------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the Nov. 14, 2002 issue of Workers World newspaper -------------------------
CONTINUES TO RESIST KANGAROO COURT: CONCERN GROWS FOR MILOSEVIC'S HEALTH By John Catalinotto Is former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's life in danger? On Oct. 31, Milosevic had a sudden increase of high blood pressure that often comes with his illness--malignant hypertension plus angina pectoris. Since then, the proceeding in the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at The Hague, Netherlands, have been postponed. Milosevic's supporters pointed out in a statement soon after that "such an event can cause his death." The Serb official who led Yugoslavia during the aggression on that country by the U.S./NATO war machine has been defending himself against spurious war-crimes charges in the court set up by NATO since last February. Since the trial began in mid-February, Milosevic has managed to turn the case around on NATO, exposing the criminal actions of the U.S. and its European allies, first for plotting to bring about the war and destruction of Yugoslavia, and then for bombing the civilian infrastructure and killing thousands of Yugoslav civilians. He has been so successful that the imperialist media has chosen to ignore what at first was designed to be a show trial of the Yugoslav leader. The Hague authorities are holding him under onerous conditions. His cell is small, without access to natural air. He attends the trial every weekday between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and is confined to the ICTY basement during the lunch break, where he can eat only a sandwich. He goes through humiliating searches when in transit. Back in detention by 6 p.m., he must choose between dinner and a short walk in fresh air, then must prepare until late at night for the next day of trial. The former president faces mountains of papers to review without facilities to prepare his extraordinary courtroom battle. He also has absolutely no medical care. By the end of the prosecution's case, which is scheduled to conclude in May 2003, he has to review over 100,000 pages of text and over 600 videotapes submitted by the prosecution. Milosevic's supporters in Serbia and worldwide are using a seven-day hiatus proclaimed by the court to campaign to get him specialized medical treatment in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. They want him seen by doctors who have taken care of his health for years, until his full recovery. They ask that people send faxes to the ICTY at 31-70-512- 8637 and demand this treatment. Lawyers are invited to fax ICTY President Claude Jorda and President of Trial Chamber III Richard May at the same number. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Support the voice of resistance http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. To subscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
