DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Three individuals have been sentenced to death by a court in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the killing of Israeli-Moldovan national Zvi Kogan, the state-run news agency WAM reported on Monday. A fourth defendant, who assisted in the murder, was given a life sentence.
The verdicts were handed down by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeals’ State Security Chamber after a trial that followed the November killing of Kogan. The three accused, all Uzbek nationals, were arrested in Turkey and subsequently extradited to the UAE.
According to WAM, the court was presented with substantial evidence, including detailed confessions from the defendants, forensic reports, post-mortem examination findings, and testimonies from witnesses. The evidence pointed to the defendants tracking and kidnapping Kogan before murdering him. However, authorities have not disclosed the specific motive for the killing.
The murder occurred during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Despite the strained atmosphere, the UAE and Israel have maintained diplomatic relations since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Kogan, 28, was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi and a member of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. He had been running a kosher grocery store in Dubai, a city that has seen an influx of Israelis due to commercial and tourism activities. The UAE is home to a growing Jewish community, with synagogues and kosher businesses catering to Jewish residents and visitors.
Following his death, Kogan was buried in Israel. The UAE has not officially linked the killing to any foreign powers, but Israeli officials have suggested the involvement of Iran and its allies, referring to an “axis of evil” in the region. Iran’s embassy in Abu Dhabi has denied any involvement, and the UAE has not made any direct accusations.
Capital punishment is rare in the UAE, but executions, usually by firing squad, are typically carried out swiftly after the completion of appeals. The sentences for the three convicted individuals will be finalized after the completion of the appeals process.
