UN appeals judges uphold Bosnian Serb's Srebrenica genocide conviction, life sentence

Zdravko Tolimir, a Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, crosses himself as he waits for the the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal to deliver its judgment in his appeal case in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool) (The Associated Press)

Zdravko Tolimir, a Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, is escorted by U.N. security guards as he arrives in the courtroom of the the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal who delivered its judgment in his appeal case in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool) (The Associated Press)

Zdravko Tolimir, a Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre talks to a U.N. security guard as he waits for the the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal to deliver its judgment in his appeal case in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, April 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool) (The Associated Press)

United Nations appeals judges have upheld most of a Bosnian Serb army general's convictions and his life sentence for involvement in the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.

Gen. Zdravko Tolimir smiled and repeatedly crossed himself as Yugoslav war crimes tribunal President Judge Theodor Meron told him Wednesday that his life sentence was being confirmed on appeal.

Tolimir was convicted in December 2012 of genocide and other crimes in the 1995 massacre by Bosnian Serb forces of some 8,000 Muslim men in Srebrenica, eastern Bosnia — Europe's worst mass killing since World War II.

Meron overturned some elements of the convictions, but upheld the vast majority.

Tolimir was a trusted aide of former Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic. Witnesses at trial called him Mladic's "right hand," judges said in their original judgment.