The “Georgian Dream” Party Files Official Complaint with the BBC

According to Papuashvili, “Georgian Dream” is demanding an apology from the British Broadcasting Corporation.

“As is known, on December 1, 2025, the BBC, a television company funded by public sources in the United Kingdom, released a film and related publications containing serious, harmful, and categorical accusations, including claims that the Georgian authorities allegedly used the World War I-era chemical weapon ‘kamit.’ These accusations are false, unfounded, and defamatory.

The absurdity of the accusations, as well as the nature and scale of the violations and bad-faith actions, indicate that this is a political campaign aimed at damaging the reputation of the Georgian authorities through a pre-prepared false narrative. The reliability of the materials used and the way they were presented to the public demonstrate that the publications were intended to shape public perception and political narrative, rather than to inform the audience through accurate, balanced, and properly sourced journalism. This false narrative was subsequently disseminated and amplified by numerous high-ranking foreign officials and domestic political actors and is being used as a tool for politically motivated attacks on the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Accordingly, in line with our stated intention, the party “Georgian Dream — Democratic Georgia” submitted an official complaint to the BBC yesterday.

Regarding the justification for the complaint and our demands:

The film and related publications contain serious and unverified accusations that violate the BBC’s editorial standards, the UK Communications Regulator (Ofcom) broadcasting code, and fundamental principles of responsible journalism.

First, there is a clear violation of the duty of accuracy. The BBC publications claim that Georgian law enforcement allegedly used the chemical substance ‘kamit’ during protests. This claim is not based on any verified, independent, or reliable source. On the contrary, an investigation confirmed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia has never used nor possessed this substance.

The BBC publications also misrepresent facts, suggesting that the protesters did not act violently against law enforcement, yet the authorities still dispersed the gatherings.

Furthermore, the BBC, without evidence, claims that the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, allegedly participated in decision-making regarding the dispersal of protests in November–December 2024.

The second major issue is a violation of impartiality. The program clearly promotes a one-sided narrative, portraying the Georgian authorities as organizers of violence, “pro-Russian,” and “aligned with Russian interests,” while ignoring the authorities’ position, official explanations from law enforcement, and the context necessary for an objective analysis of events.

The third issue concerns the disregard for fairness and the right of reply. The BBC approached the Georgian authorities about these serious allegations only a few days before the broadcast. This practice violates the BBC’s editorial rules, which require adequate time for communication when reporting serious and reputationally damaging claims.

It is also important to note elements of defamation. The program used statements from specific individuals whose credibility, conflicts of interest, and past are not disclosed to the audience. As a result, viewers receive a distorted picture in which assumptions and hypotheses are presented as confirmed facts.

Our complaint is fully based on the BBC’s editorial principles, the Ofcom broadcasting code, and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, which clearly establishes that journalists have the highest duty of accuracy, verification, and fairness when reporting serious allegations.

Our demands in the complaint:

Removal of the film and related materials from the relevant platforms.

Public and clear apologies from the BBC for:
• Unfounded assumptions and claims that Georgian law enforcement allegedly used ‘kamit.’
• Unfounded dissemination of information claiming that law enforcement allegedly used physical force when protesters did not attack them.
• Unfounded claims that the interests of Georgian Dream allegedly align with Russian interests.
• Unfounded dissemination of information claiming that the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream participated in decisions regarding the dispersal of violent protests.

It should be noted that, under UK law, there is a process for complaints, according to which the affected party must first approach the media outlet itself, which we did with our complaint yesterday.

If the BBC does not correct the violation voluntarily, the next step will be to appeal to the UK Communications Regulator (Ofcom). If the violation is not addressed there, we will have the option to take the matter to a UK court.

“We will use all legal means to address this vile campaign against Georgia, including the right to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights,” said the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.