Seselj 'could die within weeks'

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Serbian war crimes suspect Vojislav Seselj could die within two weeks if he continues his hunger strike, a doctor has said after examining him.

Mr Seselj is on trial in The Hague, accused of driving the ethnic cleansing of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s wars. He denies the charges.

The trial has been suspended because of the defendant's ill health, after more than three weeks on hunger strike.

"He is very weak," said French doctor Patrick Barriot.

"We have huge concerns about his health," the doctor told the Associated Press.

"In the coming days we think he could have a cardiac arrest if he continues his hunger strike," he added.

Dr Barriot examined Mr Seselj along with a Serbian and a Russian doctor.

Mr Seselj, 52, has refused to be seen by doctors representing the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

Support in Serbia

He launched the hunger strike to back up his demands for unlimited visits from his wife and the right to pick his own defence team.

Mr Seselj said he would defend himself, but the court took away that right when he refused to turn up on the first day of the trial.

Seselj stands accused of crimes in the early 1990s

Serbia's ambassador to the Netherlands has called for Vojislav Seselj, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party (SRS), to be moved out of his prison hospital in The Hague, and transferred to a hospital in Belgrade.

His strong brand of Serbian nationalism still has appeal among many Serbs, says the BBC's correspondent in Belgrade, Nick Hawton.

Thousands of people marched in the Serbian capital at the weekend to support his stance.

Radical Party secretary Aleksander Vucic declared: "He's not fighting just for his life...he's fighting for all of us who are gathered here. Vojislav Seselj is fighting for Serbia!"

He is accused by the International War Crimes Tribunal of forming a joint criminal enterprise with former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, which led to the extermination and deportation of non-Serbs from Bosnia and Croatia.