On June 18, a video collage (1;2) was circulated on social media that combines footage of Tea Tsulukiani and veteran Malkhaz Topuria from a parliamentary investigative commission hearing. In the video, Tsulukiani appears to have a displeased expression while the guest says, “Let me say the most important thing – the word ‘hero’ in the country of Antsukhelidze… Today, when I was coming up here, I was pleased to see written, ‘Antsukhelidze is immortal.’” One version of the video includes the caption, “She signals with her eyes to be quiet.”
The video circulating on social media is a fabrication featuring Tea Tsulukiani at the parliamentary investigative commission hearing. In reality, Tsulukiani did not have such a reaction to Malkhaz Topuria’s words. The video is generated using AI technology and is based on a photo of her.
On June 18, veteran Malkhaz Topuria spoke during a session of Georgia’s temporary parliamentary investigative commission. At one point [2:33:35], Topuria stated:
“Let me say the most important thing – the word ‘hero’ in the country of Antsukhelidze… Today, when I was coming up here, I was somehow pleased to see written, ‘Antsukhelidze is immortal.’ In the country of Antsukhelidze, how, in what way… Antsukhelidze is a hero. How can you call someone like Lazare a hero? Why do they? I’ll say it directly – they are insulting Antsukhelidze by doing so. They are insulting the word ‘hero.’ How can someone who slashed his father, who is constantly high, who paints eyes, be called a hero when Antsukhelidze is also called a hero… This is equalization…”
It is notable that during this part of Topuria’s speech, Tsulukiani was not visible in the frame. She appears a few minutes later [at 2:35:19] and asks the guest an additional question. It is also worth mentioning that Tsulukiani is wearing different clothing in the video, while during the actual June 18 session, when Topuria was being questioned, she looked different.
The video of Tsulukiani used in the collage was generated with AI technology and is based on a photograph. This photograph has been published by media outlets such as Imedi and Interpressnews at different times, citing the Parliament of Georgia as the source. Upon close inspection of the photo and video, it becomes clear that only Tsulukiani’s face has been animated in a way that gives her an angry and disapproving expression.
After Tea Tsulukiani referred to Giorgi Antsukhelidze in an interview with the Public Broadcaster in April as “someone pointlessly sacrificed for someone’s PR,” protestors held demonstrations with the slogan “Antsukhelidze is immortal” at various locations. It is likely that the creation of the fabricated video was prompted by the fact that the protest slogan was repeated by the guest during the investigative commission session.
Myth Detector has previously verified similarly falsified photos and videos created using this technology aimed at discrediting politicians.
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