Russian court considers life sentences for Crocus City Hall attackers

The 2nd Western District Military Court is considering life imprisonment for four individuals accused of carrying out the terror attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall.

“The prosecutor is asking the military court to impose life imprisonment with detention in a maximum-security colony for the four direct perpetrators of the Crocus City Hall terror attack: Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerjon Mirzoev, Muhammadsobir Faizov, and Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda,” victims’ lawyer Daniel Gauthier said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Final arguments in the case began on February 16, with proceedings held behind closed doors.

In January, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin, said investigators had mapped out all stages of the attack’s preparation. Bastrykin alleged that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services to destabilize Russian government operations and undermine domestic political stability.  

The attack occurred on March 22, 2024, just before a concert by the band “Piknik.” Armed assailants opened fire on attendees with automatic weapons and set parts of the venue ablaze. The assault resulted in 149 people sustaining fatal or life-threatening injuries, with more than 600 others wounded. The material damage from the incident has been estimated at approximately 6 billion rubles ($78 million).

By Vafa Guliyeva