UAE Sentences Three Uzbek Nationals to Death for Murder of Chabad Shliach Rabbi Zvi Kogan, HY”D

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a landmark verdict that highlights both the severity of the crime and the UAE’s commitment to maintaining interfaith harmony, three Uzbek nationals have been sentenced to death for the November 2024 murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Hy”d, a young and beloved Chabad shliach who had been serving the growing Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates. The decision comes after a rapid and coordinated investigation spanning multiple countries and intelligence agencies.

As reported by Yeshiva World News on Saturday, the three men — Olimpi Toirovich (28), Makhmudjon Abdurakhim (28), and Azizbek Kamlovich (33) — were apprehended in Istanbul, Turkey, shortly after the brutal killing. Their capture was made possible through an intricate intelligence-sharing operation between Turkish authorities and the UAE Ministry of Interior, which culminated in their extradition to the UAE, where they stood trial and were ultimately sentenced to death by an Emirati court.

Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Hy”d, was just 28 years old when he was abducted on November 21, 2024, while working in Dubai, where he served as a Chabad shliach and managed a kosher supermarket that serviced both the local Jewish community and Jewish visitors from around the world, as per the information in the YWN report. An Israeli-Moldovan dual citizen, Rabbi Kogan had moved to the UAE to support the country’s nascent Jewish infrastructure, which had grown significantly following the Abraham Accords of 2020.

His body was discovered days later in Al Ain, a city approximately 150 kilometers from Abu Dhabi. UAE security forces had launched an intensive manhunt following his disappearance, and investigators found evidence of a violent struggle in Rabbi Kogan’s abandoned vehicle, according to the YWN report. Early intelligence pointed to a botched abduction attempt: the suspects allegedly planned to smuggle Rabbi Kogan across the border into Oman, but when the plan unraveled, the young rabbi was killed.

Though the UAE Ministry of Interior described the attack as “a deliberate act,” the precise motive remains unclear, as was reported by Yeshiva World News. Initial speculation from Israeli officials suggested a potential Iranian connection, given the suspects’ Uzbek nationality and possible use as proxy operatives. However, the Iranian embassy in Abu Dhabi denied any involvement, and no definitive link to Tehran has been confirmed publicly.

Whether the crime was driven by political extremism, anti-Semitism, or other motivations, the attack has been widely interpreted as a direct assault on the UAE’s Jewish community — a community that has flourished in recent years under the country’s declared policy of religious tolerance and coexistence.

The murder reverberated far beyond the UAE’s borders, eliciting condemnation from world leaders and deep sorrow from Jewish communities worldwide. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had vowed justice in the days following the murder, praised the UAE’s swift action, stating that this act of violence “would not derail the growing ties between Israel and the Gulf states.”

The White House also condemned the killing in strong terms, calling it a “horrific crime against those who stand for peace.” According to the report on Yeshiva World News, Sean Savett, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, emphasized the UAE’s ongoing rejection of violent extremism and praised its commitment to upholding the values of interfaith respect and stability.

For the Jewish community in the UAE — and especially among those affiliated with Chabad — Rabbi Kogan’s murder was not only a personal loss, but a symbolic one. As detailed in the Yeshiva World News report, he had been working closely with Chief Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Duchman, playing a vital role in expanding the infrastructure of Jewish life in the region. He was instrumental in establishing the UAE’s first Jewish educational center, overseeing kosher certification, and providing essential services to a growing and diverse Jewish population.

His work embodied the unique and delicate interfaith balance that has emerged in the Gulf region since the Abraham Accords. His murder, therefore, was not just an attack on an individual, but on the very ideals of Jewish-Muslim cooperation and regional normalization.

As of now, the execution date for the three convicted men has not been announced, and it remains uncertain whether appeals will be permitted under UAE criminal law, which imposes capital punishment for premeditated murder, according to the YWN report. The court’s sentence is likely to undergo review by the Emirati president before it is carried out, in accordance with local legal procedure.

The case has served as a stark reminder that even in a region seeking transformation and coexistence, dark forces remain capable of wreaking devastation. Yet the UAE’s determined response — and its pursuit of justice — signals its resolve to protect all communities within its borders, including its growing Jewish population.

As reported by Yeshiva World News, the legacy of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Hy”d, will live on in the countless lives he touched — through education, spiritual guidance, and the simple acts of kindness that defined his shlichus. His tragic death calls attention to the risks faced by emissaries of goodwill in a volatile world, and the imperative to stand united against hate, wherever it may hide.