Georgia plans to sue BBC over allegations of use chemical agent to quell protests last year

By Kanyshai Butun

ISTANBUL (AA) – Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party on Monday announced it will take legal action against the BBC over allegations that authorities used a chemical agent to disperse protests last November.

“We have decided to initiate legal proceedings against the BBC, a fake media outlet, in international courts,” the party said in a statement published on US social media company Facebook.

A BBC article published Sunday suggested that Georgian authorities used a “World War One-era chemical weapon” called “camite” to quell the demonstrations.

The Georgian Dream party said the article contained “absurd and false” claims based on the views of “specific individuals” and “interested parties.” “Naturally, this so-called media outlet, which has been turned into a propaganda weapon of the ‘Deep State’, has presented not a single fact to substantiate this grave accusation,” the statement added.

The party said its communications team had remained in contact with the journalist before publication but claimed the BBC did not publish “even 1%” of the responses provided. Authorities argued the report was a “dirty propaganda material” aimed at smearing the Georgian government, police and state institutions.

Georgia saw widespread protests in November 2024 after the ruling party paused the country’s EU accession talks until 2028.