A Russian military court on Thursday, March 12th handed down life sentences to four Tajik men and 11 accomplices for their involvement in the mass shooting at Crocus City Hall near Moscow on March 22, 2024, which left 150 people dead. The attack, the deadliest in Russia in more than two decades, was claimed by Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K).
The four Tajik gunmen—Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Makhammadsobir Fayzov, and Saidakrami Rachabolizoda—opened fire inside the concert hall shortly before a performance by the Soviet-era rock band Picnic. They then set the building on fire, trapping many attendees. Among the victims were six children, and more than 600 people were injured.
Eleven other men, including some Russian citizens, were also sentenced to life imprisonment for acting as accomplices and for links to terrorist activities. Four additional defendants, including a father and his sons, received prison terms ranging from 19 to 22 years.
It was not immediately clear how the defendants pleaded or whether they would appeal. The trial was conducted behind closed doors, as is customary in Russia for cases involving terrorism.
Relatives of the victims attended the Moscow military court as the verdict was read. Some expressed doubts over whether all responsible parties had been brought to justice. “For us all it’s like yesterday,” said Ivan Pomorin, who was filming the concert at the time, adding
It is not clear whether everyone is brought to justice, it looks like these are not the people who could organise it, the investigative committee should continue to work.
ISIS-K, the Afghan offshoot of the terrorist group that previously sought control over parts of Iraq and Syria, has been linked to several other plots in southern Russia and Azerbaijan.
