Former Indonesian dictator Suharto's doctors said Saturday that his condition has improved and he has a good chance of recovering. "We're optimistic," presidential doctor Marjo Subiandono told reporters during a briefing. The 86-year-old has been in the hospital for more than two weeks, suffering from multiple organ failure, pneumonia and sepsis, a potentially lethal blood infection. He received a blood transfusion and dialysis for failing kidneys. Doctors said privately he had been near death.

The former leader is still attached to a ventilator, but his heart and lung capacity have improved, and his sepsis is also receding, Subiandono said.

"Most of his sepsis symptoms have gone," said hematologist Harryanto Reksodiputro.

His white blood cell count is still high, Reksodiputro said.

Suharto is conscious and able to respond to his doctors, said Dr. Christian Johannes, another member of Suharto's medical team.

Doctors will continue their efforts to reduce Suharto's need for a ventilator.

If Suharto continues to improve over the next 24 hours, it is possible he will no longer be in critical condition, Subiandono said.

Suharto, whose 32-year regime was widely regarded as one of the 20th century's most brutal and corrupt, was driven from office a decade ago amid massive student protests and nationwide riots, opening the way for democracy in this predominantly Muslim nation of 235 million people.

On Saturday afternoon, police used force to break up a protest staged by about 100 students and activists who had gathered across the street from the hospital, calling for Suharto to be tried in court.

Two protesters were detained and at least one was beaten by plainclothes police.

Police directed minibuses through the crowd to break up the demonstration, which lasted for about a half hour.

"We have to safeguard the hospital," said police Lt. Col. Mulyatno. "Indonesia's former top leader is being treated there."

About 300 policemen blocked the street in front of the Pertamina Hospital to prevent the protesters from approaching.

The demonstrators wore headbands saying, "Try Suharto."

They carried signs denouncing the former strongman, saying his health was no reason to protect him from prosecution.

"People will never forget his brutality or the bloodshed under his regime," one sign said.

Suharto retired to his Jakarta mansion after his ouster in 1998.

A series of strokes left him with brain damage and impaired speech - keeping him from facing trial. On Jan. 4, he was rushed to a Jakarta hospital, suffering from anemia, failing kidneys and heart trouble.

Suharto has been accused of overseeing a purge of more than a half million leftist opponents soon after seizing power in a 1965 coup. Hundreds of thousands more were killed or imprisoned in the decades that followed - crimes for which no one has ever been punished.

Transparency International has said Suharto and his family amassed billions of dollars in state funds, an allegation he has denied.