It’s no longer water cannon if any substance is mixed into it, NGO head

The head of the Democracy Research Centre, Ucha Nanuashvili, has warned that the use of water cannons containing any added substance would constitute a criminal offence, saying the device “is no longer a water cannon if any type of substance is mixed into it.”

The comment came following recent BBC reports over alleged use of chemical agent Camine during anti-government protests in Tbilisi late last year. 

Nanuashvili said that adding even minimal amounts of any chemical or irritant to the cannon transforms the tool into an unlawful weapon and violates both Georgian law and international standards. He stressed that such actions must be examined through an independent, international investigation.

The rights advocate also described recent protest dispersals as illegal and argued that the ongoing domestic probe cannot be considered a genuine investigation. He emphasised that all special means used by police must strictly comply with UN guidelines adopted by democratic states.