Several NGOs urge OPCW Director-General to dispatch mission to Georgia

Several Georgian non-governmental organisations are appealing to the Director-General of the UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), UN Special Rapporteurs, and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to exercise their mandate and consider the possibility of dispatching a fact-finding or investigative mission to Georgia in connection with large-scale protests held in Tbilisi in November-December 2024.

NGO representatives announced this at a briefing.

“Georgian non-governmental organisations have jointly appealed to the Director-General of the UN Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), UN Special Rapporteurs, and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights regarding serious human rights violations by law enforcement agencies and the use of chemical and experimental means of crowd control during ongoing demonstrations in Georgia.

The information we have provided to international mechanisms concerns seven episodes during large-scale protests held in Tbilisi in November-December 2024, during which, according to existing evidence, law enforcement used chemical substances, including chemical irritants mixed in water cannon and other identifiable or unidentifiable toxic and experimental compounds, which caused serious and prolonged health damage to demonstrators.

Cases documented by non-governmental organisations, medical studies, victims’ testimonies, and investigative materials from international media show that the chemical agents used did not have temporary and rapid effects; rather, the symptoms manifested acute and prolonged respiratory disorders, chemical burns, nervous system damage, vision impairment, and other health problems continue to be recorded long after the use of chemical agents. This indicates that the chemical agents used and/or their methods of application exceed norms permitted by international standards.

The State Security Service’s five-day so-called investigation and the ‘conclusion’ it presented have raised questions and doubts rather than providing answers, once again making clear that Georgia lacks an effective, independent, and trustworthy investigative mechanism. The SSSG confirmed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs possess a toxic chemical substance coded UN1710, and denied its use only on the night of December 4-5. Accordingly, the question remains unanswered: did the MIA use the aforementioned chemical substance in 6 other cases?” they stated at the briefing.

According to them, “the investigation also failed properly to examine and disclose significant information, expert conclusions, laboratory research results, and other matters.”

“In light of the aforementioned circumstances, we have called upon the OPCW Director-General to exercise his mandate and consider the possibility of dispatching a fact-finding or investigative mission to Georgia. In the meantime, we have appealed to UN Special Rapporteurs and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to respond within the scope of their mandates, ensure international oversight, and support the pursuit of truth to safeguard the rights of victims.

Our aim is not only to investigate possible serious violations committed in the past, but also to prevent future violence and protect fundamental principles of international law in Georgia. Victims of chemical poisoning have the right to know complete information about the chemical compounds used so they can receive adequate treatment.

Furthermore, we welcome the initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s rapporteurs on Georgia and the monitoring committee, whereby they have called upon the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights to examine the use of chemical substances against demonstrators in Georgia and their impact on human rights. We continue the struggle to defend human rights and call upon international organisations to act immediately and use the levers at their disposal to protect the rights and dignity of victims,” the statement notes.

The statement is signed by: Sapari; Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA); European Orbit of Georgia; Prevention for Progress (PFP); Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT); Democracy Defenders; “Civil Society Foundation” (CSF); Social Justice Center; Georgia’s Future Academy; International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED); Transparency International – Georgia; and Economic Policy Research Center.