Latest news with #ZviKogan
Filipino Times
03-04-2025
- Filipino Times
Three sentenced to death in UAE for kidnapping, murder
Three individuals have been sentenced to death by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals' State Security Chamber for their role in the kidnapping and murder of Moldovan-Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan. Meanwhile, a fourth defendant received a life sentence for premeditated murder with terrorist intent. Get the latest news instantly on your phone—join the Filipino Times WhatsApp channel now! The court ruled unanimously on the case, convicting the defendants based on strong evidence, including their detailed confessions, forensic reports, and witness testimonies. However, authorities have not disclosed a motive for the murder of Kogan or how he was kidnapped and killed. The Attorney General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, ordered an expedited trial in January 2025 after investigations confirmed that the defendants had tracked and murdered the victim. The State Security Prosecution handled the case, which presented evidence in court. Under UAE law, death sentences are automatically subject to appeal and will be reviewed by the Federal Supreme Court. The fourth defendant, who assisted in the crime, will be deported after serving his life sentence. According to The New York Times, Kogan was a dual citizen of Israel and Moldova and was active in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a Hasidic Jewish group focused on outreach.
The National
02-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Three sentenced to death over murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in UAE
Three people have been sentenced to death by an Abu Dhabi court over the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a Moldovan-Israeli citizen, in the UAE in November. Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals' State Security Chamber said the three were "unanimously convicted" of premeditated murder with terrorist intention. A fourth person was sentenced to life imprisonment for aiding in the murder, the state news agency Wam reported on Monday, and is to be deported after serving the term. In November, Wam reported that authorities had revealed the identities of the three accused of murder, all of whom are Uzbek citizens, as Olimboy Tohirovich and Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, both 28, and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33. An investigation team discovered the body of Mr Kogan after receiving a missing-person report from the victim's family. The location of the body and the cause of death have not been disclosed. Mr Kogan was an envoy of the orthodox Jewish organisation Chabad-Lubavitch, which issued a tribute to him after his death. It said he had moved to the Emirates with his wife to 'answer a calling of service'. Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi had ordered the four accused to be brought to trial in January, after investigations conducted by the State Security Prosecution found they had tracked and murdered the victim. The evidence presented by the State Security Prosecution to the court included detailed confessions to the crimes of murder and kidnapping, along with forensic reports, postmortem examination findings, details of the instruments used in the crime, and witness testimonies, Wam said. Under UAE law, sentences of capital punishment are automatically subject to appeal and are referred to the Criminal Division of the Federal Supreme Court for review and adjudication. The Attorney General stressed that the verdict reflects the UAE's commitment to combating terrorism in accordance with the highest standards of justice and the rule of law, while ensuring a fair trial. He said the UAE judiciary resolutely confronts any attempts to undermine national security and stability. Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the US, spoke out over the 'senseless death' of Mr Kogan. 'Today the UAE mourns for Rabbi Zvi Kogan. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and community over his senseless death,' Mr Al Otaiba said on social media at the time of his killing. '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 honour Zvi Kogan's memory by recommitting ourselves to these values. Now, we are more determined than ever to protecting and sustaining the Emirates as a shining and enduring example of diversity, acceptance and peace.'
Miami Herald
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Three Sentenced to Death for Murdering Rabbi
Three people have been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) after being convicted of the premeditated murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi. The ruling follows a high-profile investigation into the brutal killing, which sent shockwaves through both the local and international Jewish communities. Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli Prime Minister's office for comment. The murder drew international attention, prompting strong condemnations from both the U.S. and Israel, which had urged the U.A.E. to ensure full accountability. The U.A.E. has become one of Israel's most closely linked countries in the Middle East after it joined the Abraham Accords under U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020. Relations between many Arab countries and Israel have been under extra strain since its war with Hamas which has devastated the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian Islamist group attacked Israel in October 2023. The court sentenced three defendants to the death penalty and a fourth to life imprisonment for the "premeditated murder with terrorist intention," the Emirati News Agency WAM reported. The defendants were convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Moldovan-Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan, who went missing in the U.A.E. back in November 2024, and was later found dead. Kogan, 28, was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi and entrepreneur who managed Rimon Market, a kosher grocery store in Dubai, a city that has seen an influx of Israeli tourists and businesses since the Abraham Accords. The Uzbek defendants were arrested in Turkey in November, as Uzbekistan stood in solidarity with Israel and decried "terrorism and extremism," according to The Associated Press. The arrested suspects were brought to trial in the U.A.E. State prosecutors said they had tracked and murdered the victim and later confessed to the crime, according to WAM. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had called Kogan's murder a "heinous antisemitic terror incident". The U.S. National Security Council had also described it as a "horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence," a November statement by embassy in the U.A.E read. Both the U.S. and Israel said then they were coordinating with the U.A.E. to bring perpetuators to justice. U.A.E. Attorney General Hamad al-Shamsi, according to WAM: "The verdict reflects the U.A.E.'s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in accordance with the highest standards of justice and the rule of law while ensuring fair trial guarantees. The U.A.E. stands as a global model of coexistence and tolerance, where its laws protect all residents, regardless of religion or ethnicity, ensuring their safety and security." Political Commentator Rabbi Elie Abadie told i24 News Channel: "We have been feeling safe since the beginning. His memory will always be remembered – it is a great, great loss for the community." U.A.E. Political Affairs Analyst Amjad Taha on X: "When Rabbi Zvi Kogan was killed, the U.A.E. swiftly arrested the perpetrators and brought them to justice. Soon, our respected Jewish community will witness righteous, firm, and strong justice in action." The verdict is set to be reviewed and receive final adjudication by the local Federal Supreme Court according to Emirati laws on capital punishment sentences. 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Dubai Eye
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Three given death sentence and one life in prison in murder case
The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals' State Security Chamber has convicted the defendants of the kidnapping and murder of Moldovan-Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan. Three defendants have been sentenced to death, and the fourth to life imprisonment, for the premeditated murder with terrorist intention. Attorney General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi had ordered the four defendants to be brought to trial in January 2025, following investigations conducted by the State Security Prosecution, which revealed that the defendants had tracked and murdered the victim. Evidence presented by the State Security Prosecution to the court included the defendants' detailed confessions to the crimes of murder and kidnapping, along with forensic reports, post-mortem examination findings, details of the instruments used in the crime, and witness testimonies. The court unanimously sentenced the three defendants who carried out the murder and kidnapping to death, while the accomplice who aided them received a life sentence followed by deportation from the country after serving his sentence. Under UAE law, sentences of capital punishment are automatically subject to appeal and are referred to the Criminal Division of the Federal Supreme Court for review and adjudication. The Attorney General emphasised that the verdict reflects the UAE's unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in accordance with the highest standards of justice and the rule of law while ensuring fair trial guarantees. He stressed that the UAE judiciary resolutely confronts any attempts to undermine national security and stability. The Attorney General added that the UAE stands as a global model of coexistence and tolerance, where its laws protect all residents, regardless of religion or ethnicity, ensuring their safety and security.
Express Tribune
01-04-2025
- Express Tribune
UAE sentences murderers of Israeli Rabbi to death and life imprisonment
Listen to article In the United Arab Emirates, three individuals have been sentenced to death and one to life imprisonment for the kidnapping and murder of Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan. According to Arab media, the victim, Zvi Kogan, ran a grocery store in Abu Dhabi. Kogan, an Israeli national of Moldovan-Jewish descent, was not only a businessman but also an active member of the Chabad Jewish community. Kogan was abducted and murdered in November 2024, with four individuals arrested in connection with the crime. The primary suspects—28-year-old Olimpi Toherovich, 33-year-old Azizbek Kemilovich, and 28-year-old Mahmood Jan Abdulrahim—are all from Uzbekistan. Based on confessions and solid evidence, the court sentenced three of the suspects to death and one to life imprisonment. It's noteworthy that the UAE has re-established diplomatic relations with Israel, which has also led to growing business ties between the two countries. Following Israel's ongoing aggression in Gaza since October 2023, there has been an increase in incidents targeting Israeli embassies and citizens globally.
