Support The Moscow Times!

Man Found Guilty, Sentenced for Murder That Sparked Moscow Ethnic Riots

Orkhan Zeinalov News_Ru / YouTube

A man suspected of having committed a murder that launched a flurry of ethnic riots in Moscow last fall was handed a guilty verdict and a 17-year prison sentence on Monday.

The Moscow City Court convicted Azerbaijan national Orkhan Zeinalov of having killed Yegor Shcherbakov following a verbal altercation on Oct. 10, 2013, ITAR-Tass reported Monday. Zeinalov had maintained his innocence throughout the trial despite having initially admitted his guilt in part.

The verdict hinged on the conclusion that Zeinalov's testimony regarding his whereabouts at the time of the murder was contradictory. Footage shot by a nearby surveillance camera indicated his presence at the scene of the crime when the murder was committed, the court found, according to the Caucasian Knot news portal.

Despite a request by prosecutors that Zeinalov receive an 18-year prison sentence, he was given a term of 17 years in a high-security penal colony.

The court also ordered Zeinalov to pay out 3 million rubles ($85,000) in damages to Vladimir Shcherbakov, the victim's father, as part of a civil lawsuit. Shcherbakov had sought 5 million rubles.

Shcherbakov's death triggered a wave of nationalist sentiment in Moscow's southern Biryulyovo district last fall.

Residents reacted to the killing with outrage, storming a local shopping center where many migrant workers were known to be employed and demanding the closure of the vegetable warehouse where Zeinalov had worked. Authorities responded to the public outcry by launching a police raid on the market, which resulted in numerous detentions over migration violations.

Zeinalov initially fled the city, but was apprehended days later in the Moscow region city of Kolomna.

See also:

Murder-Linked Mayor Wants Lie Detector Test

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more