South Ossetia's self-proclaimed president, Alla Dzhioyeva, has been hospitalized in serious condition after becoming ill during police questioning, hours ahead of her planned inauguration Friday.

Investigators in Georgia's breakaway province said Friday the former education minister is suspected of organizing a coup attempt last year.

Police went to Dzhioyeva's headquarters to question her late Thursday in the provincial capital, Tskhinvali.

She claimed victory in the November presidential election, but the region's Supreme Court void the results, accusing Dzhioyeva of fraud.

She ignored the court's ruling and set February 10 as her inauguration day. The raid was seen as an apparent attempt to stop it.