Vojislav Seselj has written to Hague judges telling them he is making “a speedy recovery” from his 28-day hunger strike but can’t say when he will be fit enough to attend his trial.
In the handwritten letter dated January 9, Seselj said he was “still unable to give you a precise date when I will have recovered sufficiently to take part fully in the proceedings as a self-representing accused”.
He went on a hunger strike on November 10 after the tribunal’s judges decided to assign him a defence lawyer against his wishes. He ended it on December 8 when the court granted him the right to represent himself at his upcoming trial along with several other demands.
He lost at least 25 kilogrammes during his protest, and doctors say he will need three to four months to recover.
However, Seselj said the trial might need to be postponed even further. “It should be borne in mind that I will require some time for intensive preparations with my legal advisors,” he said.
Merdijana Sadovic is the tribunal programme’s project manager.
In the handwritten letter dated January 9, Seselj said he was “still unable to give you a precise date when I will have recovered sufficiently to take part fully in the proceedings as a self-representing accused”.
He went on a hunger strike on November 10 after the tribunal’s judges decided to assign him a defence lawyer against his wishes. He ended it on December 8 when the court granted him the right to represent himself at his upcoming trial along with several other demands.
He lost at least 25 kilogrammes during his protest, and doctors say he will need three to four months to recover.
However, Seselj said the trial might need to be postponed even further. “It should be borne in mind that I will require some time for intensive preparations with my legal advisors,” he said.
Merdijana Sadovic is the tribunal programme’s project manager.
