Photo: Sergei Fadeichev / TASS
Four Tajik nationals accused of carrying out the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, outside Moscow, have fully admitted their guilt and expressed remorse. Shamsiddin Fariduni, Dalerjon Mirzoev, Mukhammadsobir Faizov, and Saidakrami Rachabalizoda* also apologized to the victims, TASS reported, citing defense attorney Lyudmila Ayvar.
According to Ayvar, who represents the interests of 127 victims, the defendants admitted guilt at the trial, which began on August 4 in the Moscow City Court. She said that the direct perpetrators of the attack expressed remorse after the indictment was read aloud.
One defendant, Faizov, claimed that certain individuals had taken advantage of his youth, lured him in, and deceived him, as he had other plans for his life.
The case is being heard by the 2nd Western District Military Court. At the request of the prosecution, the proceedings are being held behind closed doors. Media outlets reported that the judge sided with prosecutors due to a real security threat to trial participants, making public hearings impossible.
Ayvar, however, requested that closed sessions be limited to the evidence review phase, and that the rest of the proceedings remain open to ensure transparency, given the high public interest in the case.
According to RBC, hearings will be held three times a week in Hall 635 of the appellate building of the Moscow City Court, which can seat up to 150 people and is considered one of the largest in Europe. Later, only direct participants will be allowed in, with press and public access restricted.
TASS later reported, citing court materials, that the total value of civil claims filed in connection with the Crocus attack amounts to about 66 million rubles ($826,000).
At the end of June, it was reported that only one defendant — Shamsiddin Fariduni — had fully admitted guilt and expressed remorse. The other three also admitted guilt but did not express regret at that time.
ℹ️ The terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region, took place on March 22, 2024, shortly before a performance by the rock band Piknik. Four armed men in camouflage entered the complex, began shooting people, and proceeded to the concert hall, where they set a fire that engulfed all four floors and the roof of the building before fleeing in the same car they had arrived in.
The attack left 149 people dead, one missing, and 609 injured. Damages are estimated at 6 billion rubles.
A total of 27 people have been charged, including the four attackers, three who sold them the car, and others who rented them an apartment or transferred money to them. The case involves more than 1,700 victims and 800 witnesses. The Russian Investigative Committee stated that the attack was carried out in the interests of Ukraine’s current authorities, with the goal of destabilizing Russia’s political situation.
