“International media reports regarding the Georgian Dream regime’s use of chemical substances, banned by law, against peaceful demonstrators have provoked grounded public outrage and protest, whilst triggering complete panic and hysteria within Georgian Dream itself, further intensifying suspicions about their culpability,” reads a statement from the parliamentary group of the Gakharia for Georgia party.

According to the statement, the decision has been taken to petition Parliament for the establishment of an investigative commission.

“The public must know: who specifically gave the order to mix illegal chemical substances into the water? Was this a systemic crime, or an unlawful act committed by a specific official, which placed the lives and health of numerous demonstrators at risk? The necessity of conducting an independent investigation is dictated not only by the need to identify the perpetrators and prevent similar grave crimes, but also by the timely identification of health risks to affected citizens and their vital interests. Under circumstances where the public has virtually no trust in Georgian Dream’s judicial and investigative systems, and where justice is politically motivated, considering that the trail of criminality may lead to the highest-ranking officials, there exists a legitimate concern that any investigation conducted by Georgian Dream’s Prosecutor’s Office will not be fully independent, objective, or effective.

The fact remains: thus far, Georgian Dream has not initiated investigations into the use of disproportionate force against peaceful demonstrators, nor into violence and inhumane treatment directed at them; neither those who issued unlawful orders nor those who executed them have been punished. Therefore, we have no guarantee whatsoever that this time everything will be investigated thoroughly and objectively.

All the more so when we are confronted with Georgian Dream’s chaotic, hysterical, and panicked statements, often featuring mutually contradictory positions and forced admissions that the water cannon spray did indeed contain certain toxic substances. In light of all these circumstances, we have decided to petition Parliament at the next Bureau session with a request to establish an investigative commission.

We must agree on one fundamental point: human life and health are the highest values; they cannot be held hostage to partisan or narrow political interests. The investigative commission is the sole mechanism through which citizens can personally assess the objectivity of the investigation and receive answers to their questions via live broadcast.

It is precisely for this reason that the For Georgia faction will initiate a draft resolution in the Parliament of Georgia for the creation of a Temporary Investigative Commission of the Parliament of Georgia to examine the legality of special measures employed by officials and personnel of law enforcement agencies during assemblies and demonstrations in Georgia in November–December 2024,” reads the declaration from the parliamentary group of the Gakharia for Georgia party.