A BBC investigation has found evidence suggesting that protesters in Georgia were exposed to a World War One-era chemical agent during demonstrations against the government last year. According to the report, authorities used water cannons containing bromobenzyl cyanide, also known as camite, a compound previously deployed as a riot-control agent but abandoned for its long-lasting and highly irritating effects.
Protesters described intense burning sensations and persistent skin irritation after being sprayed. Other reported symptoms included shortness of breath, vomiting, coughing, headaches, and fatigue lasting for weeks. One protester, Gela Khasaia, said the chemical caused his skin to burn in a way that could not be washed off immediately.
The BBC report drew on interviews with chemical weapons experts, whistleblowers from Georgia’s Special Tasks Department, and medical professionals. Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili, a paediatrician who participated in the protests and was exposed himself, conducted a survey of nearly 350 individuals. Almost half reported prolonged symptoms lasting more than 30 days, and medical examinations revealed abnormalities in heart electrical signals in several cases. His study has been peer-reviewed and accepted by Toxicology Reports.
Former officials of the riot police told the BBC that the chemical had been tested for use in water cannons as early as 2009. One, Lasha Shergelashvili, warned at the time that it was far stronger and more persistent than conventional tear gas. Documents obtained by the BBC include a 2019 inventory listing chemicals used by the Special Tasks Department, with codes linked to trichloroethylene and camite.
Toxicology experts consulted by the BBC concluded that the reported symptoms are consistent with exposure to camite rather than standard crowd-control agents like CS gas. Prof. Christopher Holstege noted that the chemical is markedly persistent and highly irritating, and its use today could constitute a serious violation of international law.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Edwards, told the BBC that populations should never be subjected to experimental chemical agents. She emphasised that crowd-control measures must have temporary effects and warned that the symptoms described suggest possible human rights violations.
Georgia’s authorities dismissed the BBC report as “absurd” and maintained that law enforcement acted within the law while responding to illegal actions by protesters. Demonstrations in Tbilisi have continued over the past year, with citizens raising concerns about election integrity, civil liberties, and government accountability.
