Georgian Parliament official accuses BBC of “intentional disinformation”

The ruling party Georgian Dream party has filed a formal complaint against the BBC, demanding the removal of a controversial film from all platforms and a public apology.

Rati Ionatamishvili, the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration, on Friday said the broadcaster had deliberately spread false information.

“The only thing that can help now is admitting what was done. This was not an unintentional mistake. It was deliberate disinformation and defamation”, Ionatamishvili stated.

He added that individuals inside Georgia who had previously supported the campaign are now distancing themselves, which, he claims, confirms their involvement in what he called a “dirty disinformation campaign”.

The complaint concerns a BBC-produced documentary that accused the Georgian government of using a chemical agent known as “camite” against protesters. According to the film, the substance is a chemical weapon banned since World War I.

“As for the BBC, it has already caused great damage to its own reputation, and the only thing that can help is precisely to admit this”, Ionatamishvili concluded.