London, December 02, 2025
Georgian police reportedly deployed water cannons laced with bromobenzyl cyanide—a potent World War I-era chemical agent—during mass protests in late 2024, causing severe health effects among demonstrators and raising serious legal and ethical concerns.
Chemical Agent and Health Impact
According to a BBC investigation, samples collected from protest sites and internal police documents confirm the use of bromobenzyl cyanide, also known as camite, in water cannons used against protesters in Georgia. Victims reported intense skin burns, respiratory distress, coughing, vomiting, and symptoms lasting several weeks. The findings were supported by a peer-reviewed study led by pediatrician Konstantin Chakhunashvili and medical testimony from doctors treating the injured.
Historical Context and Obsolescence
Camite is a chemical tear gas developed and used during World War I but was largely abandoned due to its extreme potency and prolonged harmful effects. Its deployment in modern crowd control is highly unusual and hazardous, reflecting a reversion to outdated and dangerous riot control methods.
Legal and Ethical Implications
Experts caution that using such a chemical in policing may constitute deployment of a chemical weapon, violating international norms and potentially breaching human rights protections. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, labeled the tactic “experimental” and warned it might amount to a human rights violation. Human rights organizations are calling for independent investigations into the reported abuses.
Official Response and International Reaction
Georgian authorities rejected the BBC’s findings, describing them as “absurd” and “deeply unserious.” Officials maintained that law enforcement actions were lawful responses to “violent criminals.” Conversely, global observers and civil society groups have voiced alarm over the use of such hazardous agents, urging transparency and accountability.
Broader Significance
The incident underscores ongoing issues with excessive use of force and raises alarms about the erosion of international standards governing the use of chemical agents in law enforcement. The deployment of a WWI-era toxin in a contemporary political protest setting poses significant risks to public health and human rights, highlighting the urgent need for scrutiny of riot control practices worldwide.
As investigations proceed, the event remains a stark reminder of the complexities and dangers inherent in policing mass demonstrations and the imperative to uphold legal and ethical standards in crowd control.