Abakar Abakarov, a co-founder of the Russian Congress of the Peoples of the Caucasus and the alleged owner of Telegram channel Utro Daghestan (‘Morning Daghestan’), was found dead in Istanbul.
Abakarov’s body was found in a rented villa in Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district. News of his death emerged on the evening of 17 October, according to independent media outlet Caucasian Knot, which cited a source in Istanbul’s Daghestani diaspora.
‘Two or three days earlier, he had travelled from Yalova to Istanbul and lost contact. It was reported that he might have been detained by the police, but later he was found dead. We do not know any further details’, the outlet quoted a representative of the diaspora as saying, adding that Abakarov had previously received death threats.
The first reports about Abakarov’s death appeared in Turkish media, including the website HaksozHaber, which reported on the killing of an unidentified man in Istanbul.
Later, Caucasian Knot quoted another source in the Daghestani diaspora as saying that Abakarov had rented the villa on 6 October and arrived there the following day with others.
‘He was not alone in the house. While talking to one of his friends from the villa in Istanbul, he called someone “akhi, akhi” [(‘brother’) in Arabic, used by Muslims worldwide]. This suggests that he knew the person and was staying with him in the rented house. It was clearly some kind of betrayal. Later, as we now know, a cleaner found the body on 12 October. So, Abakar must have been lying dead in the house for several days’, the source told Caucasian Knot.
The same person told the media that no official information had yet been released by the police. ‘I spoke to our people, Caucasian public figures, and they also contacted the police. Everyone is aware of the case; the investigation is underway, but the police is not sharing information at this stage. Another of our representatives was told that a report would be published “in ten months”. No one explained why it would take so long’, the source told Caucasian Knot.
Preliminary reports have suggested that Abakarov might have been stabbed to death. Photos allegedly taken at the scene of the crime show a deep cut above the victim’s eye, while no other visible injuries were reported.
‘A cut above the eye can be seen in the photo. According to a source familiar with those who saw the body, the injury might have been caused by a blow from a blunt object. No other visible wounds or gunshot injuries were found’, the Telegram channel Ask Rasul wrote, citing people who saw post-mortem photos of Abakarov.
Abakarov was buried in Istanbul on Monday. According to his associates, more than 300 people attended the funeral prayer.
The Turkish police have launched an investigation, but so far no suspects have been detained. Law enforcement agencies have not issued any official statements.
Originally hailing from Daghestan, Abakarov is known to have lived abroad for around two years. Russian authorities have accused him of coordinating the riots at Makhachkala Airport on 29 October 2023.
That day, a crowd of people broke into the airport following reports of a flight arriving from Tel Aviv with Israeli citizens on board. More than 20 people, including nine police officers, were injured during the incident, and dozens of participants were later charged. Several of those accused have since been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
Elizaveta Chukharova
The General Prosecutor’s Office has stated that the investigation involved 142 people, of whom 135 have been arrested and seven are wanted.
According to investigators, the Telegram channel Utro Daghestan, allegedly run by Abakarov, was used to spread calls to gather at the airport. In November 2023, the channel was blocked, and Abakarov was placed on a federal wanted list. He subsequently left Russia.
Abakarov was also involved in a number of civic initiatives, including the Russian Congress of the Peoples of the Caucasus, which focused on interethnic relations. In earlier interviews with independent media, he denied any role in organising the riots, though he acknowledged that Utro Daghestan had covered the events extensively.
Investigators named Abakarov as one of three organisers of the Makhachkala Airport unrest, along with politician Ilya Ponomarev and preacher Israil Akhmednabiev (known as Abu Umar Sasitlinsky). In July 2025, their cases were submitted to the Supreme Court of Daghestan for trial in absentia.
As of the time of publication, no official comments on Abakarov’s death have been made by either Russian or Turkish authorities.
Elizaveta Chukharova
