Georgians fear rise in LGBTQ+ hate crime after trans model murdered

After well-known transgender model and actor Kesaria Abramidze was stabbed to death in her apartment last Wednesday, her murder has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights and LGBTQ+ groups.

Activists in the South Caucasus nation voiced their concerns over what they say is a link between violent attacks and a sweeping measure passed through parliament a day before Abramidze’s death — which has also been slammed by both the European Commission and LGBTQ+ groups.

Most worryingly, fears arose over the possibility that the stringent set of measures might provoke hate crimes and violence against the LGBTQ+ community in the country.

Abramidze’s murder was a spine-chilling reminder of how easily a law like that can be interpreted as permission to discriminate and vilify the community further, they say.

The wide-ranging bill, introduced by ruling Georgian Dream party and said to resemble a similar law in Russia, includes bans on same-sex marriages, adoptions by same-sex couples, and rules out the endorsement and depiction of same-sex relationships and people in the media.

It also bans gender-affirming treatment and changing gender designations in official documents.

Some of the measures, including a ban on same-sex weddings, cement existing Georgian law which defined a marriage as a union “between a man and a woman”.

Others, such as the ban on gender-affirming care, are novel — with human rights groups saying they will disproportionately impact transgender people and perpetuate existing negative stereotypes.

LGBTQ+ groups in the country say that the measure will lead to an increase in hate crimes. “We have been saying all along, all these months, that laws like this are going to cause violence and are going to increase the number of people that are physically attacked,” Tamar Jakeli, the head of Tbilisi Pride, said.

Georgian Dream said the bill, described as being on “family vales and the protection of minors”, will help protect minors and families in the country where the Orthodox Church wields significant influence.

Measure draws backlash

Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell said that the legislation would “undermine the fundamental rights of the people, increasing discrimination and stigmatisation.”

In response, Georgia’s PM Irakli Kobakhidze said that Europe should represent “transparency” and “traditional Christian values” adding that the EU’s comments would not “benefit the image of the European Union within Georgian society.”

Experts suggest the measure is a step taken to drum up support for the party ahead of parliamentary elections on 26 October.

“They are just using the same methods and means and tools Russia is using -– to somehow … take people’s attention (away) from the real problems and create a new enemy somewhere within the society, and then defeat that enemy that doesn’t really exist,” said Giorgi Davituri of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information.

The European Union had previously halted Georgia’s accession into the union and froze some financial support, after the ruling party introduced its so-called “foreign influence law” in June which opponents say mimics Kremlin policies.

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The law requires media and nongovernmental organisations to register with authorities if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad, and has been utilised in Russia to silence critics and dissidents of the government.

The “foreign influence” law ignited mass protests in Georgia with its opponents saying it undermined democracy in the country and jeopardised its entry into the European Union.

Georgia’s new legislation also mimics laws implemented in Russia over the last decade, with authorities in both countries saying that the rules protect “traditional family values” from outside influence.