SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria‘s former communist dictator Todor Zhivkov has died in a Sofia hospital at the age of 86. „Zhivkov has died,“ a doctor in the government hospital told Reuters. Zhivkov ruled Bulgaria from 1954 until he was ousted in a bloodless coup by fellow party members in 1989. He was released from house arrest in September 1997 after becoming Eastern Europe‘s first communist leader to stand trial in 1991. „Zhivkov died on August 5 at 2005 hrs (local time) in the intensive care unit of the hospital,“ said a statement issued by the hospital on Thursday. He was admitted on July 8 suffering from viral infection, fever and pneumonia which were treated. Zhivkov‘s condition continued to deteriorate and brain complications led to coma and eventual death, said the hospital. The complications were a result of a long-standing diabetes and old age.