The family of an American filmmaker, accused by India of entering its restricted areas in the northeast and crossing over to Myanmar to train ethnic militias, has appealed to the US government to ensure that his rights are protected.
Arrest and Charges
On 13 March, India’s anti-terror agency arrested six Ukrainians and American journalist and documentary filmmaker Matthew VanDyke for allegedly training Myanmar’s ethnic militias in drone warfare, exposing a murky network stretching across conflict zones. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested the foreigners during raids at three airports and brought them to India’s national capital Delhi for investigation. Mr VanDyke, 46, is lodged at Delhi’s Tihar prison.
Family’s Plea
Mr VanDyke’s family and legal representatives said he is cooperating with the proceedings, and raised concerns about his health. According to his relatives, he has at times been unable to walk and has required a wheelchair. “This is a humanitarian emergency for our family,” his mother said, according to a press statement shared with The Independent. “Matthew has spent his life documenting human suffering and supporting people in crisis. We are pleading for his safe return home.” They have formally requested US consular assistance, adding: “We ask the US embassy and the government of the United States to provide all appropriate consular support to ensure Matthew's rights, welfare and medical needs are protected.”
Legal Proceedings
A special NIA court sent the group to jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), India’s primary anti-terror legislation. According to a police complaint, the accused travelled to the northeastern state of Mizoram, crossed into Myanmar without authorisation, and made contact with ethnic armed organisations and groups banned in India. They are alleged to have provided weapons, conducted drone training, and supported operations described as consistent with mercenary activity. The six Ukrainian nationals have been identified as Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim, and Kaminskyi Viktor. Ukrainian authorities said they remain in contact with the detainees’ families and are monitoring the situation while Indian agencies continue their investigation.
In a statement to The Independent, the NIA said: “The case is presently under investigation and we may not be able to comment on this matter at this point of time.” The Independent has also reached out to the US embassy in India for comments. Earlier, the embassy confirmed to local news channel NDTV saying it was aware of the case but declined further comment due to privacy reasons.
Background of Matthew VanDyke
Mr VanDyke’s lawyer in New Delhi, Rohit Gour, said: “Mr VanDyke is cooperating fully with the legal process. We remain engaged with the appropriate authorities and are working toward a fair and timely resolution.” Investigators allege the group’s activities were part of a wider operation involving foreign nationals entering India on tourist visas, travelling to northeastern states, and moving onward without proper documentation before crossing into Myanmar. Authorities say drones were routed from Europe via India for use by armed groups.
India requires special permits for foreign nationals entering several northeastern states bordering Myanmar, a region marked by longstanding ethnic conflict and cross-border insurgency. Officials have previously raised concerns that these areas are being used as transit routes into Myanmar.
Mr VanDyke, originally from Maryland, is known for his work as a journalist and filmmaker covering conflict zones. His documentary Point and Shoot won Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014. His films have been screened at more than 200 festivals worldwide. Point and Shoot, based on footage from the 2011 Libyan Civil War, also received additional awards, including the Special Jury Prize for Documentary Feature at the Independent Film Festival of Boston and the Special Jury Award for Extraordinary Courage in Filmmaking from the Little Rock Film Festival. He also directed Not Anymore: A Story of Revolution on Syria’s civil war and worked as cinematographer on Jim: The James Foley Story.
Born in Baltimore, Mr VanDyke was educated in the US, attending Calvert School and Gilman School before earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He graduated summa cum laude. He later completed a master’s degree in Security Studies with a Middle East concentration at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, where he wrote for The Hoya and co-hosted a radio programme on WGTB. He is also a member of Mensa IQ society.
Previous Conflicts and Activism
Mr VanDyke first came to prominence during the Libyan Civil War, when he joined rebel forces fighting Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. He was injured in an ambush, detained, and spent more than five months in solitary confinement across prisons in Sirte and Tripoli, including Abu Salim, before escaping during the fall of Tripoli. He later rejoined rebel forces and took part in combat operations, including in Sirte.
Following the deaths of his friends James Foley and Steven Sotloff in 2014, VanDyke founded Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), described as a non-profit organisation that provides free military advising and training to communities facing insurgency and terrorism. The organisation has conducted training for Assyrian Christian fighters in Iraq against ISIS and relies on public contributions.
According to reports, he was arrested at Kolkata airport, while other members of the group were detained in Lucknow and Delhi.
