Health minister: All Hague indictees in poor health

Serbian Health Minister Zoran Stankovic says all Serb indictees in The Hague are in poor health, including Serb Radical Party (SRS) leader Vojislav Seselj. Stankovic told Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) late on Thursday that Ratko Mladic, Jovica Stanisic, Vladimir Lazarevic, Nebojsa Pavkovic and Dragoljub Ojdanic were in serious condition and had visited Serbia for treatment on several occasions. Health minister: All Hague indictees in poor health He stressed it was evident in Seselj's eyes and movements that his health was bad. The minister added all the electronics in the courtroom could interfere with the cardiac defibrillator Seselj had been fitted with. Stankovic said he acted in consultations with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, to whom he gave daily reports on Seselj's condition. "Now the focus is on the fact four people have died or committed suicide while in detention at the Hague Tribunal but nobody is talking about Djordje Djukic, who died because he was misdiagnosed," he pointed out. The health minister said that if the health care offered to Serbian and other indictees in The Hague was analyzed one day someone would have a lot to answer for. The Hague Tribunal brought an indictment against Seselj in January 2003 for war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vojvodina, and he voluntarily turned himself in a month later. The trial began in November 2007 and closing arguments started March 5. The prosecution has asked for a sentence of 28 years in prison for the SRS leader, claiming the accused is guilty on all nine counts of the indictment. Zoran Stankovic (Tanjug, file) Tanjug

Health minister: All Hague indictees in poor health

He stressed it was evident in Šešelj's eyes and movements that his health was bad.

The minister added all the electronics in the courtroom could interfere with the cardiac defibrillator Šešelj had been fitted with.

Stanković said he acted in consultations with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković, to whom he gave daily reports on Šešelj's condition.

"Now the focus is on the fact four people have died or committed suicide while in detention at the Hague Tribunal but nobody is talking about Đorđe Đukić, who died because he was misdiagnosed," he pointed out.

The health minister said that if the health care offered to Serbian and other indictees in The Hague was analyzed one day someone would have a lot to answer for.

The Hague Tribunal brought an indictment against Šešelj in January 2003 for war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Vojvodina, and he voluntarily turned himself in a month later.

The trial began in November 2007 and closing arguments started March 5.

The prosecution has asked for a sentence of 28 years in prison for the SRS leader, claiming the accused is guilty on all nine counts of the indictment.