“The BBC investigation proves that Ivanishvili’s regime is a murderous regime that does not spare its own people. The last time a substance with such a banned chemical composition was used during the dispersal of a rally in Georgia was on April 9, 1989,” - this is how Giorgi Sioridze, a member of “Lelo – For a Strong Georgia,” responded to the BBC article which stated that during protests in Georgia authorities allegedly used chemical weapons dating back to World War I.

According to Sioridze, this represents a gravely serious fact and a crime before history.

“The investigation by the most authoritative media outlet in the world - the BBC - confirms that a chemical substance was used in the dispersal of protests that was deployed during World War I and has been banned since the 1930s. The last time something like this happened in Georgia was on April 9, 1989, when a banned chemical composition was used during the dispersal of a rally. This once again proves that Ivanishvili’s regime is a murderous regime that does not spare its own people. This is an extremely grave fact and a crime before history,” Sioridze stated.

According to the BBC, evidence collected by their team indicates that the Government of Georgia used chemical weapons dating back to World War I to suppress anti-government protests last year.

As BBC reports, “Demonstrators protesting against the suspension of Georgia's EU integration process complained of various symptoms - including burning eyes, shortness of breath, coughing and vomiting - that lasted for weeks.”

The BBC also states that they spoke with chemical weapons experts from the World Service, Georgian special forces representatives and doctors, and found evidence suggesting the use of an agent known as “Kamit,” the name given to it by the French military.