The Association of European Journalists (AEJ) is deeply concerned by the violent detention of Ukrainian investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach and cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko in Vienna on 8 October 2026.
The two journalists, who work for Ukrainska Pravda, were in Austria on an editorial assignment investigating the whereabouts of former Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
According to Tkach, armed, masked policemen surrounded their car, smashed its windows, pointed weapons at them and forced them to the ground. Tkach says that, despite repeatedly identifying himself as a journalist, an officer pressed him and ordered him to be silent. Bondarenko suffered injuries from the shattered glass and required medical treatment.
Both journalists were detained on suspicion of espionage and related offences. Both have since been released. The Vienna Public Prosecutor’s Office has reportedly stated that the suspicions against them were not substantiated.
Their release does not settle the matter.
The Austrian authorities owe the public a clear explanation of the legal and evidential basis for this operation, the force used against the journalists and the treatment they received in custody.
AEJ recognises that law-enforcement authorities have a duty to investigate credible suspicions of criminal activity. But that duty does not exempt the state from its obligations to respect fundamental rights, uphold due process and ensure that any use of force is lawful, necessary and proportionate.
Journalists do not enjoy immunity from legitimate criminal investigations. They must, however, be able to pursue matters of public interest without being subjected to intimidation or disproportionate force simply because their work is sensitive or uncomfortable for powerful individuals.
The investigation into Kravchenko’s whereabouts raises an additional question: whether information supplied to the authorities by third parties may have contributed to the operation and, if so, whether that information was reliable. This possibility must be examined, not presumed.
AEJ calls on the Austrian Government and the competent authorities to:
- Conduct a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances of the detention and the force used against both journalists.
- Publish a clear account of the legal grounds for the operation, including the evidence that justified the initial suspicions and the subsequent release of the journalists.
- Establish individual responsibility for any unlawful or disproportionate conduct by officers, and ensure appropriate accountability.
- Clarify the status of all confiscated equipment and data, ensure the prompt return of anything no longer lawfully required, and safeguard journalistic materials and confidential sources.
- Explain what safeguards will prevent a recurrence and provide an effective remedy if violations of the journalists’ rights are established.
We call on the Austrian Government to respond transparently and to engage directly with the journalists and their newsroom.
Press freedom is tested not only when governments openly censor reporting, but also when investigative journalists encounter state power while pursuing information of legitimate public interest.
The question Austria must answer is straightforward: how can journalists be expected to investigate matters of public interest if the authorities cannot adequately explain why their work led to an armed detention and accusations of espionage?
AEJ will continue to follow this case and calls on the Austrian authorities to ensure that the rights and safety of both journalists are fully respected.
Irina Nedeva – VP of AEJ
