Murder of Kesaria Abramidze in Georgia
On the morning of September 19, police arrested in Tbilisi 26-year-old Beka Djaiani on suspicion of murdering 37-year-old transgender woman Kesaria Abramidze, according to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Abramidze was killed at her home on September 18, with multiple stab wounds found on her body. Reports suggest that the suspected killer was a friend of Abramidze, and the murder followed an argument between them.
The investigation established that on September 18 of this year, in the Didi Digomi district of Tbilisi, during an argument, the accused inflicted multiple stab wounds on K.A., born in 1987, in her own home and fled the scene.
K.A. died on the spot from her injuries.
Surveillance footage released by the “Mtavari” TV channel shows the suspect, 26-year-old Beka Djaiani, initially waiting for the elevator in the building where Kesaria Abramidze lived. At the end of the video, approximately 15 minutes later, he is seen quickly running down the stairs.
Morning scan: what’s big news in Georgia today, September 19:
The brutal murder of well-known transgender woman Kesaria Abramidze has shocked the community. Many are expressing outrage and condolences to her family. Public Defender Levan Ioseliani made a statement: “This… pic.twitter.com/r7UvhNFqSc
— JAMnews (@JAMnewsCaucasus) September 19, 2024
As a result of investigative actions carried out by law enforcement, the perpetrator was arrested shortly after the crime.
The weapon used in the crime, a knife, was seized as evidence, according to the official statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On September 17, the Georgian Parliament passed a discriminatory and homophobic law titled “On the Protection of Family Values and Minors,” effectively targeting the LGBT community. The bill was approved by 84 MPs. The parliamentary opposition did not participate in the vote, as they are boycotting sessions in full since the parliamentary majority passed the “foreign agents” law.
The changes further worsened the rights of transgender people in Georgia by restricting access to medical services, the process of gender transition, and the ability to include gender identity in official identification documents.
In recent years, several transgender women in Georgia have been murdered in hate crimes:
● Sabi Beriani was killed on November 10, 2014. The attacker stabbed her nine times and then set her apartment on fire.
● Bianka Shigurova, a transgender woman, was found dead in her apartment on February 4, 2016. The cause of death was reported as a gas leak.
● Zizi Shekeladze died on November 22, 2016, after being in a coma for nearly forty days. She had been stabbed in the head and neck.