Day: January 15, 2026

Georgian Dream has filed a complaint with the BBC over the investigative report that suggested that Georgian authorities used toxic chemical compound camite to disperse protests in late 2024, disputed Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced on January 15, citing “grave, damaging, and categorical” allegations in the report.

Speaking at a briefing, Papuashvili said the complaint was submitted on January 14, demanding the BBC remove the film and related materials from all relevant platforms and issue “a public and clear apology.” Citing UK laws that instruct the injured party first approach the media itself, he warned the next stage would be filing a complaint at the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom), British media regulator, and, if necessary, pursue legal action in UK courts.

Citing chemical weapons experts, whistleblowers from Georgia’s riot police, and medical professionals, a BBC Eye investigation published on December 1 suggested that a WW1 military-grade agent known as camite may have been mixed in water cannons and used during the first days of pro-EU demonstrations in Georgia that began on November 28, 2024.

Georgian Dream dismissed the allegations and warned to sue the channel. Under media pressure, Georgian officials admitted to mixing a substance into water cannons but denied that it was camite. Hours after the BBC report was aired, Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG) announced the opening of an investigation into alleged abuse of office and “assistance to a foreign organization in hostile activities.”

Five days later, the SSSG said the investigation had established that police had used chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS gas), a commonly used tear-gas agent for crowd control, during protests over the years, including on December 4-5, 2024, but did not specify whether substances were used during dispersals on other days, or what those substances were.

Details of Complaint

“The absurdity of the accusations, the nature and scale of violations, and bad-faith actions lead us to think that we are dealing with a political campaign aimed at damaging the reputation of the Georgian government through a predetermined false narrative,” Papuashvili said.

According to him, the “level of reliability of the materials used and the manner of their portrayal,” indicate an intent to shape “public perception and political narrative, rather than informing the audience through accurate, balanced, and properly sourced journalism.”

“This false narrative was subsequently disseminated and amplified by many high-ranking foreign officials and domestic political actors and is being used as an instrument of politically motivated attack against Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party,” he added.

Papuashvili said that the complaint is based on alleged violations of the BBC’s own editorial standards, the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, and the journalistic fundamental principles, citing several grounds for the complaint.

First, he identified “gross violation of accuracy” as the primary issue, stating that the BBC “presented as fact” claims that Georgian law enforcement used camite without relying on “any verified, independent, or reliable source.”

• 10/12/2025 – Kobakhidze Says UK Must Apologize Over BBC Report, Slams Ambassador

The Speaker continued that the BBC “falsely presented” facts as if “protest participants were not committing violent acts against law enforcement,” and “yet law enforcement still dispersed the demonstrations.” Papuashvili also said the BBC claimed “falsely and without credible evidence” that Georgian Dream’s honorary chairman, Bidzina Ivanishvili, was involved in decision-making regarding the dispersal of protests in November–December 2024.

Impartiality was cited as the second major violation, with Papuashvili arguing that the report advanced a “clearly one-sided narrative” portraying the government as “an organizer of violent actions, as ‘pro-Russian’, aligned with Russian interests’, etc,” while ignoring the government’s position and official explanations.

The third issue, he said, concerned fairness and the right of reply. Papuashvili claimed the BBC contacted the Georgian government only a few days before broadcast, contrary to its editorial rules requiring sufficient time for response when dealing with “serious and reputationally damaging allegations.”

“It is also important to note elements of defamation,” he continued. “The program uses statements from specific individuals whose reliability, conflicts of interest, and background are not disclosed to the audience.”

He said the apology is demanded for, among other things, “the assumption and claim without factual basis that Georgian law enforcement allegedly used ‘Camite’,” for “disseminating information without factual basis that Georgian law enforcement used physical force in circumstances where assembly participants were not attacking them,” for “making claims without factual basis that Georgian Dream’s interests align with Russia’s interests,” and for “disseminating information without factual basis that Georgian Dream’s Honorary Chairman participated in decisions regarding the dispersal of violent assemblies.”

The BBC findings came amid longstanding concerns from Georgian protesters, human rights groups, and medical professionals about the use of toxic substances during rallies, with many reporting long-term health complications. The report intensified both local and international scrutiny of Georgian Dream authorities. Georgian opposition parties and international watchdogs, including Amnesty International, have called for an independent international investigation into the matter.

Also Read:

• 22/12/2025 – CSOs Appeal to International Watchdogs to Review Alleged Use of Chemicals at 2024 Protests
• 17/12/2025 – CoE Commissioner Presses Georgian Prosecutors on Accountability for Protest Crackdown
• 04/12/2025 – Helsinki Commission Urges U.S. to Verify BBC Report, Sanction Those Responsible