Concerns are mounting over the use of chemical agents by the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) during the November-December pro-European protests, with some doctors alleging that authorities deployed tear gas in doses exceeding safety recommendations, causing long-term health effects for some individuals.
The MIA has yet to disclose the chemical composition of the substances used to disperse protesters, prompting repeated calls from medical professionals for transparency. The Ministry of Health described the reactions to the gas as a “natural reaction from a medical point of view.”
During the protests, gas canisters were systematically used, and there were claims that tear gas or other substances were mixed into water cannons deployed against demonstrators.
On November 30, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said that such mixtures were possible “if necessary,” but did not specify the substances or their composition.
At a January 6 briefing, a medical professional identified one of the gas capsules as GL-202, a tear gas known for its wide dispersal capabilities. GL-202 is typically used under strict guidelines, prohibiting its use near vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, or individuals with chronic health conditions.
Dr. Giorgi Chakhunashvili, Doctor of Medical Sciences, criticized the actions of the authorities, saying, “observing the affected shows that the state committed a crime against the population.”
The allegations have raised questions about accountability and transparency in the MIA’s handling of the protests. Human rights advocates and medical professionals continue to urge the government to disclose the chemical composition of the substances used, while calling for an independent investigation into the excessive use of force.
