Nata Talikishvili, a transgender activist in Georgia, was attacked in Tbilisi on October 20, just a month after the killing of another transgender woman, Kesaria Abramidze, reflecting the worsening climate for LGBT rights in the South Caucasus country.
The Interior Ministry told RFE/RL a suspect was arrested for allegedly insulting Talikishvili and hitting her with a brick, leaving her with a concussion.
The attacks of Abramidze and Talikishvili, a recipient of the Kato Mikeladze Prize in 2018 for her work defending women's rights, came after Georgian lawmakers approved legislation restricting LGBT rights.
The new laws allow for the prohibition of cultural events, including Pride marches, effectively limiting public expression for the LGBT community.
SEE ALSO: Georgian Speaker Signs Law Curbing LGBT Rights After President Refuses ToHuman rights advocates have criticized the measures as fostering an environment of intolerance and emboldening violent attacks.
A 26-year-old suspect has since been detained in the Abramidze killing, with investigators blaming gender-based violence.
Abramidze represented Georgia at the Miss Trans Star International beauty pageant in Barcelona in 2018 and regularly appeared in media and television.
The attacks underscore the LGBT community's long-standing struggle in Georgia, where conservative social attitudes and political rhetoric have often marginalized sexual and gender minorities. Despite the growing visibility of LGBT activists and events, backlash has been common.
Violent disruptions of Pride marches and homophobic rhetoric from conservative groups and some politicians have cultivated an increasingly hostile environment for LGBT Georgians.
Human rights organizations are calling for stronger protections and a crackdown on hate crimes. Amid the restrictive new laws, many fear a continuing escalation of violence against LGBT individuals in Georgia.