The Austrian security officers who detained an Ukrainska Pravda film crew in Vienna smashed the windows of the journalists’ car, leading to cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko being cut by glass shards, used physical force, and held Bondarenko for more than a day in a temporary detention cell on espionage charges, he reported in a Facebook post.
Bondarenko said he and Mykhailo Tkach had been detained at around 3pm, as the film crew was driving a rented car. Masked Austrian security officers suddenly blocked the car at a traffic light and smashed both windows.
“Mykhailo Tkach was ‘lucky’: there was a flowerbed and grass on his side of the road, whereas I had my face against the asphalt and was pressed into the broken glass with their full body weight. My left arm was in a police officer’s grip, my right arm was under my body… They pulled it free. Cut it in the process. I have lacerations and torn wounds on my right arm,” the cameraman said.
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He added that the handcuffs had been clamped so tightly during the detention that he had screamed in pain, while his clothes were being soaked with blood from his face. Despite his repeated remarks that they were Ukrainian journalists, the officers had not responded to any explanations.
After he was taken to the detention centre, a medical examination found that fragments of glass had remained lodged in his face. He was taken to a civilian hospital under escort as late as 9:30pm. The medical procedures, including the surgical intervention to remove the glass bits and apply stitches, were carried out with his hands cuffed behind his back. “Even after the X-ray, when I had to lie down on the operating table… the doctor felt awkward and said, ‘Handcuffs behind the back — that’s not good!’ And once again I told these cops, ‘I am not dangerous! I’m not a criminal. I’m a photographer, a cameraman… At least take the handcuffs off for the operation’ — to no avail,” Bondarenko recounted.
After the operation, the cameraman was taken back to his cell and later interrogated in detail.
“The crimes I’m charged with are very serious: espionage. Working for another state’s intelligence service. Causing harm to the Republic of Austria,” he said.
The cameraman thanked the Ukrainian consul for visiting the detention centre. After the interrogation, an Austrian lawyer filed a motion for his immediate release, since the detainee posed no threat. Police contacted the prosecutor, who approved his release from custody on the evening of Friday, 9 October.
Previously
Ukrainska Pravda senior investigator Mykhailo Tkach was detained in Vienna, Austria, on 8 October while carrying out an editorial assignment; the whereabouts of his colleague Yaroslav Bondarenko is unclear. The team considers the detention unlawful and demands his immediate release and an official explanation of the Austrian police’s actions.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Austria requested explanations from the Austrian side regarding the detention of Ukrainska Pravda journalist Mykhailo Tkach in Vienna. The Ukrainian consul was later granted access to him and spoke with him.
Ukraine’s MFA reported on 9 October that Mykhailo Tkach had been released following his detention in Vienna, Austria.
Ukrainska Pravda cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko was injured while being detained by police in Vienna, Austria, and has been in hospital.
The Austrian prosecutor later explained that the crew had been detained on suspicion of espionage, which was ultimately not confirmed.
Upon being released, Mykhailo Tkach said that the Austrian police had smashed the windows of the journalists’ car, injured the cameraman, and used rough physical force.
