A Georgian man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a transgender woman in a high-profile case highlighting violence against the LGBTQ+ community.
Beka Jaiani, 26, was found guilty on Wednesday by Tbilisi City Court of murdering Kesaria Abramidze with special cruelty and on the basis of gender identity. The ruling, delivered by Judge Nino Galustashvili, also included convictions for systematic physical and psychological abuse motivated by gender intolerance.
Abramidze, 37, was found dead in her Tbilisi apartment on September 18, 2024. A forensic examination revealed she had died from multiple stab wounds, leading to extensive blood loss.
Jaiani was arrested six hours after the killing, at Kutaisi International Airport in western Georgia while attempting to flee the country. The court found that he had tried to destroy evidence by discarding bloody clothes, cleaning the crime scene, and hiding the victim’s mobile phone.
Though given the opportunity to make a final statement at today’s hearing, Jaiani did not appear in court. He continues to deny all charges.
Prosecutors said the murder was the culmination of a pattern of violence, with Jaiani having regularly abused Abramidze during their relationship. The court’s decision explicitly recognised the killing as a hate crime, committed on the grounds of gender identity – one of the last such designations expected under current Georgian law.
Earlier this month, the ruling Georgian Dream party passed a controversial bill in its first reading to remove all references to “gender” from national legislation. Critics say the move undermines protections for women and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Human rights organisations have condemned the growing climate of intolerance in Georgia, warning that the legal changes may make it even more difficult to prosecute hate crimes in the future.
