DISINFO: Western intelligence services are planning a coup in Georgia
SUMMARY
Georgian law enforcement agencies have seized a large number of secret documents, including pyrotechnics while searching the homes and offices of opposition party leaders who were arrested for causing provocations during recent protests. These documents, prepared by Western intelligence agencies and containing plans for a coup in Georgia, are also linked to Salome Zurabishvili.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative framing popular protests in Georgia as a Western-backed ‘colour revolution’ or a coup d'état, trying to discredit Georgia’s opposition and civil society organisations by framing them as foreign stooges.
There is no evidence to support allegations of foreign involvement in the protests in Georgia. The document, which allegedly contains the coup plan, has been published by TASS, a Russian state-controlled outlet. However, this claim has been debunked already.
The mass protests, initially sparked by allegations of election rigging, intensified after the ruling Georgian Dream party decided to halt EU accession negotiations until 2028.
On 26 October, Georgia held a parliamentary election marked by tensions and voting irregularities, prompting EU concern. These irregularities led tens of thousands of Georgians to question the results and protest against Georgian Dream’s claimed victory. Protesters faced severe police brutality and violent clashes, accompanied with mass arrests and beating of demonstrators. As of 10 December, police have arrested more than 400 people, with most reporting physical abuse, according to the Social Justice Centre NGO, which provides legal counselling to those affected. Journalists were among those injured or abused during the rallies.
On 14 December, Georgia held another election, but this time the president was elected indirectly. The Georgian Dream-dominated college of electors appointed Mikheil Kavelashvili as the next president, a move decried as illegitimate by the opposition and current President Salome Zourabichvili. See our article Fan the flames and complain about the heat for more details.
Pro-Kremlin media have been warning for a long time of an upcoming ‘colour revolution’ in Georgia in order to pre-emptively shape the information space ahead of what were foreseeable and likely protests against the ruling party, already shaken by previous massive demonstrations against the so-called ‘Foreign Agents Law’. The topic was covered in detail in this analysis.
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