The Georgian trans influencer, Kesaria Abramidze, 37 years old, was stabbed to death on Wednesday in her apartment in the capital, Tbilisi. Local authorities confirmed that she was the victim of a "premeditated murder committed with particular cruelty and aggravating circumstances on gender grounds."

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the case, and reports from Georgian media suggest that he was known to the victim.

Abramidze was a trailblazer in her country as one of the first openly transgender public figures and represented Georgia in international beauty pageants. With more than 500,000 followers on social media, she had a significant reach. The local human rights organisation, Social Justice Center, stated that her murder cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of political hate: "Political homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia have become central to the government’s official discourse and ideology."

Several human rights organisations have pointed out that this murder is closely linked to the new anti-LGBT+ legislation, which they believe has fostered a climate of transphobia. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, who opposes the law, called the "horrific murder" an urgent call to address hate crimes and discrimination.

The legislation, introduced by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and his party Georgian Dream, severely restricts the rights of LGBT+ individuals. It not only bans same-sex marriage but also prohibits gender-affirming surgeries, adoption by non-heterosexual individuals, and the promotion of such relationships in schools. Expressions of the LGBT+ community, including Pride events and the Pride flag, may also be censored. The ruling party claims that the "Law for the Protection of Family Values and Minors" is intended to protect the majority of Georgians from "LGBT+ propaganda."

Georgia is set to hold elections in October, and the current ruling party, Georgian Dream, is facing fierce protests against a law that would label organisations with foreign donors as "foreign agents." Many Georgians see this law as a move towards Russia, while a large portion of the population favours a pro-European direction. The new anti-LGBT+ law is also seen as aligning with Russian influence. Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, said the law was "further derailing the country from its EU path" and called on the Georgian government to withdraw the law.