Kesaria Abramidze, a prominent Georgian transgender woman was killed in her home just one day after the country’s parliament passed a controversial anti-LGBT law.
The 37-year-old model and influencer, seen as a trans leader in the Georgian community, was found stabbed to death in her flat in Tbilisi on Wednesday.
Authorities have arrested a 26-year-old man, reportedly known to Abramidze, in connection with the murder.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the South Caucasian nation, with rights groups linking the killing to the government’s recent passage of a law that severely curtails LGBT rights.
The new legislation, passed with an 84-0 vote, bans same-sex marriage, gender-affirming surgeries, adoption by non-heterosexual individuals, and the promotion of same-sex relationships in schools.
The ruling party defended the bill, claiming it protects “family values” and shields children from “LGBT propaganda.”
However, LGBT rights advocates argue that the government’s rhetoric has fostered an atmosphere of hostility and transphobia.
Local human rights group the Social Justice Center stated, “Kesaria Abramidze’s killing cannot be viewed separately from this overall grave context.”
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who opposed the law, condemned the “horrendous murder” and called for urgent action on hate crimes and discrimination.
Abramidze, one of Georgia’s first openly trans public figures, was a well-known international trans pageant representative with over 500,000 social media followers.
Activists believe that the government’s language promoting the law directly contributed to her death.
International figures have also condemned the killing. German lawmaker Michael Roth remarked, “Those who sow hatred will reap violence,” linking the murder to the passage of the law.
The legislation has sparked international concern, with European Union officials warning it jeopardizes Georgia’s goal of joining the EU.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, urged the Georgian government to withdraw the law, citing its impact on fundamental rights.
Rights groups have compared Georgia’s new law to similar anti-LGBT policies in Russia, describing it as part of a wider authoritarian agenda.