Ukrainska Pravda Demands Probe Into Journalists' Detention in Vienna

Sevgil Musaieva, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, has said the newsroom is profoundly outraged by a statement from the Vienna Prosecutor's Office (Austria) about the detention of journalists Mykhailo Tkach and Yaroslav Bondarenko. The outlet considers the measures taken against its colleagues unjustified and disproportionate, and wants the events investigated.

The journalists' account

Both men say physical force was used when they were detained. Yaroslav was injured and needed medical assistance, while Mykhailo was held for more than 12 hours. Their phones and other communication devices were confiscated, which sharply limited their ability to reach the editorial team and relatives. They also say some of their belongings were damaged and others lost.

According to the newsroom, the journalists told officers they were on a work assignment. Their status could have been checked quickly through public sources or by contacting the editors. The prosecutor's office says officers did not know the men were journalists at the time of detention, but the newsroom asks why they were still held after being told.

Questions and demands

The outlet says it has learned that Ruslan Kravchenko is currently in Vienna, and argues that the circumstances of his presence are a matter of public interest. The prosecutor's office cites information from third parties as one ground for the arrest, but has not explained how its accuracy was verified or whether it was considered that it might have been meant to mislead law enforcement. The newsroom asks for a separate investigation into those who reported the alleged crime.

Ukrainska Pravda wants answers on what justified the use of force, why the detention lasted so long, on what legal basis the devices were seized, and how the property damage and loss occurred. Together with its lawyers, it intends to seek a full investigation, accountability for those responsible and compensation. In Musaieva's words, the release of the journalists does not close the matter.