Model Kesaria Abramidze Stabbed to Death in Georgia

Model and TV personality Kesaria Abramidze has died in a stabbing, according to multiple media reports. An assailant killed Abramidze at her apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Sept. 18. She was 37.

According to Georgian News, police have arrested Beka Jaiani, believed to be a romantic partner of Abramidze, for the crime. Jaiani allegedly stabbed the model 28 times. Authorities in the country of Georgia believe he purchased a knife around 3:50 p.m. in Tbilisi on the day of the crime after the former couple had agreed to meet up. He allegedly went to Abramidze’s home at 7:10 p.m. and hurriedly departed around 20 minutes later. The report claims he then fled to a relative’s apartment while wearing a bloodied shirt before attempting to flee the country, eventually being caught near an airport.

The initial charge against Jaiani is said to be “premeditated murder based on gender and with particular cruelty.” Complicating the case is Abramidze’s gender identity. El Espanol described Abramidze as “Georgia’s most famous transgender woman.” Many public figures and news outlets, including The Guardian, have tied the slaying of Abramidze with Georgia’s recent anti-LGBTQ+ law, which includes bans on same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex parents, Pride events and LGBTQ+ content in media. The law, informally known as the Georgian LGBT propaganda bill, was passed just one day before Abramidze’s death.

The Social Justice Center in Georgia issued a strong statement in reaction to Abramidze’s death, demanding a thorough investigation into the motives behind the crime.

“The Social Justice Center calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia and Prosecutor’s Office to ensure that all necessary investigations are carried out on the case,” the statement read. “Within the scope of the investigation, they should investigate whether the crime is committed based on hatred (transphobic motive) and provide motive for the alleged perpetrator in prosecution.

“In parallel with the investigation of the case, it is important to investigate whether violent actions were led to the victim, and whether the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs and Prosecutor’s Office had an appropriate reaction to these actions.

“There is a direct link between the use of hate language in political rhetoric and violence motivated by hate. It’s been almost a year since the government of ‘Georgian Dream’ has been aggressively using homo/bi/transphobic language and its cultivation is done with mass weapons of propaganda. Political homo/bi/transphobia has become the official discourse and ideology of the government, most evident in the passage of anti-LGBT fascist legislation yesterday. Clearly, hate politics have serious consequences – the oppression, marginalization, and violence against LGBTQ people. The case of Kesaria Abramidze’s murder cannot be conceived without this difficult general context. The Social Justice Center will once again express its deep sorrow over the death of Kesaria Abramidze and will try to monitor the ongoing investigation into the case.”