GAP
InvestigationMarch 14, 2026

When Water Burns: How Georgia May Have Deployed a WWI-Era Chemical Weapon Against Its Own People

Summary

Multiple independent lines of evidence strongly suggest that Georgian authorities may have used a WWI-era chemical agent — bromobenzyl cyanide, known as “camite” — in water cannons deployed against peaceful protesters in Tbilisi during November–December 2024. The Georgian government admits that a chemical substance was added to the water but insists it was standard CS tear gas, not camite. As of March 2026, no independent international body has conclusively tested and published what was in the tanks, and Georgia has not provided full transparency.

This investigation synthesizes findings from the BBC Eye documentary “When Water Burns,” Amnesty International’s December 2025 briefing, medical research by Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili, whistleblower testimony, and subsequent international responses.

What Is Camite?

Bromobenzyl cyanide (α-bromobenzyl cyanide, chemical formula C₆H₅CHBrCN) is a lacrymatory and choking agent developed by France during World War I. Known by its French military name “camite,” it belongs to the “White Cross” group of chemical warfare agents used on the Western Front.

After WWI, camite was briefly used by some US police forces for riot control, but was abandoned by the 1930s because of its dangerously persistent effects. It was replaced by CS gas (o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile), which causes acute irritation that typically subsides within minutes to an hour after exposure ends.

Key differences from CS gas:

  • Potency: Camite is described by experts as roughly 10 times more potent than conventional tear gas
  • Duration: CS effects typically resolve within an hour; camite symptoms can persist for days or weeks
  • Residue: Camite clings to skin and surfaces and cannot be easily washed off
  • Health risks: Severe eye and skin burns, persistent respiratory distress, and potential systemic cyanide-related effects
  • Legal status: Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, riot control agents must cause effects that “disappear within a short time following termination of exposure.” Experts say camite does not meet this definition and should be classified as a chemical weapon, not a lawful riot-control agent

The BBC Investigation: “When Water Burns”

On 1 December 2025, BBC Eye Investigations published a one-hour documentary titled “When Water Burns — The Fight for Georgia,” presenting evidence that Georgian riot police mixed bromobenzyl cyanide into water cannons during the November–December 2024 protest crackdowns.

The Evidence

1. Whistleblower testimony

Lasha Shergelashvili, the former head of weaponry for the Department of Special Assignments (Georgia’s riot police unit), told BBC that:

  • A camite-type chemical had been in the unit’s arsenal since at least 2009
  • He was ordered to test the compound for use in water cannons and found its effects to be “probably 10 times” stronger than conventional tear gas
  • He warned superiors against using it due to dangerous effects
  • Despite his warnings, water cannons were loaded with the substance throughout his tenure
  • He left Georgia in 2022 and now lives in Ukraine
  • When he saw footage of the November 2024 protests, he recognized the pattern of use

A second unnamed senior police officer confirmed to BBC that the same compound was used during the 2024 protests.

2. The 2019 inventory document

BBC obtained a 2019 inventory document from the Department of Special Assignments listing two chemicals:

  • “Chemical liquid UN1710” — identified as trichloroethylene, a solvent used to dissolve other chemicals in water
  • “Chemical powder UN3439” — a UN hazardous materials code covering a range of industrial chemicals

BBC’s research found that the only chemical historically documented as a riot-control agent under the UN3439 code is bromobenzyl cyanide — camite.

3. Medical evidence

Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili, a physician who was himself exposed to the water cannon spray, conducted a study of nearly 350 protesters. His findings:

  • Approximately 50% reported symptoms lasting longer than 30 days
  • Persistent symptoms included coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and skin irritation
  • Some patients showed measurable changes in lung capacity and heart function weeks after exposure
  • The symptom profile was inconsistent with CS gas exposure at normal crowd-control doses

4. Expert analysis

Professor Christopher Holstege, a toxicology and chemical weapons specialist at the University of Virginia, reviewed the inventory records, whistleblower accounts, victim testimonies, and medical data. He concluded that the evidence “strongly suggested” the presence of bromobenzyl cyanide and ruled out CS gas as the sole agent.

“I’ve never seen camite being utilized in modern society. If that is indeed the case — that this chemical has been brought back — that is actually exceedingly dangerous.” — Professor Christopher Holstege

5. Eyewitness accounts

Protesters and journalists reported a stark difference between water cannon streams: some jets felt like normal water, while others caused immediate, intense burning that could not be washed off. OC Media co-founder Mariam Nikuradze, who was hit by both types during reporting, described clear water from one cannon and “burning water” from another — consistent with the hypothesis that only some tanks were loaded with the chemical mixture.

The Government’s Response

Admission and denial

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed that “a substance was mixed” into the water cannons but insisted it was not camite. He called the BBC documentary “absurd,” “deeply unserious,” and a “provocation planned in the signature style of foreign intelligence services.”

Former Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri acknowledged that the ministry had access to camite since around 2009, but claimed the substances were purchased before 2012 — attempting to shift responsibility to previous governments.

Current Interior Minister Gela Geladze flatly denied that camite was ever held in ministry stocks, contradicting Gomelauri’s own statement.

The SSG investigation — or intimidation?

Within hours of the BBC broadcast, the State Security Service (SSG) opened an investigation — but not only into the alleged chemical use. The SSG also invoked charges of “aiding a foreign organization in hostile activities,” targeting those who cooperated with BBC.

Within 24 hours of the documentary airing:

  • Dr. Konstantine Chakhunashvili was summoned for questioning
  • His co-researchers Dr. David Chakhunashvili and Dr. Gela Ghunashvili were also questioned about their contacts with journalists
  • Representatives of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) and Transparency International Georgia were summoned before magistrate judges

The SSG later issued preliminary findings claiming that CS gas, not camite, was added to water cannons. However:

  • The SSG focused its public statement on the night of December 4–5, 2024, and did not clearly address the first nights (November 28–29) when the most severe “burning water” reports originated
  • No underlying procurement records or full inventory were released
  • The 2019 UN1710/UN3439 evidence was not addressed in detail

As of March 2026, no formal charges have been filed against whistleblowers, but the pattern of interrogation and public smears has had a chilling effect.

International Response

Amnesty International (December 10, 2025)

Amnesty International issued a detailed briefing condemning Georgia’s “appalling response” to the allegations. Key demands:

  • Creation of an international mechanism of enquiry, preferably led or supervised by the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)
  • A complete embargo on transfers of law enforcement equipment and weapons to Georgia
  • Full disclosure of all substances used in water cannons
  • An end to harassment of witnesses, doctors, and NGOs

UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

“Populations should never be subjected to experiments. This is absolutely in violation of human rights law.” — Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

OSCE Moscow Mechanism Report (March 2026)

The OSCE rapporteur’s report cited the BBC investigation and noted allegations of prohibited chemical agent use in water cannons, calling for full investigation, but stopped short of its own chemical identification.

OPCW

As of March 2026, the OPCW has not announced a formal investigation or fact-finding mission regarding Georgia. Amnesty International and civil society organizations continue to call for OPCW involvement.

Legal Implications

Chemical Weapons Convention

Georgia ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in the late 1990s. Under CWC Article II, riot control agents must cause “sensory irritation or disabling physical effects which disappear within a short time.” Camite’s persistent, severe effects disqualify it from this definition.

If confirmed as camite, its use would constitute:

  • A violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention
  • Potential use of a chemical weapon against a civilian population
  • Possible grounds for referral to the OPCW and international legal proceedings

Individual criminal liability

Officials who ordered or facilitated the use of a banned chemical agent could face:

  • Domestic criminal liability for torture, inhuman treatment, or use of prohibited weapons
  • International liability if the situation is referred to the ICC or characterized as part of a broader pattern of crimes against humanity

Relevant individuals include former Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri (who oversaw the ministry during the 2024 protests and is already under US OFAC sanctions), PM Kobakhidze (who admitted chemicals were added), and senior Department of Special Assignments commanders.

What We Know, What We Don’t

Confirmed

  • ✅ A chemical substance was mixed into water cannon tanks (government admits this)
  • ✅ Protesters experienced unusually severe and long-lasting symptoms inconsistent with standard CS gas
  • ✅ Nearly 350 surveyed by Dr. Chakhunashvili; ~50% reported effects lasting over 30 days
  • ✅ The Department of Special Assignments’s 2019 inventory lists UN codes matching a solvent and a chemical class containing camite
  • ✅ Multiple whistleblowers say camite has been in the arsenal since 2009
  • ✅ The government is harassing witnesses rather than cooperating with independent investigation

Strongly alleged but not independently confirmed

  • ⚠️That bromobenzyl cyanide specifically was mixed into water cannons in November–December 2024
  • ⚠️That this constitutes a CWC violation (contingent on the factual finding above)

Unknown

  • ❓ Exact concentration and chemical composition of the substance
  • ❓ Chain of command — who specifically ordered the mixing
  • ❓ Whether OPCW or ICC will investigate

GAP Assessment

The Georgian Accountability Project assesses that the evidence presented by BBC, corroborated by whistleblower testimony, medical data, inventory documents, and expert analysis, establishes a high probability that Georgian authorities used a chemical agent more potent than standard CS gas — potentially bromobenzyl cyanide (camite) — against peaceful protesters.

The government’s contradictory statements — admitting chemical use while denying camite, and harassing witnesses rather than providing transparency — further undermine their credibility.

We call on:

  • The OPCW to launch a fact-finding mission to Georgia
  • EU and US governments to impose targeted sanctions on officials responsible for ordering chemical use against protesters
  • The Georgian government to immediately disclose all substances used and provide independent access to inventory records
  • International courts to consider the camite allegations as part of broader accountability proceedings

This investigation directly relates to the profiles of Vakhtang Gomelauri (Interior Minister during the crackdowns, US OFAC sanctioned) and Irakli Kobakhidze (Prime Minister who admitted chemical use).

Sources: BBC Eye “When Water Burns” (1 December 2025), Amnesty International briefing EUR 56/054/2025, OC Media, Georgia Today, Coda Story, OSCE Moscow Mechanism Report (March 2026), Human Rights Watch, JAMnews, E-International Relations.