Knife fighting among Uzbeks in Dubai: 1 person dead, 15 people detained

On April 20 of this year, a sharp conflict occurred between two criminal groups consisting of Uzbek citizens in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. According to the information that has spread, a stabbing incident took place as a result of this conflict, leading to the death of one of the group leaders at the scene.

According to sources, the members of this criminal group left Uzbekistan after strict measures against "street" activities were implemented in December 2023 and have been hiding in Turkey and the UAE.

Ahror Burhonov, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, reported that our diplomats in the UAE held a meeting with the leadership of the Dubai Criminal Investigation Department regarding this incident.

"UAE officials stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing and that 15 Uzbek citizens have been detained in connection with this case. It was also mentioned that the increasing cases of crimes and offenses committed by Uzbeks recently could negatively affect the visa-free travel arrangements between the two countries," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasized that it is working closely with law enforcement agencies and has called on all Uzbeks abroad to refrain from actions that could harm the honor of their compatriots.

However, the ministry has not yet disclosed specific details of the incident, including information about the deceased or injured individuals.

Uzbeks are facing problems entering the UAE

According to Kun.uz, recently, problems related to the entry of Uzbek citizens into the UAE have increased again. In particular, today, on April 25, 9 Uzbek citizens who planned to return to Uzbekistan from Saudi Arabia via the UAE faced issues at the airport.

According to citizen Abdulvohid Abdulhamidov, he purchased a ticket from Medina to Dubai on April 25, and then from Abu Dhabi to Tashkent on April 26. However, the administration of Medina airport did not allow him to board the plane. Additionally, 8 other Uzbek citizens found themselves in a similar situation.

These situations began with the murder of Rabbi Svi Kogan in the UAE in November 2024. At that time, a UAE court found three citizens of Uzbekistan guilty of the crime and sentenced them to death.

Since these events, the entry of Uzbek citizens into the UAE and the conditions for working there have become significantly more difficult. In particular, on November 25 of last year, a group of Uzbek citizens was detained by the police in Dubai. Later, some of them were released, others were deported, and it was revealed that criminal cases had been initiated against five other citizens.

Moreover, throughout 2024, there have been numerous cases where many citizens arriving on various flights from Uzbekistan at different airports in the UAE were returned without any reason and not allowed to enter the country.