Georgia launches criminal probe into BBC report on Tbilisi protests

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSG) has initiated a criminal investigation following a BBC report alleging the use of a hazardous chemical substance during recent protests in Tbilisi.

In an official statement, the SSG said the publication “contains signs of a crime which, if confirmed, is directed against the life and health of citizens, significantly violating their and the public’s lawful interests,” Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

The agency added that the article also “contains elements of a crime that severely damages Georgia’s national interests, its international image, and reputation, and constitutes an encroachment on state interests.”

The SSG has pledged to keep the public informed about the investigation’s progress in a step-by-step manner, signaling close monitoring of both the media report and its broader implications for national security.

The BBC report, published early today, December 1, claims that Georgian security forces used a World War I-era chemical agent known as "camite" in water cannons to disperse anti-government protests in Tbilisi during late 2024.

The controversy has reignited debates over police tactics during the 2024 protests, which erupted after the government's announcement of pausing EU accession talks until 2028. The BBC's findings, based on interviews with nearly 350 affected protesters, whistleblowers from Georgia's riot police, and medical experts, suggest the use of an obsolete riot-control agent that caused prolonged symptoms like burning sensations, coughing, shortness of breath, and skin irritation—effects inconsistent with standard tear gas.

By Vafa Guliyeva