The sentence against the security officer in the case of Dalgatov's death has been upheld.

The cassation court upheld the sentence of Makhachkala police officer Islam Atavov, convicted in the death of detainee Kurban Dalgatov.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, on December 9, 2024, the court sentenced Makhachkala police officer Islam Atavov to 7.5 years in prison, finding him guilty in the death of Kurban Dalgatov. Dalgatov's family lawyer, Madina Aliyeva, appealed the sentence, but the Supreme Court of Dagestan upheld it. This decision did not satisfy the victims, and their lawyers announced a cassation appeal against Atavov's sentence.

03:52 28.08.2025

The court found the security officer's testimony sufficient for a plea bargain in the Dalgatov death case

The plea bargain between former police officer Islam Atavov and investigators in the death of Makhachkala resident Kurban Dalgatov was lawful, the Supreme Court of Dagestan ruled. The trial of the remaining torture defendants continues with witness questioning.

The Supreme Court of Dagestan rejected the cassation appeal of the victims' lawyer against Islam Atavov's sentence, a source close to the lawyer representing Dalgatov's family and other victims told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The source recalled that Islam Atavov had previously entered into a plea bargain with investigators, received a verdict, and then signed a contract and was released from custody. "And now, even though he has died (officially declared 'missing,' but everyone says he died), his case has continued," the source noted.

According to the source, the defendants testifying in court continue to deny involvement in Dalgatov's death and torture. "They still maintain to this day that they were innocent and that others were to blame," the source said.

As a reminder, in July 2024, the investigation into the case of 11 officers of the Sovietsky District Police Department in Makhachkala 1 accused in Dalgatov's death was completed. The criminal cases of two other police officers who entered into plea bargains with investigators—Islam Atavov and Marat Babayev—were separated into separate proceedings. Neither of the accused admitted guilt.

By January 2026, three years after the death of Kurban Dalgatov, most of the accused had not been sentenced, with five of them sent to the special military unit. Dalgatov's relatives were outraged by the lengthy investigation into the case, despite officials' assurances that the perpetrators would be punished. On January 20, 2023, before the arrest of 35-year-old Kurban Dalgatov, a street conflict erupted between two men. According to police, one of them shot his opponent and escaped with Dalgatov's help. Kurban Dalgatov was found and detained. His condition worsened at the police station. He was given first aid and taken to the hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead. Dalgatov's relatives stated that he died of asphyxiation, which occurred after he was "electrically shocked in the heart." The man sustained injuries before his death, the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed.

There are three victims in the case: in addition to Dalgatov, two of his acquaintances were detained and also tortured. On July 7, the victim Bulat Atayev recounted in court how he was tortured and how he heard Dalgatov's screams.

On July 9, 2024, Makhachkala resident Akhmed Dzhabrailov, arrested for disturbing the peace, died in the same police station. A forensic examination confirmed the relatives' theory that Dzhabrailov died of asphyxiation. According to investigators, one of the security officers beat Dzhabrailov, used a taser on him, and crushed him with his weight, resulting in his death. By September 2024, three police officers had been detained in connection with Dzhabrailov's death. A fourth suspect was only detained in July 2025 thanks to the persistence of Dzhabrailov's relatives, who demanded the arrest of the security officer. They believe the investigation is attempting to cover up the case.