Austria says Ukrainian journalist’s arrest on suspicion of spying was unrelated to his job

VIENNA, Oct 12 (Reuters) – The arrest of a Ukrainian journalist in Vienna last week was ordered because he was seen watching a location that two men suspected of spying ​had also surveilled, not because of his profession, the ‌Vienna prosecutors’ office said on Monday.

Austrian police arrested two Ukrainians on Monday last week on suspicion of spying. The following Thursday they arrested two more: investigative journalist Mykhailo Tkach and cameraman Yaroslav Bondarenko.

While the first two have been ‌remanded ​in investigative custody, Tkach and Bondarenko were ⁠released without charge.

The Vienna ⁠prosecutors’ office said in a statement that in the course of the investigation into the first two men, suspicions emerged about a third, apparently referring to Tkach but without mentioning any ​names.

“These suspicions were based in particular on witness statements indicating three men had been seen observing one location, as well ⁠as on the fact the observation took ⁠place during the same period and was carried ​out in the same manner,” the statement said.

That led prosecutors to believe ​the three Ukrainians were part of the same group ‌and the third man’s arrest was ordered, it added. A fourth man – apparently Bondarenko – happened to be in the same car when police found him, and both were arrested.

“At the time of the ⁠arrests, it was not known that the suspects were a Ukrainian investigative journalist and a cameraman,” the statement said, adding: “The arrests were in ⁠no way related to ‌the two men’s professional activities.”

Bondarenko was injured ⁠by shards of glass from a car window ​during the ‌arrest.

Tkach, Bondarenko and their employer, Ukrainian newspaper Ukrainska ​Pravda, have ⁠criticised the Austrian authorities for the arrest, saying they could simply have summoned them.

The Austrian authorities have not provided details on the two Ukrainians still in custody. Austrian media have reported they are suspected of working for a Ukrainian intelligence service.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy, Editing ​by Timothy Heritage)