Vienna Prosecutor's Office attributes detention of UP journalists to eyewitness testimony

Official position of the Austrian prosecutor's office

The Vienna Prosecutor's Office published a press release detailing the reasons for the detention of journalists from the publication "Ukrainska Pravda" — Mykhailo Tkach and Yaroslav Bondarenko. According to the agency, these measures were initiated within the framework of criminal proceedings opened against two Ukrainian citizens who have already been taken into custody on suspicion of espionage. During the investigation, suspicion arose regarding a third person, with eyewitness testimony serving as the key basis for this.

As explained by the prosecutor's office, witnesses reported that they noticed three men who acted during the same period and in the same manner, conducting surveillance of a specific object. Based on this information, investigators assumed that the three Ukrainians could have been acting as a group of offenders. After obtaining judicial authorisation, the prosecutor's office ordered the detention of this individual.

At the time of the detention, another passenger was present in the vehicle, whose identity the investigation had not yet established at that moment. Due to suspicion of possible involvement in the same group, the police detained him independently. The agency emphasised that at the time of the detention, law enforcement officers did not know that the individuals in question were an investigative journalist and a camera operator.

Interrogation results and release of the detained

During interrogations, it was confirmed that the journalists had indeed been conducting surveillance. However, it was not possible to establish a link between them and the two Ukrainian citizens who are already in custody. In view of this, the prosecutor's office decided to release both detained individuals.

The agency also noted that the detention had no connection to the professional activities of the journalists. Law enforcement officers are convinced that their actions corresponded to the factual circumstances known to them at the time the decision was made.

Reaction of the "Ukrainska Pravda" editorial team

The chief editor of the publication, Sevgil Musayeva, and the "Ukrainska Pravda" team do not share the assessment of law enforcement officials. The editorial team considers the measures applied to the journalists to be unjustified and disproportionate. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that one of the grounds for the detention was reports from third parties, yet the prosecutor's office has not clarified how the veracity of this information was verified. It is unknown whether the police cross-checked the received information with open sources or verified the possibility of deliberately misleading the investigation.

The publication emphasised that the presence of Ruslan Kravchenko in Vienna is a matter of public interest and requires journalistic coverage. "This raises a fundamental question: did someone use Austrian law enforcement agencies to obstruct journalistic work?" — the editorial team stated.

Demands for an investigation into police actions and compensation

"Ukrainska Pravda" demands a detailed investigation into the actions of the individuals who provided information about a possible offence. If it is proven that law enforcement officers were deliberately misled, those responsible must bear the liability prescribed by law.

The editorial team expects answers to a number of questions: why did the police use force, why were the journalists held for so long, on what grounds were their communication devices seized, and why could the information not be verified by less restrictive means. They separately demand an explanation of the circumstances regarding the damage and partial loss of the reporters' property.

The publication stated that, together with lawyers, it will seek a full investigation into the circumstances of the detention, the establishment of liability for any possible violations, the clarification of the reasons for the loss of property, and the reimbursement of the damage caused.