Prison 'killing' Peru's re-jailed ex-leader Fujimori

Peru's ex-president Alberto Fujimori returned to prison Wednesday after undergoing pancreas exams in hospital, condemning jail conditions he said are "slowly killing" him.

The 78-year-old former leader is serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses and corruption during his presidency (1990-2000).

He has had a series of health crises -- the latest one being a cyst on his pancreas, according to his doctor.

Sent back to jail after two days of exams, Fujimori lashed out at his treatment in detention.

"I don't ask for privileges, just the minimal conditions to survive in this prison, which is slowly killing me," said a message on the Twitter account kept in his name by his inner circle.

The latest hospitalization was the ex-president's second this month.

It comes against a backdrop of friction between President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and the opposition, which is led by Fujimori's daughter Keiko.

The former president's health has become a hot-button issue as Kuczynski fends off attacks from the Fujimori camp, which holds a majority in Congress.

Kuczynski has rejected calls to pardon the ex-president.

But he has said that if Congress passes a bill granting Fujimori house arrest, he will sign it.

Fujimori is remembered for ruling Peru with a populist style and authoritarian grip.

Convicted of embezzlement and bribery, he was jailed in 2007.

He was convicted again in 2009 for his role in killings by a death squad targeting supposed guerrillas.