One of Georgia’s prominent transgender women was tragically killed in her home, just one day after the parliament enacted a significant anti-LGBTQ bill. Local authorities confirmed that Kesaria Abramidze, 37, was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Tbilisi on Wednesday.
In response, the interior ministry has launched an investigation into what it has termed a “premeditated murder committed with particular cruelty and aggravating circumstances”. A 26-year-old suspect, reportedly known to Abramidze, has been arrested in connection with this shocking incident that has raised alarm across the South Caucasian nation.
Advocacy groups have drawn a direct link between this horrific crime and the recent anti-LGBTQ legislation, claiming that the government’s endorsement of such measures has incited transphobic violence. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who voiced opposition to the new law, expressed deep concern about the implications of this “horrendous murder” for hate crimes and overall discrimination in the country.
The legislation, supported by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s administration, imposes severe restrictions on the rights of LGBT individuals, including a ban on same-sex marriage, gender-affirming surgeries, and the adoption of children by non-heterosexual couples. The bill, described as the “Protection of Family Values and Minors,” received overwhelming approval in parliament with a vote of 84-0, despite opposition from various rights organizations.
Local LGBTQ advocates have criticized the government for employing homophobic and transphobic rhetoric throughout the legislative process. Activists have pointed to this harmful language as a potential catalyst for the violence that claimed Abramidze’s life. As one of the first openly transgender public figures in Georgia, she had a significant following and had represented her country in international pageants.
A statement from the Social Justice Center emphasized that Abramidze’s tragic death cannot be viewed in isolation but rather as part of a broader, disturbing trend of political intolerance.
International reactions have been swift, with some European politicians associating the tragic incident with the anti-LGBTQ legislative agenda. German lawmaker Michael Roth emphasized the correlation between hate speech and violent outcomes, highlighting the urgency for change.
The European Union has condemned the newly passed law, asserting that it threatens Georgia’s aspirations for EU membership. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, criticized the legislation for undermining fundamental rights and increasing discrimination, urging the Georgian government to reconsider its stance.
Concerns have also been raised from the British embassy and various human rights organizations, which have likened the Georgian legislation to oppressive laws in Russia that heavily restrict LGBTQ rights. The Washington-based think tank Freedom House remarked that this bill appears to draw directly from authoritarian tactics used by the Kremlin.
