Court sentences three more defendants in Makhachkala airport riots case

Three more defendants in the case of riots at Makhachkala airport, which occurred in the fall of 2023, have been sentenced to imprisonment for terms of eight to eight and a half years. This was announced by the Investigative Committee (IC) of Russia on January 29.

"The evidence collected by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is recognized by the court as sufficient for sentencing the defendants in criminal cases of mass riots at the international airport of the city of Makhachkala in the Republic of Dagestan," the agency said in its Telegram channel.

Thus, Gamzat Isakov, Mahmud Javatkhanov and Abdulbasir Atavov were found guilty under Part 2 of Article 212 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and Part 3 of Article 263.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Participation in mass riots accompanied by violence, pogroms, destruction of property, use of other objects that pose a danger to others", "Violation of requirements in the field of transport security").

According to the investigation, publications were posted in the messenger Telegram aimed at arousing hatred and hostility among the residents of Dagestan towards citizens of Israel and at encouraging people from the republic to participate in mass riots on this basis.

The Dagestanis mentioned above, having read these publications, conspired and took part in a pogrom and violence at Makhachkala airport, where they provided armed resistance to the authorities and damaged airport property worth more than 24 million rubles. In addition, 23 law enforcement officers were injured.

The Investigative Committee added that the investigation proved the involvement of 142 people in the riots. Preliminary investigation has been completed in respect of 130 of them, 28 criminal cases have been sent to the court for consideration on the merits. Seven people are wanted, three of them - the organizers of the crimes.

Earlier, on January 22, Kochubeyevsky district court of Stavropol Krai sentenced four residents of Dagestan in the case of riots at Makhachkala airport. They received prison sentences of eight to 10 years.

Theriots near Makhachkala airport began in the evening of October 29, 2023. The participants came with anti-Israeli posters and chanted slogans in support of Palestine. At one point, part of the crowd broke down the entrance doors and broke into the terminal building of the air harbor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting about the incident on October 30, 2023. The head of state also pointed out that behind the events was the intention to rock the country from within. In turn, the head of the republic Sergey Melikov appealed to the residents with a request not to let the enemies and provocateurs manipulate themselves and sway the situation in the region.