Georgia’s State Security Service (SSG) has released its preliminary findings into allegations that police used a World War I–era chemical weapon against protesters during last year’s anti-government demonstrations. While acknowledging that a chemical irritant was deployed, the agency insists that it was O-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS gas) — a standard type of tear gas widely used in riot control — and not camite, the rare choking agent identified in a BBC investigation.
The BBC’s report, published last week, cited chemical weapons experts, medical evidence, and testimonies from Georgian special forces officers, claiming that law enforcement used camite, an early chemical-warfare compound last known to be used during World War I. If confirmed, the use of such a substance would constitute a serious violation of international law, including the Chemical Weapons Convention. The BBC report prompted domestic and international alarm, as well as calls for an independent investigation.
On Saturday, SSG Deputy Head Lasha Maghradze dismissed the allegations, stating that “CS gas was used according to necessity during ongoing rallies,” specifically referencing the night of 4–5 December 2024, when police confronted demonstrators protesting the government’s abrupt reversal on EU-aligned reforms. Maghradze did not address which substances, if any, were used before this date.
The timeline remains at the heart of the controversy.
Protests began on 28 November, as thousands gathered on Rustaveli Avenue after the government announced a pivot away from long-standing commitments to European integration. The initial nights of the demonstrations were marked by aggressive police tactics, including the use of water cannons, which many participants reported to be mixed with an unknown chemical agent.
The night of 28–29 November is when multiple journalists and protesters reported unusual and severe chemical effects. Among them was OC Media’s Mariam Nikuradze, who said she was hit directly in the face by water from a water cannon. She described an intense burning sensation across her eyes, mouth, throat, and skin, calling it “completely different from the effects of pepper spray or tear gas.” After experiencing difficulty breathing, she sought emergency medical care.
Dozens of protesters similarly reported chemical burns, persistent coughing, and unusual respiratory symptoms. Medical workers who tended to injured demonstrators told local media that they encountered cases inconsistent with typical exposure to CS gas or pepper spray, fueling speculation that another substance was used.
Following the BBC’s report, Georgia’s opposition parties, human rights groups, and several EU politicians demanded transparency, urging Tbilisi to allow independent international experts to verify the findings. The SSG’s preliminary assessment did not address whether external verification would be permitted, nor did it release chemical test results or forensic documentation.
The agency’s full investigative report is still pending. Meanwhile, the BBC has stated that it stands by its findings, highlighting that several specialists independently identified chemical signatures consistent with camite based on evidence gathered at the scene.
The controversy has now become a major political issue, not only domestically but internationally, raising questions about Georgia’s human rights record, its adherence to global arms-control norms, and the credibility of its investigative institutions.
