The Georgian Dream has filed a complaint with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) over a journalistic investigation published in December 2025.

The investigation alleged that police used a dangerous chemical agent, bromobenzene cyanide (also known as Kamite), to disperse protests in 2024. This information was initially disclosed during a parliamentary briefing by Shalva Papuashvili, one of the leaders of the Georgian Dream. The filing of the complaint was confirmed to Radio Liberty by the BBC.

“In accordance with the intention declared on the day the BBC published its defamatory material, we filed an official lawsuit against the BBC yesterday,” Papuashvili said. “Our complaint demands the removal of the film and related materials from relevant platforms, and a public and clear apology from the BBC for the unfounded assertion that Georgian law enforcement agencies used ‘Kamite’,” he stated.

“The complaint also addresses the dissemination of information without a factual basis claiming that Georgian law enforcement agencies used physical force in conditions where the participants of the gatherings did not attack them,” Papuashvili told journalists . According to him, they will initially file a complaint with the British public broadcaster itself, and if the request is not satisfied, they will continue the legal dispute with the Communications Bureau .

“If the violation is not resolved there, then we will have the opportunity to appeal to the UK courts. We will use all legal means to expose this vile campaign against Georgia, including the right to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights,” Papuashvili said.

“We have received the complaint and will respond to it in accordance with the established procedure,” a BBC spokesperson told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on January 15 . He reiterated the corporation’s previous position, stating that the BBC supports its journalistic work.

“Our documentary, When Water Boils: The Fight for Georgia, produced by the award-winning team BBC Eye, is an investigation into the Georgian government’s crackdown on protesters in Tbilisi last year and draws on evidence from a range of sources both inside and outside the country. This includes interviews with protesters themselves, numerous informants, UN experts and experts in Georgia, as well as medical research, written documents and reports. The reportage is entirely in the public interest and the evidence gathered is presented clearly to the audience. We support this journalistic work and thank the brave people who took part in it,” the corporation told RFE/RL on January 15.