Single BBC story reveals coordinated effort to spread false narratives, Papuashvili

“What emerged after that is more significant than any single BBC story; it shows how they worked together, orchestrated, to disseminate a false narrative,” stated Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, 1tv.ge reports.

Shalva Papuashvili commented on the BBC’s recent publication titled: WW1 toxic compound sprayed on Georgian protesters, BBC evidence suggests. The BBC alleges the use of chemical weapons from the First World War, citing paediatrician Konstantine Chakhunashvili, former head of the Special Task Force Lasha Shergelashvili, and expert Prof Christopher Holstege as sources. Respondents also include Eka Gigauri and Giorgi Bachiashvili. In the report, Lasha Shergelashvili states that, “in his opinion, this is the same substance he was asked to test for in a water cannon in 2009.” Furthermore, the BBC states that “the Georgian authorities said our investigation findings were ‘absurd’ and the police had acted legally in response to the ‘illegal actions of brutal criminals’”.

“We see, on one side, external taskmasters, and on the other, agents within the country working together, orchestrated to spread a false narrative. Overall, this process is revealing because both the agent and their handlers are encrypted to the very end. Today, we saw this clearly: identities, names, surnames, and faces, revealing those working against Georgia. It also demonstrated that these are hybrid tactics being employed against Georgia, including this story and the falsification that serves this very purpose. This is a hybrid warfare tactic; the weapon is the story, although the clients and their objectives have become clear from the responses and the situation we have observed,” Papuashvili stated.

The Georgian Dream party announced that they are initiating legal proceedings against the BBC in international courts.