convicted war criminals.
Plavsic has in a previous complaint said she could not understand why she had to serve her sentence "among prostitutes, murderers, drug dealers, robbers, thieves, swindlers" and complained that she was subjected to undergo body searches like other inmates.
Sweden must notify the UN tribunal in the event of a possible decision to pardon or reduce the sentence.