Question

Why were dozens of Serbs convicted of war crimes?

They started a war that led to thousands of deaths on both sides.
They approved the policy of ethnic cleansing in the war.
They started a war that was not sanctioned by the Serbian people.
They openly disobeyed the orders of the Serbian president.

Answer 1

They were convicted because they approved and carried out a policy of ethnic cleansing during the wars — i.e., planning, ordering or participating in deportation, murder, persecution and other crimes against civilians on the basis of ethnicity. Courts (notably the ICTY and national tribunals) found evidence of coordinated campaigns rather than merely that a war started or that the people disagreed with the government.