The Georgian State Security Service found no traces of the "kamit"

Relatives of political prisoners, during a rally outside the Georgian parliament, called on the authorities to release the names of the chemicals used to disperse protests in late 2024. Protesters marched from the parliament to the government chancery.

As reported by the Caucasian Knot, the Georgian State Security Service has launched an investigation into reports that the country's authorities used chemicals against protesters during the dispersal of anti-government rallies in Tbilisi in 2024. This information was reported in a BBC report. On the evening of December 1, the 369th day of continuous protests, protesters outside the Georgian parliament set fire to smoke bombs, claiming that protesters were poisoned last year. At a rally on December 4, they called on Western allies to conduct an international investigation into the chemical poisoning of demonstrators. On December 5, they also demanded the names of the chemicals used to disperse protests in late 2024 be made public.

The State Security Service has named the substance the Ministry of Internal Affairs used during the protests.

According to a statement by Lasha Maghradze, First Deputy Head of the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs never acquired the substance "kamit," which was last used during World War I. According to him, an examination of the substances seized by the department was conducted.

"The State Security Service has been investigating a criminal case for several days related to both the information presented in the BBC report and the campaign based on it in Georgia. More than 160 investigative actions have been carried out in this criminal case, 93 witnesses have been questioned, including current and former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, doctors, experts, respondents to the British broadcaster's report, representatives of non-governmental organizations and other individuals. Various types of documents have been seized from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Customs Department of the Revenue Service. <... >It has been established that the chemical powder purchased by the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs and used for years, out of necessity, to control the masses during protests, is "chlorobenzylidine malononitrile." This substance was purchased by the Ministry of Internal Affairs from an Israeli company on December 18, 2007 and March 27, 2009, together with "The solvent 'trichloroethylene,'" he was quoted as saying by InterPressNews.

"Regarding the substance 'bromobenzyl cyanide,' also known as 'kamit,' the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has never acquired such a substance," Maghradze said.

The ministry has closed its investigation into the alleged abuse of power by security forces after finding no evidence of kamit use.

"Investigative actions regarding the fabricated use of 'kamit' have been exhausted. The State Security Service continues its investigation into a possible crime under Article 319 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which consists of assisting a foreign organization in hostile activity," Maghradze was quoted as saying by the Georgian News agency.

According to the ministry, the actions of the BBC journalists and the British corporation's Georgian interlocutors "are well-planned, organized, and propaganda-based in nature, aimed at achieving specific hostile goals against Georgia."