A court in Abu Dhabi has sentenced three individuals to death for the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a Moldovan-Israeli citizen, in the United Arab Emirates last November. A fourth person has been sentenced to life imprisonment for aiding in the crime and will be deported after serving the term, according to the UAE’s state news agency, WAM.
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals’ State Security Chamber ruled that the three individuals were “unanimously convicted” of premeditated murder with terrorist intent. The convicted individuals, all Uzbek nationals, were identified in November as Olimboy Tohirovich and Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, both 28, and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33.
Authorities launched an investigation after Kogan’s family reported him missing. His body was later discovered, but officials have not disclosed the location or cause of death.
Kogan was an envoy for Chabad-Lubavitch, an orthodox Jewish organization, and had moved to the UAE with his wife to “answer a calling of service,” the group said in a tribute after his death.
The UAE’s Attorney General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, ordered the suspects to trial in January following an investigation by the State Security Prosecution. The prosecution presented evidence including confessions, forensic reports, postmortem findings, details of the murder weapons, and witness testimonies.
Under UAE law, capital punishment sentences are automatically subject to appeal and will be reviewed by the Criminal Division of the Federal Supreme Court. The Attorney General emphasized that the ruling reflects the UAE’s commitment to combating terrorism and ensuring justice through a fair trial.
Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the United States, condemned Kogan’s murder, calling it an attack on the nation’s values.
“Today, the UAE mourns for Rabbi Zvi Kogan. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and community over his senseless death,” Al Otaiba stated at the time.
“Zvi Kogan’s murder was more than a crime in the UAE – it was a crime against the UAE. It was an attack on our homeland, on our values, and on our vision.
“In the UAE, we welcome everyone. We embrace peaceful coexistence. We reject extremism and fanaticism of every kind. We honor Zvi Kogan’s memory by recommitting ourselves to these values. Now, we are more determined than ever to protect and sustain the Emirates as a shining and enduring example of diversity, acceptance, and peace.”
