According to the US Centers for Disease Control [CDC], the ultimate health outcome depends on the intensity, form, and duration of exposure. The OSCE/ODHIR [OSCE/ODHIR] guidance calls for mandatory accountability of police forces and strict security measures.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not disclose the types of special means and chemical substances used at the protest.
The Ministry of Health is not providing protesters with advice on safety measures either. The National Center for Disease Control and Public Health told RFE/RL that they do not have toxicology experts.
The severity of the damage depends on the duration and methods of use.
“The use of chemical weapons against demonstrators must stop immediately!” wrote allergist-immunologist Giorgi Kamkamidze on social media, later telling Radio Liberty that what is happening on Rustaveli Avenue is dangerous not only for the protesters, but also for the residents of this area, the cleaning service employees, and the law enforcement officers themselves who are firing these “chemical weapons.”
"There are a number of chemical substances that will be used to disperse demonstrations, but this is for a short period of time, to get a quick effect, and not for such massive use so long and repeatedly over the course of these days. The higher its concentration, the more severe the damage. In this regard, the method of use also matters - whether it is direct spraying or dissolving in water," Giorgi Kamkamidze tells Radio Liberty.
International sources, including the official CDC website, list the chemicals that may be included in "tear gas" and "pepper spray."
It is like this.
- Chloroacetophenone (CN)
- Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile(CS)
- Bromobenzylcyanide (CA)
- OC gas
There may be others.
These substances have varying degrees of toxicity and, accordingly, affect humans in different ways.
According to the OSCE/ODIHR guidance document [“Guidelines on Human Rights and Public Order during Public Assemblies”], for example, the effects of exposure to Chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) last for 10-20 minutes, but “in the event of prolonged or intense exposure” painful blisters [burns] may occur.
The recommendations include changing clothes quickly, as the "tear gas" crystals will be absorbed by clothing.
Those arrested during the protests, whose families and lawyers spend hours searching for them, are not allowed to change their clothes. In court, the detainees said that they wore the same clothes at the protest, almost two days after the protest.
“Take off your clothes as quickly as possible without putting them on your head. Press,” recommends the US Centers for Disease Control. Here are some other recommendations:
- If your eyes burn or you can't see well, you need to wash your eyes with plain water for 10-15 minutes;
- If you wear contact lenses, you must remove them immediately and do not use them again.
- Clothing should be placed in two sealed bags with other items [the bags are disposed of by the Department of Health or emergency services in the US];
- Wash your glasses with soap and running water.
The CDC suggests that eye and respiratory illnesses may develop if tear gas is released into a closed space and symptoms do not resolve in time.
Such recommendations are not found on the official websites of either the Ministry of Health of Georgia or the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health [NCDC].
The NCDC only told Radio Liberty that they do not have toxicologists and promised to clarify the information.
The Ministry of Health publishes daily information on the number of injured and the condition of the seriously injured. Minister Mikheil Sarjveladze often notes that several dozen ambulance teams are taking care of the health of protesters on the spot and, if necessary, transporting the injured to clinics.
Does the Ministry of Health know what chemicals the Ministry of Internal Affairs is using against protesters? Radio Liberty could not receive an answer to this question on December 4.
Giorgi Kamkamidze tells us that issuing recommendations related to chemical substances and implementing preventive measures is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and the NCDC under its jurisdiction, and that "in a normal state, a special commission would be established in this situation."
What can swallowing chemicals cause?
Burning eyes and throat, redness of the skin, coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing – these are the first and main symptoms that protesters report.
“It can cause burns to the mucous membranes – the larynx, the lungs, which can, in some cases, be fatal. It can also cause very severe eye damage – which can lead to blindness and may even develop glaucoma in the future. Therefore, what we are seeing today [against protesters] is the unheard-of use of chemical substances – both in quantity and in mixing them with water jets,” Giorgi Kamkamidze finds it worrying that the Ministry of Internal Affairs does not provide the public with information about chemical substances, which can complicate the treatment process.
Giorgi Kamkamidze also sees risks of toxic exposure for people living on and near Rustaveli Avenue, as well as for cleaning service workers who clean the streets after daily dispersal of rallies.
The doctor also talks about the contamination of law enforcement officers' equipment with toxic substances, which may also affect their health.
What do they use?
What specific substances the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs uses is not public. Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze does not specify information related to special means at frequent briefings, where he mainly talks about the violence of demonstrators. Radio Liberty has also asked Darakhvelidze questions related to special means on several occasions. We tried to clarify the issue on December 4, but to no avail.
However, on November 30, Darakhvelidze confirmed that the water used for the fountain may contain chemicals.
The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has long been calling on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to disclose the names of the chemicals it mixes into water, which makes it last longer.
“We called for disclosure so that medical personnel can properly care for the victims. Until this information is available, it will complicate the treatment of individuals who were affected by this substance. Therefore, we reiterate this request and call on the state to disclose what substance is mixed in the water used to disperse the demonstrators,” said Nona Kurdovanidze, head of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, at a briefing on December 4.
GYLA states that mixing different means with each other is a "prohibited practice", violates international standards, and "represents a gross violation of human rights."
The Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that the Georgian Law “On Police” and the legal acts issued on its basis do not prohibit the simultaneous or parallel use of water cannon and tear gas. To support its argument, in October, the Ministry of Internal Affairs cited OSCE/ODIHR and Amnesty International guidance documents.
- According to Amnesty International's guidelines, adding irritants or dyes to water jets is prohibited.
- According to the OSCE/ODIHR guidelines, it is permissible, but the use of gas is generally only permitted against perpetrators who are particularly aggressive.
Mixing with water prolongs the action of chemicals.
What is to be considered?
To protect the health and lives of protest participants, international regulations include a thousand small details – strict adherence to the rules for using chemical substances, dosages, accuracy of use, and meticulously and thoughtfully planning the dispersal of the protest.
According to the OSCE/ODIHR Handbook:
The use of chemical agents is only permitted against "large-scale violence" and in cases "if all other methods are ineffective."
Police forces may only use “appropriately tested and approved chemical agents, with clear instructions” to “take all necessary precautions” to avoid disproportionate injuries. Chemical agents should never be used against individuals. Appropriate warning must be given before use.
In recent days, especially in Tbilisi, participants in large-scale protests have often said that they did not hear the warning [recorded voice of a woman], especially in the back rows when they were hit on the head with tear gas canisters fired by law enforcement officers.
According to OSCE/ODIHR regulations, the use of gas is prohibited at rallies where there are elderly, children, or infirm people who cannot escape. Chemical agents should also not be used at gatherings where people have no means of escape.
According to international guidance documents, weather can have a significant impact on the intensity of exposure to chemical substances, and sudden deterioration in weather conditions should be taken into account when planning the dispersal of the event.
When evacuating people, the route must be chosen correctly according to the wind direction.
As for the so-called pepper spray, according to OSCE/ODIHR, it is used against aggressive, violent individuals and the distance should not be less than 1 meter – to avoid damage to the face and eyes.
According to OSCE/ODIHR, Any use of chemicals must be approved at least at the operational management level.
- Police officers must have received training on proper use;
- Use on the ground should be controlled at the operational command level.
“[Police] should be required to provide detailed accounts of the use of [chemical agents],” the OSCE/ODIHR guidance states. Accountability includes the following information: why the use of these agents was necessary, what exactly was used, what results were achieved, and what damage was caused.
