UAE rabbi’s killers sentenced to death

The United Arab Emirates has sentenced to death three Uzbek nationals who killed UAE Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan in late November of last year, according to social media reports.

The three are suspected of having carried out the killing at the behest of Iran.

The murderers are believed to have tracked the rabbi, monitored his daily activities, and ultimately kidnapped and killed him. Following the abduction, Kogan’s car was discovered with evidence of violence and blood.

Kogan was an emissary for the Abu Dhabi Chabad branch and ran a kosher supermarket in Dubai, where he lived.

Chabad is one of the largest religious Jewish organizations in the world, with branches in scores of countries.

In a conversation posted on X between one of the murderers and his mother, the murderer tells her of his sentence, Arutz 7 reported.

Kogan was last seen alive in Dubai on Nov. 21, 2024. His body was found three days later in Al Ain, near the border with Oman, by UAE intelligence and security services.

On Nov. 25, 2024, security authorities identified the suspects as Olimpi Toirovich, 28, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, also 28, and Azizbek Kamlovich, 33.

The three men had fled to Turkey and were extradited to the UAE.

The U.S. National Security Council condemned the murder at the time “in the strongest terms.”

“Our prayers are with his family, the Chabad-Lubavitch community, the broader Jewish community and all who are mourning his loss,” a council spokesman said. “This was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance and coexistence. It was an assault as well on UAE and its rejection of violent extremism across the board.”

Washington “is working in close coordination with Israeli and UAE authorities, and we have offered all appropriate forms of support,” the council spokesman added. “We commend the rapid efforts of UAE authorities who now have suspects in custody. Those who carried out this crime, and anyone supporting them, must be held fully accountable.”