Russian courts hand harsh prison sentences to 135 people linked to antisemitic Dagestan airport riot

MOSCOW, Russia — Russian courts sentenced 135 people to lengthy prison sentences in connection with a mass antisemitic riot in October 2023 at an airport in the predominantly Muslim Dagestan region, the country’s Investigative Committee says.

Hundreds of rioters stormed an airport in the city of Makhachkala, where a plane from Tel Aviv had just arrived, amid unrest in the North Caucasus over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, which had begun a few weeks earlier when the terror group launched the October 7 massacre.

Investigators say they completed probes into the participation of 139 in the events.

Three additional people — whom they say had organised the riots via posts on a Telegram channel — have been put on Russia’s wanted list.

The 135 convicted people are given prison terms ranging from six and a half to 15 years for participating in mass riots and other crimes. Investigators do not name the people, nor say how they pleaded.

Video footage at the time showed the protesters, mostly young men, waving Palestinian flags, breaking down glass doors and running through the airport shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great).

More than 20 people were injured before security forces could contain the unrest. No passengers on the plane were hurt.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the West and Ukraine for the unrest, without providing evidence. Kyiv denied any role, and the United States strongly condemned the violence.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.