Daniela Terziiska kept handcuffed for 9 days

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SOFIA, 2 July 2001 - Daniela Terziiska, accused of murdering her three-year-old son Petar earlier this year, was kept handcuffed to her bed in the Interior Ministry hospital for nine days, press reports revealed. The restraining measure was ordered by the head of the Investigation Detention Centres Department for Safety and Control, Col. Yordanov.

The meazure was imposed in the evening on June 18 after Terziiska tried to commit suicide by jumping out of her room's second floor window, Col. Yordanov claims. "Everything we did was in the interests of Daniela's safety," he said and denied that Ms Terziiska was handcuffed.

The woman's family however says that when they visited her on June 19 both her hands were handcuffed to the bed. Daniela's parents also say that they were unaware that their daughter had made a suicide attempt. Ms Terziiska's father reported that his daughter's doctor said that her condition had improved and even considered moving her to another hospital.

Terziiska's lawyers condemned Col. Yordanov's order as unlawful. Handcuffing should be used only as a temporary measure for restraint, they said, and not for a period as long as nine days, as is the case with our client.

The Ministry of Justice has not issued an official press release. top

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