THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Slobodan Milosevic was accused yesterday of deliberately risking his own health by failing to take medication for his high blood pressure in order to impede the progress of his war crimes trial.

The former president of Yugoslavia, faces a life sentence if convicted, and was also said to have evaded security at the U.N. detention center where he is being held for acquiring tranquilizers he was not authorized to use.

The accusations by the prosecution followed reports from two specialists, whose tests showed that Mr. Milosevic was not following the medical regime meant to counter his condition. They concluded that he was not fit to conduct his own defense, which began Tuesday with his opening statement.

The trial, which started in February 2002, has been beset by delays caused by Mr. Milosevic’s ill-health. He also suffers from a heart complaint that could be worsened by failure to control his hypertension. The accusation by Geoffrey Nice, the British U.N. prosecutor, follows rumors that Mr. Milosevic has been allowing his blood pressure to rise when he wants a pause in proceedings.

Mr. Nice told the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague: “He is not taking drugs as prescribed for reasons all too readily understood. He will do whatever is necessary to serve his own purposes.

“Mr. Milosevic is providing incorrect information about his medication intake which leads me to doubt his statements that he is taking the anti-hypertension medication correctly. He has been manipulating this tribunal.”