Use of Chemical Weapons in Georgia

Dec 3, 2025

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Use of Chemical Weapons in Georgia

Context: In late 2024, mass protests erupted in Tbilisi after the Georgian government halted EU accession talks and the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party won a disputed election. A BBC investigation alleges that riot police used water cannons mixed with Camite (bromobenzyl cyanide), a WWI-era chemical agent, causing severe and lasting health effects.

What are the international regulations regarding the use of chemical weapons?

The use of chemical weapons is strictly prohibited under several key international treaties and norms:

Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): This 1997 treaty, ratified by 193 states including Georgia, comprehensively bans the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, and use of chemical weapons.
- The definition of a chemical weapon under the CWC is broad, covering any toxic chemical intended to cause harm or death, except where used for purposes not prohibited (like riot control).
Riot Control Agent (RCA) Limitations: While the CWC does not ban the use of chemicals for domestic riot control, it imposes critical restrictions. According to Article II, Paragraph 9(d), RCAs can only be used if the “types and quantities are consistent with such a purpose.” Crucially, the 1993 Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons clarifies that RCAs must be substances that can be “rapidly dispersing” and have effects that are “transitory and disappear within a short time following termination of exposure.” Agents causing long-term harm or permanent injury are considered chemical weapons and are illegal.
Geneva Protocol of 1925: This protocol prohibits the use of chemical and bacteriological methods of warfare in international conflicts. While focused on warfare, its principles inform the broader international consensus against the use of toxic chemicals against people.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL): In situations of internal armed conflict, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II prohibit the use of chemical agents against persons not taking part in hostilities.

How can they ensure protection of human rights?

Independent International Investigation: A credible, impartial investigation led by bodies such as the UN Human Rights Council, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), or the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is essential. This would establish facts, verify the chemical used, and assess its health impacts.
Accountability and Justice: If violations are confirmed, perpetrators must be held accountable through domestic courts or, if national systems are unwilling or unable, through international mechanisms. The principle of universal jurisdiction could allow other states to prosecute serious international crimes.
Diplomatic and Economic Pressure: The European Union, United States, and other partners can apply targeted sanctions (Magnitsky-style sanctions) against individuals and entities responsible for the alleged violations. Continued conditioning of financial aid and political relations on human rights compliance is a key lever.
Support for Civil Society and Media: Protecting and empowering Georgian civil society organisations, independent media, and medical professionals who document abuses is crucial for ongoing monitoring and advocacy.
Victim Support and Redress: Georgia has an obligation under international law to provide victims with effective remedies and reparations, including medical care, compensation, and guarantees of non-repetition.

Is this the first time that chemical weapons have been used?

Historical Use: The large-scale use of chemical weapons (mustard gas, chlorine) is infamous from World War I. Since then, they have been used in conflicts such as the Iran-Iraq War (1980s), by Saddam Hussein against Kurdish civilians in Halabja (1988), and in the Syrian Civil War (2013, 2017, etc.).
Use for Domestic Policing/Riot Control: While rare and universally condemned, there are allegations of states using banned chemical agents against their own populations. For example:
- Sudan (2019): There were credible allegations that the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces used a form of tear gas mixed with a nerve agent against protesters.
- Egypt (2013): Reports emerged of security forces using a toxic form of tear gas with long-term effects during the dispersal of protest camps.
- Various States: The use of “Novichok”-style nerve agents in assassination attempts on individuals (e.g., in the UK and Russia) also represents the use of chemical weapons in a non-warfare setting.