Helsinki Commission Leaders Denounce Reports of Chemical Weapon Used on Georgian Protesters
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, December 5, 2025
Bipartisan leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission are sharply criticizing the Georgian Dream government after new evidence suggested that security forces used toxic and banned chemical agents against peaceful demonstrators. The lawmakers called the revelations alarming and urged a coordinated international response.
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who chairs the commission, said the details emerging from Georgia point to a serious breach of basic rights. "If these reports are accurate, then we are looking at a government deploying an outlawed chemical substance on its own citizens," Wicker said. "The injuries and long-term illnesses described by the victims are heartbreaking and absolutely unacceptable."
Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the commission's co-chairman, said the allegations reflect a dangerous shift inside the country. "A government that answers public protest with chemical agents is a government that fears its people," Wilson said. "This behavior is a sign of leaders who are abandoning democratic values in order to hold on to authority."
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, the ranking member, expressed concern that the Georgian Dream party is distancing the country from its democratic aspirations. "Using a toxic chemical to intimidate citizens betrays the commitments Georgia has made to uphold human rights," he said. "It suggests that the ruling party is moving closer to regimes that rely on fear rather than accountability."
Representative Steve Cohen of Tennessee called for immediate action from the United States and its partners. "We are urging the administration and our democratic allies to thoroughly investigate these claims and to pursue sanctions against anyone responsible," Cohen said. He added that Congress should pass the bipartisan MEGOBARI Act, which he described as "a needed tool to help the State Department support Georgians who want a free and democratic future."
The lawmakers responded to a BBC investigation published on November 30 that reported the use of camite, a chemical compound first developed during the First World War. The report, based on information from experts and whistleblowers within Georgia's riot police, said the substance was sprayed from water cannons during protests last year. Camite was reportedly abandoned decades ago because of severe long-term health risks.
The revelation comes at a tense moment for Georgia, where citizens have held daily demonstrations for more than a year. Protesters accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of manipulating elections, suppressing independent media, and pushing the country away from its historic and constitutional Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Critics warn that the government has grown increasingly authoritarian since late 2024, tightening its grip on political dissent and strengthening ties with Russia and China.
