Tbilisi City Court sentences transgender woman’s murderer to life imprisonment

Tbilisi City Court Judge Nino Galustashvili found Beka Jaiani, a 26-year-old individual charged with the premeditated murder of Kesaria Abramidze, a well-known transgender model, guilty of the crime and imposed a life sentence as punishment.

The judge concurred with the prosecution’s assertion that Beka Jaiani had used violence against the transgender woman and committed the crime under aggravating circumstances.

Before announcing the verdict, the judge read a letter from Jaiani, sent from prison, in which he expressed remorse for his actions and noted that he would be unable to deliver his final statement in court due to his psychological condition.

Jaiani’s lawyer disagreed with the verdict, arguing that his client had not committed the murder due to the victim’s gender identity and had fully cooperated with the investigation. Meanwhile, Kesaria Abramidze’s family members deemed the verdict to be just.

Kesaria Abramidze was murdered in her apartment in September 2024, sustaining 28 knife wounds inflicted by Jaiani, who had brought the weapon with him.