Three sentenced in absentia for allegedly organising Makhachkala’s antisemitic airport riot
The Supreme Court of Daghestan sentenced Ex-MP Ilya Ponomarev, preacher Israel Akhmednabiev, known as Abu Umar Sasitlinsky, and activist Abakar Abakarov in absentia for allegedly organising the October 2023 antisemitic riot at the Makhachkala airport.
According to the official telegram channel of the Supreme court, Ponomarev was sentenced to 19 years in prison, Akhmednabiev to 16 years, and Abakarov to 15 years.
Previous reports stated that Abakarov was found dead in Istanbul in October 2025.
In March 2022, Ponomarev, who is listed as a terrorist in Russia, along with Akhmednabiev and Abakarov and other unidentified persons, created a group to ‘destabilise the socio-political situations in the regions of Russia by discrediting the authorities and inciting interethnic and interfaith enmity’, the court wrote.
Ponomarev was identified by the court as the leader of the Telegram channel Utro Daghestan (‘Morning Daghestan’), where he was responsible for ‘distribution of funds, coordination, and agitation’. Akhmednabiev, known as Abu Umar Sasitlinsky, was the ideological leader, while Abakarov was the founder and administrated the channel and published the posts. In November 2023, the channel was blocked.
The unrest at Makhachkala airport began on 29 October 2023, shortly after the 7 October Hamas attacks and the beginning of the war in Gaza, when a flight from Israel landed at Uytash Airport in Makhachkala. A crowd carrying anti-Israeli signs and chanting slogans broke through security and rioted, resulting in more than 20 people injured. Property damage was estimated at over ₽24 million ($307 million).
The Investigative committee previously stated that 142 persons are accused of being involved in the ‘airport case’, with 139 already sentenced according to RFE/RL.
Elizaveta Chukharova
