A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of transgender actress and model Kesaria Abramidze in Georgia last year.
Beka Jaiani, 26, was found guilty of fatally stabbing 37-year-old Abramidze on September 18, 2024, in a violent attack that occurred in her home in Tbilisi, the country’s capital. The court heard that Abramidze was stabbed more than 50 times in the neck.
Though Jaiani partially admitted to the killing, he denied that it involved particular cruelty or was motivated by gender bias. He was not present in court for the sentencing, citing emotional and psychological distress, but expressed regret for his actions through a statement.
His attorney, Giorgi Mdinaradze, criticized the verdict, claiming it was “based solely on moral considerations rather than legal grounds” and announced plans to appeal the conviction.
Local reports indicate that Jaiani and Abramidze had been in a relationship for approximately two years, which was marked by frequent conflicts leading up to the murder.
Surveillance footage from the day of the crime showed Jaiani waiting near the elevator in Abramidze’s apartment building. Less than ten minutes later, he was seen fleeing down the stairs. Neighbors, alerted by screams, entered her apartment and discovered her body.
Abramidze was a prominent figure in Georgia’s LGBTQ+ community. After undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 2014, she went on to represent Georgia in the Miss Trans Star International pageant in 2018 and had amassed a following of over half a million people on social media.
Her death marks the third high-profile murder of a transgender woman in Georgia in recent years and sparked widespread outrage, particularly as it occurred just one day after Georgian lawmakers passed legislation banning what they described as “LGBTQ+ propaganda.”
Abramidze’s death has intensified calls for greater protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in Georgia, where advocates say discrimination and violence remain significant challenges.
