Georgian authorties' use of a chemical agent against protestors in late 2024 that became controversial in late 2025
Georgian police allegedly used a WWI-era chemical agent, camite, against protesters, prompting Amnesty International to call for a Chemical Weapons Convention investigation.
Key Facts
- Chemical agent used
- α-bromobenzyl cyanide (camite), a WWI-era tear gas
- Delivery method
- Added to water in water cannons
- Investigation published
- November 2025 by BBC News
- Health effects noted
- Significant ECG changes indicating cardiopulmonary effects
- International body response
- Amnesty International called for Chemical Weapons Convention probe
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the 2024–2026 Georgian protests, law enforcement deployed water cannons against demonstrators. According to a BBC News investigation published in November 2025, evidence emerged that α-bromobenzyl cyanide, a chemical agent dating to World War I and known as camite, had been added to the water used in those cannons.
The BBC investigation compiled testimony from protesters, medical reports, police insiders, journalists, and human rights organizations to establish that camite was used against protesters. An observational medical survey found the water cannon use was associated with significant ECG changes, suggesting cardiopulmonary effects lasting far longer than typical riot-control substances.
The findings triggered international condemnation, with Amnesty International calling for a formal investigation under the Chemical Weapons Convention. The incident raised serious legal and ethical questions about Georgia's use of a banned chemical warfare agent against civilian protesters.