Milosevic resists taking on lawyer

NINETY legal experts from 17 countries have urged the UN to allow former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to continue defending himself against war crimes charges, warning that imposing a defence lawyer against his wishes would violate international law.

The petition calls for Milosevic’s provisional release so he can receive adequate medical treatment, and warns that having an outside lawyer take over his defence “will only increase his hypertension and place his life at risk”.