GYLA Initiates Legal Action Over Alleged Chemicals in Water Cannons

2026-02-16 - 10:27

The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), a local human rights watchdog, has initiated legal proceedings on behalf of seven citizens who say they were harmed by substances allegedly mixed into water cannons during the dispersal of pro-EU protests in November and December 2024, addressing the Prosecutor’s Office through appropriate communication. Riot police used tear gas, pepper spray, and water cannons to disperse pro-EU and anti-government protests in late 2024, after which several protesters reported prolonged health problems, including headaches, fatigue, coughing, shortness of breath, and vomiting. On December 1, 2025, the BBC published an investigation suggesting that a “World War I-era” military-grade chemical agent, “camite,” may have been mixed into water cannons. Georgian Dream, including through an investigation by the State Security Service, has denied the allegations and challenged the BBC’s findings. In a February 16 statement, GYLA said the mixing of chemical irritants into water cannons in Georgia is “not clearly regulated,” noting that neither the Law on Police nor Interior Ministry instructions establish rules for such a practice. It added that a 2015 ministerial order prohibited the simultaneous use of water cannons, rubber bullets, and tear gas, but that the restriction was later removed “without introducing additional standards of legality.” “Water cannons saturated with chemical irritants cannot be considered a ‘legally defined’ lawful means of crowd control and contradict both national and convention requirements that the use of force be a legal, necessary, and proportionate intervention,” the organization stressed. GYLA said it is providing legal representation to seven people who continue to suffer from health issues, which they link to an alleged substance mixed into water cannons. The organization also said it had requested that the Prosecutor’s Office provide information on the progress of the investigation, question the injured parties, assess whether mixing substances into water cannons constitutes a criminal offense, carry out “all necessary investigative actions” to identify those responsible, and grant victim status to the injured individuals. The ruling Georgian Dream party dismissed the BBC’s allegations. Officials admitted to mixing a substance into water cannons but denied that it was camite or any other banned chemical. Shortly after the BBC report, the State Security Service of Georgia opened an investigation into alleged abuse of office and “assistance to a foreign organization in hostile activities.” Within five days, the SSSG concluded 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. In January, Georgian Dream filed a complaint with the BBC over what it described as “grave, damaging, and categorical” allegations, warning it may pursue legal action in UK courts. On February 13, Formula TV cited a BBC spokesperson as saying that the broadcaster had already responded to the complaint and stands by the documentary. Georgian Dream said it plans to appeal in higher instances. Also Read: 10/12/2025 – Kobakhidze Says UK Must Apologize Over BBC Report, Slams Ambassador 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