Slobodan Milosevic Dies in Prison
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has died in The Hague, it has been confirmed.
Milosevic, 64, who was on trial for war crimes, was found in his prison cell at the UN detention centre near The Hague, the UN tribunal said.
A spokesman said he had apparently died of natural causes. He was known to have heart problems.
Milosevic had been on trial since February 2002, defending himself against 66 counts, including genocide, in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
The hearings were repeatedly interrupted by his poor health and chronic heart condition, but had been entering the final phase.
The tribunal was recessed last week until Tuesday to await the next defence witness.
Milosevic's death comes less than a week after the star witness in his trial, former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic, was found dead in the same prison.
Babic, who was serving a 13-year prison sentence and testified against Milosevic in 2002, committed suicide.
The tribunal spokesman said Milosevic had previously been classified as a suicide risk by the trial authorities.
His father killed himself when Milosevic was a teenager and his mother hanged herself 10 years later.
At the time of his arrest there were reports that Milosevic threatened to take his own life rather than be put into captivity.
A full autopsy and toxicological examination of Milosevic's body has been ordered, according to a tribunal spokesman.
The guard who discovered the body immediately called doctors but Milosevic was pronounced dead, he added.
Milosevic was due to complete his defence at the war crimes tribunal this summer, and had reportedly used up about 90 per cent of his allocated 360 hours of court time.
Among the most serious charges he faced involved responsibility for the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in the enclave of Srebrenica in July 1995.
He also faced allegations concerning the 1999 war in Kosovo, which prompted Nato to launch a bombing campaign against Serbia.
Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Lufi Haziri said: "Unfortunately, he did not face justice for crimes he has committed in Kosovo as well."
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Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has died in The Hague, it has been confirmed.
Milosevic, 64, who was on trial for war crimes, was found in his prison cell at the UN detention centre near The Hague, the UN tribunal said.
A spokesman said he had apparently died of natural causes. He was known to have heart problems.
Milosevic had been on trial since February 2002, defending himself against 66 counts, including genocide, in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo.
The hearings were repeatedly interrupted by his poor health and chronic heart condition, but had been entering the final phase.
The tribunal was recessed last week until Tuesday to await the next defence witness.
Milosevic's death comes less than a week after the star witness in his trial, former Croatian Serb leader Milan Babic, was found dead in the same prison.
Babic, who was serving a 13-year prison sentence and testified against Milosevic in 2002, committed suicide.
The tribunal spokesman said Milosevic had previously been classified as a suicide risk by the trial authorities.
His father killed himself when Milosevic was a teenager and his mother hanged herself 10 years later.
At the time of his arrest there were reports that Milosevic threatened to take his own life rather than be put into captivity.
A full autopsy and toxicological examination of Milosevic's body has been ordered, according to a tribunal spokesman.
The guard who discovered the body immediately called doctors but Milosevic was pronounced dead, he added.
Milosevic was due to complete his defence at the war crimes tribunal this summer, and had reportedly used up about 90 per cent of his allocated 360 hours of court time.
Among the most serious charges he faced involved responsibility for the massacre of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in the enclave of Srebrenica in July 1995.
He also faced allegations concerning the 1999 war in Kosovo, which prompted Nato to launch a bombing campaign against Serbia.
Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Lufi Haziri said: "Unfortunately, he did not face justice for crimes he has committed in Kosovo as well."
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