LGBTI activist attacked in Tbilisi

Miranda Pagava, an activist with Equality Movement and a trans woman, has been attacked in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

Trans woman and LGBTI activist, Miranda Pagava was assaulted by a man who had tried to convince her to get into his car on a street in the Georgian city of Tblisi. After she refused, he verbally attacked her using using transphobic and homophobic slurs, before physically assaulted her.

Pagava later reported the attack to the police. The perpetrator has since been arrested and a criminal case has been initiated.

The transphobic nature of this attack must be taken into account by the Georgian authorities. As is clear from our Rainbow Europe ranking, SOGI grounds are included as aggravating factors in law in Georgia.

• Read more about the Tblisi attack in this statement from Equality Movement: http://www.equality.ge/en/transgender-activist-got-attacked-tbilisi/

Also the Georgian state should take decisive preventive measures, as this is not the first case of a transphobic hate crime.

• In February 2017, four trans people were victims of physical violence in the centre of Tbilisi. Ten men armed with batons, sticks and sharp objects attacked the women.
• In October 2016, Zizi Shekiladze was violently attacked in Tbilisi. She was taken to the hospital, but doctors could not save Zizi’s life, a month later she died in the hospital.
• In November 2014, 23-year-old Sabi Beriani was found dead in a rented apartment in one of the districts of Tbilisi. The investigation reported that Sabi died from stab wounds.