UAE: 3 suspects arrested in murder of Moldovan citizen Zvi Kogan

A Moldovan man who went missing in the UAE has been found murdered, and three suspects have been arrested, the Ministry of Interior confirmed on Sunday.

Zvi Kogan's family reported his disappearance on Thursday afternoon (November 21), and a search and investigation team was formed. The investigations led to the discovery of the missing person’s body and the identification of the perpetrators. The three Uzbek nationals were arrested, and legal proceedings have begun.

According to UAE authorities, the 28-year-old entered the Emirates using his Moldovan identification documents. He was residing in Abu Dhabi with his wife Rivky.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova identified Zvi Kogan as an Israeli-Moldovan. It said it "firmly [condemns] violence" and extended condolences to his family. "We remain in contact with authorities to support the investigation."

The UAE stressed that the country would spare no effort to keep its citizens, residents, and visitors safe. It also stated that it would use "all legal powers to respond decisively and without leniency to any actions or attempts that threaten societal stability", reiterating its readiness to take all necessary steps to maintain harmony and peaceful coexistence.

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Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office denounced the killing of Zvi Kogan as a "heinous" act, adding that Israel would do everything it could to bring those responsible to justice.

The statement also added, "I greatly appreciate the cooperation with the UAE in the investigation of the murder. We will strengthen the ties between us precisely in the face of the attempts of the axis of evil to damage the peaceful relations between us. We will strengthen them, and we will also work to expand stability in the region."

Kogan, who was an emissary for the Chabad Hasidic movement in the UAE, will be laid to rest in Israel.

Chabad is an orthodox Jewish group that has chapters worldwide and seeks to build links with non-affiliated and secular Jews or other sects of Judaism. According to its website, the group's branch in the UAE supports Jewish visitors and residents, providing religious and social services.

In a statement, the group said that the Chabad community, and the international Jewish community at large are “shocked, grieving and outraged”.

They called on world leaders to take action and said it "trust that the UAE will work with the countries in the region to bring the perpetrators to justice, and hold all those involved accountable for this act of sheer evil”.

• UAE: Search ongoing for Moldovan citizen missing since Thursday, says ministry