Auditors urge UN jail reform after Milosevic death

AMSTERDAM, May 15 (Reuters) An independent audit of the UN detention unit where Slobodan Milosevic died has called for changes to how the prison is run, noting failures over controls of visitors to the former Yugoslav president.

The audit, conducted by a panel of Swedish experts, was launched after Milosevic died in his cell on March 11, just months before the expected conclusion of his marathon trial, and after the suicide a week earlier of another inmate at the jail.

An investigation by Dutch prosecutors concluded Milosevic died of a heart attack with no sign of foul play. Toxicological studies showed no traces of poisoning or substances which could have triggered a heart attack.

But speculation has continued over whether Milosevic deliberately took drugs to exacerbate his high blood pressure to strengthen his case for release for medical treatment in Russia, where his wife and son live.

Traces of rifampicin -- a leprosy and tuberculosis drug that would have neutralised Milosevic's other medicines -- were found in a January 12 blood test and one Russian witness admitted he and others smuggled non-prescribed medicines to Milosevic.

As the tribunal had granted Milosevic the right to defend himself, he was given a private office with a telephone and computer, where he could meet witnesses and his lawyers.

The audit report, published on the tribunal's Web site (www.un.org/icty/) today, said the court should review its practice of making such orders without consulting the registrar or detention unit.

Without naming Milosevic, it noted that the fact a detainee was allowed to conduct his own defence meant he was permitted extensive external contacts and a large number of visits.

''The consequences of this special arrangement were that it became difficult to maintain sufficient control over visits and telephone conversations,'' it said.

NO ETHNIC ANTAGONISM The auditors said entry procedures at the prison met ''demanding standards'' in terms of checking for metallic objects, but they suggested a general review of security arrangements at the unit, which is located within a Dutch prison complex.

''More consideration should perhaps be given to the fact that many of the detainees at the (detention unit) have both money and trained personnel at their disposal for bids to free detainees,'' the report said.

The auditors said relations were good among prisoners -- including suspects from all sides of the bloody conflicts that tore Yugoslavia apart in the 1990s -- and with staff.

''There is no sign of ethnic antagonism here. This somewhat remarkable situation is probably partly due to detainees understanding that conflicts between them would lead to isolation and poorer conditions for all,'' they said.

Some detainees said the quality of meals and the condition of the room for private visits could be improved and more opportunities to keep active should be offered, the report said.

The auditors also called for the unit to follow the international practice of separating convicted detainees from those still on trial, noting delays to the transfer of those convicted to the states where they will serve their sentences.

The report said many of the deficiencies it raised were due to the fact the unit had expanded to a relatively large operation -- now housing 48 inmates -- without proper analysis of the consequences.

The tribunal said in a statement it welcomed the report and would conduct a ''thorough review of the proposals with a view to undertaking action where appropriate''.

REUTERS SHB HS1804