U.N. Tribunal Halts Trial of Serb Sent to Hospital
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/12/04/world/04serb.xlarge1.jpg Andrej Isakovic/Agence France-PresseGetty Images Vojislav Seseljs Radical Party organized a demonstration in Belgrade on Saturday near the U.S. Embassy. By MARLISE SIMONS <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/marlise_simons /index.html?inline=nyt-per> Published: December 4, 2006 PARIS, Dec. 3 The trial of a leading Serbian politician for crimes against humanity by the United Nations <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/united_ nations/index.html?inline=nyt-org> tribunal in The Hague has been suspended after he was hospitalized over a hunger strike. The politician, Vojislav Seselj, 52, who heads Serbia <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/se rbia/index.html?inline=nyt-geo> s Radical Party, has been refusing medicine and food since Nov. 11 to back up his demands. His lawyers say his requests have been ignored, while the court says that it has met most of them but that he keeps revising them. Apprehension at the tribunal, which deals with war crimes from the conflicts that tore apart Yugoslavia in the 1990s, is evident, both in formal communiqués expressing grave concern and in conversations with its officials. In recent years, several tribunal detainees have committed suicide and some have been found dead in their cells, including the former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/slobodan_milos evic/index.html?inline=nyt-per> , who died of a heart attack in March. At the same time, Mr. Seseljs condition is causing unrest in Serbia, where his extreme nationalist anti-Western party, the countrys largest political force, is campaigning for Januarys general elections. The partys acting leader, Tomislav Nikolic, has said that an execution is going on in The Hague and that Mr. Seseljs condition was so critical that he allowed us to open his political and personal will. Reading from it at a news conference on Sunday, a party official said that Mr. Seselj demanded that his party strongly oppose Serbia joining NATO <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/n/north_a tlantic_treaty_organization/index.html?inline=nyt-org> and the European Union <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/e/europea n_union/index.html?inline=nyt-org> because all the traditional enemies of Serbia are concentrated there. Demonstrations were organized on Saturday and Sunday in Belgrade near the American Embassy, and some Serbian marchers accused the United States of trying to kill their leader. The tribunal in The Hague is not disclosing details about Mr. Seseljs health. But Marina Ragush, a member of Mr. Seseljs defense team in Belgrade, said in a telephone conversation that he had lost more than 40 pounds and was suffering severe kidney problems. She said the team feared additional problems because Mr. Seselj had stopped taking all the regular medicines he needs for his asthma and high blood pressure. Frankly, we feel desperate, she said. And his wife feels desperate, she said, adding that Mr. Seselj had recently forbidden his wife to visit. Mr. Seselj, one of the most prominent Serbs on trial, has been charged with creating an armed militia and ordering his men to terrorize, rob and kill non-Serbian civilians in order to drive them off land in Croatia and Bosnia that was wanted by Serbs. After he gave himself up to the tribunal in 2003, he continued the aggressive style for which he was known at home, acting as his own lawyer. His angry outbursts and offensive language led the court to impose defense lawyers on him. But an appeals court restored his right to defend himself, as long as he did not obstruct proceedings. The lawyers in Belgrade serve as his advisers. He has appeared at numerous hearings, but when his trial began a week ago, he said he was too weak to come to court. There have been conflicting reports about his demands. He had complained that the court provided him with documents in electronic form, though he does not use a computer. He has said he wants unrestricted visits from his wife and resources that Mr. Milosevic had, like an additional room, a telephone, a fax machine and unmonitored visits from his legal advisers. His legal team has not been accredited, said Ms. Ragush from Belgrade. The tribunal spokesman, Refik Hodzic, said a number of Mr. Seseljs demands had been met or were being dealt with, like providing him with a workplace and unrestricted visits from his wife. Mr. Seseljs legal team from Belgrade had not been accredited, the spokesman said, because he refused to provide the documents needed to register them. He has requested, so far in vain, that the court intervene to get his frozen bank accounts in the United States reopened. Ms. Ragush said Mr. Seselj was moved to the prison hospital on Wednesday against his will and had refused to be treated by any Dutch physician. When the court sent a French doctor on Friday, Mr. Seselj refused to see him, she said. On Monday he will be examined by Russian, French and Serbian physicians, she and the court said, but Ms. Ragush said he had told his legal team that he would not accept any treatment from anyone. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
