Ukrainska Pravda demands investigation into Austrian police conduct after journalists' detention
Tkach is known in Ukraine for his investigations of high-level corruption. He alleged that the arrest could have been retaliation from subjects of his investigations, who could have manipulated Austrian authorities by filing a fake report.
Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian news outlet, is demanding an independent investigation into the conduct of Austrian police officers after the detention of two of its journalists. Mykhailo Tkach, an investigative journalist, and Yaroslav Bondarenko, a cameraman, were arrested on October 8 while carrying out an editorial assignment in Vienna.
Both journalists claimed they were treated brutally and described the arrest as unjustified and disproportionate. Ukrainska Pravda argues that the arrests could have been retaliation from subjects of their investigations who may have manipulated Austrian authorities with a fake report. The Vienna prosecutor's office maintains that the arrests were justified by the information available at the time and unrelated to the journalists' professional activities.
However, Ukrainska Pravda disputes this claim, stating that they were treated as subjects of an investigation and presented with accusations during their questioning. The outlet has called for explanations regarding the force used during the arrests, the length of the journalists' detention, the seizure of their communications equipment, and damage to or loss of their property.
Brief written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
