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Mexico,El Salvador,Honduras,Venezuela,Brazil,Colombia
Colombia Capital Tries Trial Ban on Guns in Public
2 February 2012
New York Times / AP
BOGOTA, Colombia — Gustavo Petro was imprisoned as a rebel in the 1980s on a weapons conviction. As Bogota's new mayor, he wants to get firearms off the streets of this city where the conspicuous display of guns has long been the norm.
So he's trying an experimental ban on gun-wielding in public.
The only people authorized to carry weapons during the 90-day trial that began Wednesday are active and retired police and soldiers, bodyguards of diplomats, politicians,... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Govt Accused of Hiding Police Reports on Long-gun Registry
1 February 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The NDP accused the government of suppressing RCMP reports on Canada's long-gun registry Tuesday, saying the government delayed releasing two reports because they clashed with Tory messaging on gun control.
NDP justice critic Jack Harris raised the issue in question period Tuesday.
"It is the second year in a row it has tried to hide a report that shows the public safety value of the long-gun registry," he said.
"Why is the government consistently hiding information... (GunPolicy.org)
Colombia Guerrilla-Turned-Mayor Bans Guns from the Streets of Bogotá
31 January 2012
Guardian (UK)
As a member of the M-19 guerrilla group in the 1980s, Gustavo Petro, who was known as Comandante Aureliano, served 18 months in prison for illegally carrying a firearm. Now mayor of the Colombian capital, Bogotá, Petro is leading an experiment in banning guns from the streets of this city of eight million people, where firearms are part of the backdrop to everyday life.
Bodyguards on high-speed motorbikes whizz through traffic wielding machine guns, security guards at... (GunPolicy.org)
New Philippine Law Allows 15+ Guns per Civilian, No Light Weapons
29 January 2012
Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a new firearms law that would amend the Martial Law-era firearms regulations and provide for a comprehensive regulation of firearms, light weapons, and ammunition in the country.
Congressmen unanimously approved House Bill (HB) No. 5484 a few months after lawmakers sought stronger and clearer laws against possession of light weapons and high-powered firearms such as the ones... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil: 4.3 Million Guns Sold in 5yrs, 40,000 Gun Deaths in 2009 [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: domestic manufacturers alone sold 4.3 million guns in Brazil over the past five years. Nearly 40,000 people died in 2009 in episodes involving firearms, including homicides, suicides and accidents, according to latest figures provided by the Ministry of Health. A study by Pablo Dreyfuss, who was a leading expert on the subject, showed that 90% of these deaths are the result of crimes and the risk of dying from injuries caused by firearms in Brazil... (GunPolicy.org)
Import, Sale of Firearms in Venezuela to Be Banned from March [Espanol]
27 January 2012
El Nacional (Caracas)
[Translated summary: Venezuela Minister of Interior and Justice anounced that, from March, the country will ban the import and sale of firearms and ammunition for a year, in accordance with special provisions adopted in December by President Hugo Chavez.]
El ministro de Relaciones Interiores y Justicia, Tareck el Aissami, recordó que a partir de marzo se prohibirá en el país la importación y comercialización de armas de fuego y municiones durante un año, de... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama, US Congress Share 'Abject Failure' to Repair Gun Control Laws
26 January 2012
New York Times, Editorial
House members were moved to tears on Wednesday when Representative Gabrielle Giffords handed in her resignation because, she said, she needed more time to heal from the grievous gunshot wound she suffered last year at the hands of a would-be assassin. The rarest of Congressional events — a display of genuinely bipartisan tributes — was the parting gift from her colleagues along with unanimous approval of Ms. Giffords's bill to fight drug trafficking along the... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Rely Even More on Canadian Gun Registry Slated for Deletion
25 January 2012
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA - A new report shows that Canadian police services are using the firearms registry more than ever, relying on it more than 14,000 times a day rather than viewing it as an obsolete and unreliable database as the Conservative government claims.
The RCMP quietly posted on Monday annual report on the controversial firearms program which shows in 2010, law enforcement agencies across the country logged in and queried the Canadian Firearms Registry Online an average... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadians Own Millions More Guns, Many Unregistered as Laws Relax
24 January 2012
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Canadians own more than half a million more firearms than they did in 2006, according to the 2010 annual report from the RCMP's Canadian Firearms Program.
But while federal firearms data show that the number of registered gun owners in Canada is dropping, the arsenal of each is getting bigger and bigger.
But many gun owners - and a Tory MP - say the government's estimates are off the mark and that there may be twice as many firearms, and firearms owners, in Canada as... (GunPolicy.org)
Thailand's Lethal Fascination with Firearms [Espanol]
18 January 2012
ABC News (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: According to data from the United Nations, firearms are used in 80% of homicides committed in Thailand, a percentage that is almost hand in hand with nations such as South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, or the United States.]
BANGKOK - La fascinación de los tailandeses por las armas de fuego, de las que hay 15 por cada 100 habitantes, hace que Tailandia sea uno de los países con un mayor promedio de homicidios cometidos por gente propensa... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela's 'Record' Homicide Rate Points to Wide Availability of Guns
17 January 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
With Venezuela's homicides climbing to dramatic rates, rising by a third in 2011, it seems more urgent than ever to reduce the huge number of firearms circulating among civilians.
According to Venezuela's main police agency, known by its acronym the CICPC, there were 18,850 murders in 2011, a 30 percent increase from the previous year.
Another count by watchdog group the Venezuelan Violence Observatory (OVV), which says it bases its numbers on police reports,... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooters on 'Gun Buying Spree,' Own on Average 4 Guns Each in Australia's Largest State
16 January 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
NSW is gun mad - and proud of it - with shooters stockpiling almost 100,000 new registered firearms in the past five years.
The number of gun licences, meanwhile, has only increased by about a fifth, or 18,852 over the same period, showing some are stocking up with numerous weapons.
There are now 763,359 registered firearms across the state, including 27,956 handguns, compared with 190,844 licences - taking the ratio to four guns for every licensed owner. In some... (GunPolicy.org)
Kosovo,Bulgaria,Albania,Hungary,Croatia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
A 5th of Bosnia & Herzegovina Population Own 750,000 Unregistered Arms
12 January 2012
Southeast European Times
An estimated fifth of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) population own 750,000 unregistered weapons, according to officials who cite widespread availability and easy access on the black market as a major source of concern.
"After traffic accidents, illegal arms are the most common cause of death in BiH. About 90% of illegal acts are done with the use of illegal weapons," Denis Hadzovic of the Centre for Security Studies in BiH told SETimes.
Most illegal weapons are guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Criminal Freed, Victoria to Close 'Bizarre' Firearm Loophole
11 January 2012
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
The closure of a bizarre loophole in gun laws will make it easier to prevent criminals from carrying firearms.
A legislative amendment, expected to pass when Parliament resumes, will prevent any exploitation of laws that ban "prohibited persons" from having firearms.
In a 2010 case that prompted a review of the Firearms Act, a member of a Melbourne crime family beat firearms charges after a judge accepted he could not have known whether a revolver was registered.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Seize 35 Firearms, Bust Fake Gun Licence Racket in South India
10 January 2012
Deccan Chronicle (India)
HYDERABAD - The city Task Force sleuths busted a fake gun licence racket and seized 35 illegal fire arms from security guards working in various agencies. About 11 security guards and the owner of Protection Management Services were arrested on charges of forging gun licenses and using them to procure weapons.
The police commissioner, Mr A.K. Khan, said, "Security agencies are aware of what they are doing. We checked their licences with the issuing authorities and... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Outnumber People in Rural Australian Towns: Anti-gun Lobby 'Horrified'
9 January 2012
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Guns outnumber people in 24 Victorian towns a special investigation has revealed and the figures have horrified the anti-gun lobby.
The East Gippsland hamlet of Swifts Creek has the highest ratio: 774 registered firearms shared by just 278 residents.
French Island in Western Port Bay and Harrow, in the Wimmera, rounded out the top three gun hot spots.
National Coalition for Gun Control chairwoman Sam Lee said more guns led to more crime.
Annual figures show an... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Police Ban, Seize 'Scarylooking Guns,' Registry at Death's Door
7 January 2012
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
With the firearms registry on death's door, the RCMP are using what little time remains to reclassify and seize certain scarylooking guns from Canadian firearms owners.
Among the guns being seized is a small-calibre varmint rifle called the Armi Jager AP80. Like many non-restricted rifles, it is semiautomatic and fires the .22-calibre bullet, the smallest used in any long gun.
The AP80 has been singled out because it looks too much like the infamous AK-47 assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Federal Government Bans AK-47 Look-Alike
5 January 2012
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA -- The federal government is cracking down on a small game rifle, saying it was inappropriately classified as a non-restricted weapon.
But one firearms activist argues it's an end run by federal bureaucrats related to a long-running court battle.
Owners of the Armi Jager AP80 .22-calibre rifle received a letter from the RCMP in December saying the registration certificates for the firearm would be revoked and they had a month to dispose of their weapons - with... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Love Under Fire - Experts Call for National Firearm Registry
5 January 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Almost two centuries have passed since Switzerland last fought in a war, yet the country's gun ownership rate remains the highest in Europe. After a series of gun-related killings at the end of last year, The Local's Meritxell Mir looks at what's being done to get fingers off triggers.
Every year, more than 300 people die in Switzerland in gun-related incidents. In many ways, the figure is quite low, when one considers the country has about 2.5 million weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Muslim Region of Mindanao, Philippines: Governor to Purge Illegal Firearms
2 January 2012
Philippine Star
COTABATO CITY, Philippines – After declaring war on illegal loggers, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officer-in-charge Mujiv Hataman vowed to address the proliferation of firearms in his region, home to warlords and clans that maintain arsenals as symbol to perpetuate power.
Hataman, who is an ethnic Yakan from Basilan, said he will initiate measures to account loose firearms cautiously due to the strong centuries-old tradition of Southern Moro... (GunPolicy.org)
Queensland Gun Thefts Soar, Fuel Black Market in Illicit Weapons
1 January 2012
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
Firearm thefts are soaring in Queensland, bolstering a booming black market for illicit weapons and fuelling a deadly wave of armed violence.
Gun shops, homes, cars and even a house used to grow marijuana have all had weapons including handguns stolen in the past year.
The thefts come as legal firearm ownership spikes in Queensland and as crime fighters haul underworld figures before coercive hearings into gun crimes.
Latest police figures show 551 guns were stolen... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners in Ireland Lose Hundreds of Firearms to Thieves Every Year
23 December 2011
Herald (Dublin)
More than 1,400 guns have been stolen here in the past five years.
Figures just released by Justice Minister Alan Shatter show that 1,451 firearms were recorded as stolen on the garda PULSE computer system in the years 2007 to December 12, 2011.
He said the figures for the individual years were 205 in 2011; 249 in 2010; 350 in 2009; 298 in 2008 and 349 in 2007.
The number of licensed firearms in Ireland is more than 233,000, with most of them being 12-gauge shotguns... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela Bans Gun Sales, Stops Issuing Permits to Carry Guns [Espanol]
21 December 2011
Agence France Presse
[Translated summary: Venezuela has banned for one year the sale of firearms to individuals and the issuance of permits to carry firearms as part of a plan to combat violence and insecurity in the country, said the Minister of Interior and Justice, Tarek El Aissami.]
CARACAS — Venezuela prohibirá por un año la venta de armas de fuego a particulares y la entrega de permisos para su porte como parte de un plan para combatir la violencia y la inseguridad en el país,... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 40,000 Gun Owners with Expired Licences in Central Visayas, Philippines
21 December 2011
Philippine Information Agency, Media release
CEBU CITY -- The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 warned gun owners that failure to renew their gun license will be tantamount to illegal possession of loose firearm.
Over 40,000 gun holders in Central Visayas have expired licenses this year.
PRO-7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations S/Supt. Louie Oppus asked gun holders to renew their firearms as the police us strengthening their close monitoring on loose firearms.
Records of the Firearms Explosives Security... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 6 Million Firearms Illegally Circulating in Mexico [Espanol]
20 December 2011
El Occidental (Guadalajara)
[Translated summary: More than six million firearms are illegally circulating in Mexico. Rep. Salvador Caro suggests a three months period to register these, then punish illegal carrying of a firearm with five years in prison and no right to bail.]
Más de seis millones de armas de fuego circulan por México de manera ilegal, sin licencia, y es por ello que el diputado federal Salvador Caro propone se dé un plazo de tres meses para registrar una parte de éstas, para... (GunPolicy.org)
Registration, Ballistics Tie Baltimore Police Glock to Murder of 2 Girls
17 December 2011
Baltimore Sun
The wanted poster portrays a .40-caliber Glock Model 22 semiautomatic pistol, serial number EKG463US, that resembles thousands of standard-issue guns owned by the Baltimore Police Department.
But this particular weapon found its way out of the hands of law enforcement and into the hands of a suspected killer — an above-board but nightmarish scenario for city police. Authorities say the gun was used three years ago to shoot two young girls on a dirt road outside a... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Finland,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Norway,Europe
Gun Attacks in Europe and Their Effect on Gun Control Laws
14 December 2011
BBC News
As more details emerge of the shooting spree and grenade attack in Belgium in which five people died, the BBC News website takes a look at other recent incidents in Europe - and the effect they have had on each country's laws.
Norway
Seventy-seven people were killed in twin attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted that he planted a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in the capital Oslo, killing eight people. He then drove... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec Sues Ottawa to Save Long Gun Registry Records from Trash
13 December 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
QUEBEC – Quebec wants to create its own long-gun registry, using data already collected for the federal registry, and is prepared to go to court to stop Ottawa destroying gun ownership records.
Public Security Minister Robert Dutil announced Tuesday that Quebec would take legal action to recover the data once Ottawa's Bill C-19, abolishing the federal long-gun registry, becomes law.
Dutil said C-19 was "a step backwards" and called the destruction "unjust and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Federal Police Investigate Florida-Cayman Islands Gun Smuggling Ring
12 December 2011
CayCompass.com (Cayman Islands)
United States federal law enforcement authorities are investigating a firearms smuggling operation between south Florida and Grand Cayman that's been ongoing since at least 2008, according to US District Court records obtained by the Caymanian Compass.
The investigation, a branch of which led to the 2009 arrest, conviction and incarceration of four local men in US federal prison, caught up with a fifth suspect, Mikkyle Brandon Leslie – known in Cayman as Brandon... (GunPolicy.org)
Soaring Gun Ownership 'Getting Out of Control' in Australia's Largest State
11 December 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Soaring gun ownership in NSW is expected to soon exceed levels prior to the federal government's 1996 buy-back program.
Figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph show there are 188,885 people on the NSW Police Firearms Register, just short of the estimated 200,000 licence holders pre- the Port Arthur massacre, which triggered changes to gun laws.
NSW Greens described the increase as "alarming" and gun control groups warned that more and more firearms would end up on... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica,Honduras,Israel,Canada,Norway,Australia,Colombia,El Salvador,United States,Venezuela,Pakistan,Mexico
Armed Societies, Another Tragedy for Women: Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela
9 December 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
CARACAS - Kairobis Arcia, 25, died from a bullet to her head shot by her husband, Oswaldo Mendoza, 32, who said he was blinded by jealousy in an argument fuelled by alcohol and drugs.
Her murder was just one of the more than 468,000 homicides a year that occur worldwide, 42 percent of which are committed with firearms. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the global murder rate is 6.9 per 100,000 people – 11.9 per 100,000 among men and... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala,Mexico,United States
Texas Gun Shop Sold 'Infantry Squad' Weapons to Mexican Cartel Smugglers
8 December 2011
Guardian (UK)
It was nothing more than a routine inspection for federal agents. But as they browsed the records of Carter's Country gun shop in Houston, investigators picked up on a series of big sales. For cash.
Federal agents were alerted not only by the number of guns involved – sometimes a dozen at a time – but the type. Time and again buyers walked out of Carter's Country clutching assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols with armour-piercing bullets and powerful sniper... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian MPs Mark Country's Worst Gun Massacre, But Tories Not Welcome
6 December 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
As women across Canada mark the 22nd anniversary of the massacre at Montreal's École Polytechnique on Tuesday, Conservative women on Parliament Hill continue to work to scrap the long-gun registry that was created in response to those shootings.
That has people on the Hill so upset that government MPs have been purposely shut out from officially speaking at and attending an event on Parliament Hill to honour the 14 young women who were shot dead in 1989.
The two... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Laws, Scrapping of Long Gun Registry Explained, Debated
6 December 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The contentious long-gun registry is on the cusp of being abolished, meaning rifles and shotguns like those sold at Stephen Milton's King City, Ont., shop will disappear from government records.
But while police say that would make it harder for them to do their jobs, Milton says it would be a good move.
"We don't have a gun problem. We have a criminal problem, we have a gang problem, we have problems with people who have no regard for the law whatsoever," he said.... (GunPolicy.org)
Want an Illegal Gun? Go to a Gun Show, Says Tennessee Gun Show Promoter
5 December 2011
Tennessean (Nashville)
Let there be no doubt: Bob Pope is a gun-packing Republican. The sixth-generation Tennessean is a Newt Gingrich-supporting Second Amendment advocate who ran gun shows for 25 years.
But he said his buddies in the Tennessee Firearms Association are irritated by his one-man campaign to close the so-called "gun show loophole," which he claims allows murderers and thieves to buy stolen guns.
"If I was going to buy an illegal gun, I'd go to a gun show and buy it," said... (GunPolicy.org)
Burundi,Uganda,Rwanda,Congo (DRC),Africa
Africa: Six Years On - The UN's International Small Arms Tracing Instrument
5 December 2011
Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria), Report
The ability to trace small arms and light weapons (SALW) is an important step toward transparency and preventing the illicit use of firearms in conflict and crime. December 8th 2011 marks the 6th year since the adoption of the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) by the United Nations General Assembly.
In adopting the ITI, although not legally binding, the UN Member States acknowledged that the instrument would enable them to identify and trace, in a timely and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Tshwane/Pretoria)
About 240,000 Guns Untraceable in Switzerland [Francais]
5 December 2011
Le Dauphiné Libéré (France)
[Translated Summary: 240,000 of the two million guns in circulation in Switzerland are untraceable, says the Ministry of Defence. The National regulations would be a cause: in terms of Defence, Switzerland has a people's army - reservists are allowed to store their weapons at home, to carry them unloaded, and private gun sales are permitted.]
La Suisse évoque bien plus l'image de paix et de concorde civile que celle des armes à feu. Pourtant, le pays est l'un de... (GunPolicy.org)
Austria,Spain,Belgium,Eastern Europe,France
In 2010, French Police Seized 79% More Guns Than in 2009 [Francais]
2 December 2011
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated Summary: French Police seized 3,355 firearms since January 2011, 2,710 in 2010 or 79% more than in 2009; out of 3.14 million firearms lawfully possessed, 30,000 are unlawfully possessed in 2010; a report from 2009 says that theft of firearms increased by 38.6%.]
La Direction centrale de la police judiciaire a recensé 2710 saisies d'armes à feu en 2010, soit une explosion de 79% par rapport à 2009.
Les saisies de pistolets, révolvers, fusils à pompes... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Relaxed, Gun Sales, Imports Double in New Caledonia [Francais]
2 December 2011
Les Nouvelles Calédonies (Nouméa)
[Translated Summary: After New Caledonia's gun sale regulations were relaxed, high demand and availability resulted in a significant rise in gun sales: 2,500 sales in 2011 versus 1,800 sales in 2010.]
Le phénomène était attendu : depuis le mois de mars et la simplification de la réglementation sur la vente des armes, le nombre de fusils disponibles sur le marché a explosé. Cette année, le niveau des importations d'armes à feu a même doublé.
Acheter une... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Government Rejects Long-gun Registry Amendments [Francais]
30 November 2011
Le Devoir (Quebec)
[Translated Summary: "A poisoned Christmas gift." Opposition attempts have failed and Bill C-19 will be sent back to the House of Commons: the long gun register will be abolished, as will its data, and no one will be able to revive it. This was the decision made by the Commons Public Safety Committee, made up of a conservative majority.]
OTTAWA — Malgré les critiques de plusieurs témoins, et notamment du gouvernement du Québec, la proposition des conservateurs... (GunPolicy.org)
About 116,000 Guns Registered, 20,000 Untraceable in Geneva [Francais]
30 November 2011
Tribune de Genève
[Translated Summary: Following a recent shooting in Switzerland, Bernard Bersier, Chief of the Firearms Service, analyses the situation in Geneva. Last year, 115,684 firearms were registered in Geneva, one firearm per four inhabitants. Behind this official number hides a grey market that constitutes the real danger, explains Mr Bersier.]
Suite à la mort par balle d'un homme aux Cygnes, Bernard Bersier, chef du Service des armes, analyse la situation genevoise.
A... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Tories Reject Amendments to Repeal of Long Gun Registry
29 November 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
OTTAWA - The Conservatives refused to bite on amendments put forward by the NDP Tuesday on the bill to repeal the long gun registry.
The Commons public safety committee has wrapped up its study of Bill C-19, which will be heading back to the House without changes despite the NDP's last ditch attempt to remedy what they see as serious problems with the proposed legislation.
Two amendments were shot down by the Conservatives - one forcing the feds to table the costs of... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines: Gun Ban Imposed in Zamboanga, Basilan
29 November 2011
Business World (Philippines)
ZAMBOANGA CITY - A gun ban has been imposed in Zamboanga City and Basilan province to stem the series of attacks, a Cabinet official said yesterday, with the recent blast tagged to the bandits.
While details on how the restriction will be enforced were not raised during a media briefing, Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said mobile and standard checkpoints will be deployed in the two areas.
"Sinabihan na po yung mga kasama natin sa PNP at AFP na wala munang... (GunPolicy.org)
Opposition's Honest Mistake Confirms Canada's Dysfunctional Gun Laws
29 November 2011
National Post (Toronto), Blog
The federal New Democrats have been left scrambling after nearly making an embarrassing mistake in an ad campaign criticizing the federal Tories for scrapping the long-gun registry. The NDP planned to run ads showing the Mini-14 rifle, which would no longer be subject to registration after the end of the long-gun registry. But the graphic showed the wrong variant of the Mini-14 — one that is considered a restricted firearm, and therefore won't be affected by the... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Guatemala
Guatemala Commits to Gun Marking in Cooperation Agreement [Espanol]
28 November 2011
EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: A cooperation agreement with the Organization of American States (OAS) commits Guatemala to mark firearms in order to help prevent illegal gun trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. In the first year of the agreement, the General Directorate for Firearms and Munitions Control (DIGECAM) is required to register about 1,500 guns a month.]
Guatemala - Guatemala publicó hoy un acuerdo de cooperación con la Organización de Estados Americanos... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Hunt Gun Thieves in West Australia: Hundreds Stolen in 18 Months
26 November 2011
West Australian (Perth)
Police are hunting for a thief who stole five firearms from Hamilton Hill recently.
A police spokeswoman said a shotgun, two lever action rifles, a handgun and one air-rifle was stolen from a poorly secured cabinet on Winterfold Street.
The deadly weapons were left in an unoccupied house, which was under construction, in an unlocked garage.
Police were called to the residence about 7am but it is unknown when exactly the weapons were stolen.
Gun owners are required... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,United States,Mexico,Guatemala
Guatemala and the Black Market for US Weapons
25 November 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The trafficking of weapons over the U.S.-Mexico border is well-documented -- lesser known but also significant is the sale of U.S. weapons to Guatemalan government contractors, which are then siphoned off to criminal groups.
The Mexican government has focused much of its efforts to stop arms trafficking on the smuggling of weapons over the U.S. border. This strategy ignores other sources of weapons, and other entry points. Central America, for example, represents a... (GunPolicy.org)
El Salvador Police Count 128,000 Gun Registrations Lapsed, Now Illegal
25 November 2011
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Over 128,000 firearms without a government permit are currently circulating in El Salvador, according to the national police.
The police said that a total of 220,493 firearms have been officially registered in El Salvador since 1994. However, permits for more than half of these weapons have now expired. "This means that citizens have now lost the right to carry them legally," Augusto Cotto said.
Under the rules set by the Ministry of Defense, an authorization permit... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,United Kingdom,Scotland
Every Crime Gun, Spent Bullet, Cartridge Case to Be Traced in Scotland
24 November 2011
BBC News
Scottish police have announced a new weapon in the fight against gun crime.
Using computer techniques they will identify weapons more quickly and link firearms incidents across the UK.
Previously it was possible to compare firearms and ballistic materials such as cartridges and bullets for links with other crimes.
But the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (Nabis) will allow police to check databases in England and eventually parts of Europe.
Within 48 hours... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad Cops Sold Guns, Ammo Earmarked for Destruction - Probe On
23 November 2011
Trinidad and Tobago Express
A criminal investigation has been launched into reports that guns and ammunition, earmarked for destruction, were sold by certain police officers to criminal elements in Tobago.
The investigation, which is being undertaken by members of the Professional Standards Unit of the Police Service—headed by ACP Raymond Craig—has identified several police officers from the Tobago Division as being involved in the illegal activities.
It was triggered just over a year ago... (GunPolicy.org)
Destroying Canada's Gun Records Could Break Laws, say Federal Officers
22 November 2011
Hill Times (Ottawa)
PARLIAMENT HILL — Two of the most powerful officers of Parliament raised new questions Tuesday about aspects of a controversial bill the majority Conservative government is steamrolling through the Commons to dismantle the federal long-gun registry and destroy its entire database of records.
Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault warned MPs on the Public Safety Committee the legislation, Bill C-19, ignores "the spirit and the letter" of access to information law... (GunPolicy.org)
Federal Watchdog Criticises Plan to Destroy Canadian Gun Registry Data
22 November 2011
CTV News (Winnipeg) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — The federal information watchdog says a government move to destroy gun-registry records sets a bad precedent.
Suzanne Legault told a Commons committee Tuesday that a federal bill to scrap the long-gun registry -- and delete millions of records -- violates the letter and spirit of the Library and Archives of Canada Act.
"It does raise major concerns in terms of transparency and accountability in general," Legault said.
"As information commissioner, I have... (GunPolicy.org)
Laws Restricting Hidden Handguns Weakened, Eliminated in 22 US States
15 November 2011
Mother Jones (USA)
Ever thought about stashing a loaded Glock in your jacket and carrying it into a bar for a little extra protection? In Ohio, thanks to a new state law, you're now free to do so. All you need is a permit.
Ever since Ohio implemented a "concealed carry" law in 2004—allowing the possession of a hidden, loaded handgun in public—changes in state legislation have made it increasingly easy for people to carry guns around. This year, Ohio lawmakers decriminalized having a... (GunPolicy.org)
Scrap Italy's Gun Registry, Risk More Violence, Say Police Unions [Italiano]
15 November 2011
Corriere Adriatico (Ancona)
[Translated summary: The Italian Senate adopted a law suppressing the firearm registry established in 1975, thus reducing gun control restrictions. Police deplore this action, as it risks liberalising the illicit gun trade and increasing the overall level of violence.]
ROMA - L' anagrafe delle armi non c'è più: un articolo introdotto nel maxiemendamento alla legge di stabilità approvato in commissione Bilancio al Senato ha infatti cancellato il Catalogo nazionale... (GunPolicy.org)
Dumping Canada's Gun Registry Risks More Gun Running - Federal Memo
15 November 2011
CTV News (Toronto) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Scrapping the requirement to register rifles and shotguns could fuel illegal firearms trafficking across the Canadian border, warns an internal federal memo.
It says the move would weaken import controls by eliminating a requirement for border officials to verify firearms coming into the country.
"Such a loophole could facilitate unregistered prohibited and restricted firearm trafficking into and through Canada," says the declassified memo, originally... (GunPolicy.org)
Millions of Drug Abusers, Mentally Ill Avoid US Gun Check System - Report
14 November 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
WASHINGTON -- Millions of reports on people barred by federal law from purchasing guns because of serious mental illness and drug abuse are never added to the federal background check system, according to a study set to be released Tuesday.
The report, by Mayors Against Illegal Guns and entitled "Fatal Gaps: How Missing Records In The Federal Background Check System Put Guns In The Hands Of Killers," was sparked by last January's assassination attempt on Rep. Gabby... (GunPolicy.org)
Moscow Bans Airgun Ammo in Attempt to Enforce Firearm Registration
13 November 2011
Moscow Times
Ammunition for air guns has disappeared from the city's specialized stores, apparently on verbal orders from a police force that has long frowned upon people buying — and often abusing — non-lethal firearms.
Although officially blamed on red tape, the disappearance of the ammunition is actually part of an Interior Ministry campaign to ban air guns across the country, Izvestia reported Friday.
Such an unofficial ban would amount to abuse of power, a pro-gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Imports, Shooter Numbers Up, Firearm Records 'In a Mess'
12 November 2011
ABC News (Australia)
More than a decade after the horrific Port Arthur Massacre, gun ownership is on the rise in Australia, but experts say this resurgence is highlighting serious problems with the current regulation and registration system.
In the 15 years since Martin Bryant killed 35 people at the popular Tasmanian tourist site, the flow of firearms into Australia has eclipsed the amount recovered in the government funded buy-back scheme.
Last financial year alone Australians imported... (GunPolicy.org)
Major Campaign of Small Arms Destruction in Argentina [Espanol]
9 November 2011
Missiones Online (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The National Arms Registry (RENAR), under Argentina's Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, held the destruction of 16,354 firearms. Around 17,000 other arms, voluntarily surrendered or from various warehouses, will also be destroyed.]
El próximo sábado se destruirán 9.804 armas que fueron entregadas de manera anónima y voluntaria (Ley 26.261) en las bocas del Renar y en los puestos Móviles Municipales de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en el... (GunPolicy.org)
Military Suicides: Gun Lobby Feeds on Fear, Relies on Dividing Americans
8 November 2011
New York Times / Opinion Blog, Opinion
Of all of the lobbying organizations that feed off fear, and rely for their funding and power on dividing Americans, one of the worst is the National Rifle Association.
The NRA never misses a chance to misrepresent the positions of people who advocate reasonable gun control, to make Americans afraid that the government wants to take away their right to defend their homes and their loved ones, and to turn any attempt to have a sensible conversation about guns into an... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama's A-G Blames Congress for 'Losing Battle' in US-Mexico Gun Running
8 November 2011
Guardian (UK)
The Obama administration has warned that the US is "losing the battle" to stem the flow of weapons from American guns shops to Mexican drug cartels responsible for tens of thousands of killings.
The US attorney general, Eric Holder, told a Senate hearing that Congress is in part to blame because of its hostility to gun control, even going so far as to try and block federal law enforcement agencies from requiring gun shops to report multiple sales of automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Virgin Islands Police Purge, Destroy Guns Stored at Police Stations
8 November 2011
Virgin Islands Daily News
If you've had a firearm placed for safekeeping with the Virgin Islands Police Department for more than a year, it's time to check in.
The Police Department issued a statement Monday saying that its Firearms Bureaus in both districts are reviewing the guns left with them for safekeeping by registered gun owners.
Under V.I. Code, firearms left in the Police Department's care that have remained unclaimed by the owner for at least 12 months can be considered abandoned,... (GunPolicy.org)
Rifles, Shotguns Set to Become Invisible if Canada Scraps Gun Registry
8 November 2011
McGill Tribune (Montreal)
On Oct. 25 Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government introduced Bill C-19 to the House of Commons. This bill, known as the Ending the Long-gun Registry Act, seeks to abolish the current long-gun registry. If passed, gun owners will no longer be required by law to register rifles and shotguns. Furthermore, Bill C-19 would ensure the destruction of all existing records of these weapons in the Canadian Firearms Registry.
The Conservative government's... (GunPolicy.org)
Attorney General Urges US Lawmakers to Slow US-Mexico Gun Running
8 November 2011
New York Times
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Tuesday sought to move past the political furor over Operation Fast and Furious, the disputed Arizona gun trafficking investigation, to the wider problem of the flow of American firearms to Mexican drug cartels — and what he portrayed as roadblocks members of Congress have thrown up to stemming that flow.
In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr. Holder criticized a recent vote by the House of... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Builds Industrial Estate for Illegal Gun Makers in Pakistan
7 November 2011
Central Asia Online (USA)
PESHAWAR – An industrial park will be established in Dara Adamkhel to help transform the illicit arms-manufacturing businesses of tribesmen into legal entities capable of earning export revenue.
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Development Authority recently approved Rs. 196m (US $2.3m) for setting up the industrial business park, Zarar Imtenan of the Pakistan Hunting & Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) said.
"The PHSADC in a meeting with... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukrainians Own 3 Million Illegal Guns, According to Small Arms Survey
7 November 2011
Ukrainian Journal / Komsomolskaya Pravda
KIEV - Ukraine ranks the world's 84th by the number of arms owners and 3 million pieces of armaments are owned here illegally, the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine said on Monday with reference to the Small Arms Survey - a project monitoring firearms in 178 states.
Ukrainians "own about 800,000 rifles and smooth-barrel guns, 169,000 rubber bullet weapons and 107,000 pneumatic weapons of 5.5 millimeters and more," the Interior Ministry's arms license department... (GunPolicy.org)
New Canadian Law Would Allow Even Gun Dealer Sales to Escape Registration
5 November 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
As tensions mount between Quebec and Ottawa over the federal government's proposed law to abolish the longgun registry, a wide-ranging group of activists and politicians gathered at Dawson College on Friday to urge the province to take legal action to save the registry and its vast database.
Heidi Rathjen of Poly sesouvient.ca, a group that has tracked gun laws since the massacre at the École Polytechnique that killed 14 women on Dec. 6, 1989, said Quebec should do... (GunPolicy.org)
Pentagon Warns Gun Lobby Move Heightens Risk of Soldier Suicide
4 November 2011
Christian Science Monitor
WASHINGTON - Top military officials are speaking out against a new law backed by the National Rifle Association, which they fear will increase the danger of suicide among US troops.
The measure prohibits commanders from being able to "collect or record any information" about private firearms owned by US troops living off base.
The Army's No. 2 officer, Gen. Peter Chiarelli, expressed concern this week that this law amounts to a prohibition on commanders engaging in... (GunPolicy.org)
Blacksmiths Resolve to End Illicit Gun Manufacturing in Tamale, Ghana
3 November 2011
Ghana News Agency
A group of Blacksmith in Tamale on Tuesday resolved to put an end to the illicit manufacturing and fixing of arms as their quota towards ensuring peace in the area.
They also pledged to report any person or group of persons who is found manufacturing illicit arms since it has negative repercussions on the socio-economic development of the country.
The group made the resolution at a sensitisation forum organised by the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms (GNACSA)... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Privacy Czar Shoots Down Govt Excuse for Scrapping Gun List
1 November 2011
Globe & Mail (Toronto) / Canadian Press
Canada's privacy watchdog shot a big hole Tuesday in one of the Harper government's main arguments for destroying the records compiled by the long-gun registry.
Jennifer Stoddart said there's nothing in the Privacy Act that prevents the federal government from sharing the data with provincial governments.
Indeed, the Privacy Commissioner said the act actually permits disclosure of personal information, provided it's done through a federal-provincial agreement for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to Kill Canada Long-Gun Registry Delists Sniper Rifles, Semi-Automatics
1 November 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The powerful Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle used in the 1989 Montreal massacre and this summer's Norway bloodbath.
Sniper rifles that can pierce light armour from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometres.
Or one that can drop a target two kilometres away.
They are all weapons that will soon be declassified under the Conservatives' bill to kill the long-gun registry and freed from binding controls that now see them listed with the RCMP-run database.
They... (GunPolicy.org)
New Law to Control Possession of Firearms in Uganda
29 October 2011
New Vision (Kampala)
The government is drafting a Bill to control possession of firearms held by security agencies and civilians.The Firearms, Ammunitions and Related Materials Bill, seeks to harmonise all existing laws governing possession of guns, including the Firearms Act, 1970.
The Act only regulates ownership of firearms held by individuals, while those held by the police and security agencies are governed under separate laws.
Under the new licensing system, the Government will... (GunPolicy.org)
Deleting Canada Gun Registry Files a Massive, Costly Job, Expert Says
28 October 2011
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The RCMP is refusing to say how much it will cost to destroy all copies of the federal long-gun registry as required by the Conservative government's proposed law shutting down the contentious database.
The bill to end the requirement to register long guns introduced this week requires that the Commissioner of Firearms "shall ensure the destruction as soon as feasible of all records" in the registry of non-restricted firearms.
The law specifically says that... (GunPolicy.org)
Quebec to Fight to Recover the Long-Gun Registry Data [Francais]
27 October 2011
Le Devoir (Québec)
[Translated summary: Quebec, with support of law enforcement, will fight to recover data from the long-gun registry. "These are tools to which we financially contributed through our taxes and others", says the Minister of Canadian Intergovernmental Relations - Ottawa indifferent.]
QUEBEC — Québec mènera un «combat» pour récupérer les données du registre des armes à feu, que le gouvernement Harper entend détruire. Le ministre de la Sécurité publique, Robert... (GunPolicy.org)
Cowboys, Gun Dealer Calling the Shots for Bob Katter's Political Party
27 October 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Little has been made of the links between Bob Katter's new political party and shooting interests but the website of the gun-dealing millionaire who is the party's senior vice-president gives an insight into the thirst for bloodsports of some of its backers.
For Rob Nioa and some of his like-minded friends who helped to finance Katter's Australian Party, including Queensland Gun Exchange owner David Auger, bagging a rare animal such as a scimitar-horned oryx is a... (GunPolicy.org)
Marking Allows Swazi Police to Track Guns from Dealer to Owner
27 October 2011
Observer (Mbabane)
Police will now be able to track guns from supplier to the owner after they were presented with a marking machining.
They were further trained on the usage of the gadget used to mark guns during a three-day SARPCCO training workshop on the firearms marking machine held at Sibane Hotel.
The police service will not be the only ones to benefit but soldiers and correctional services officers as well.
Registrar of Firearms in the country Assistant Superintendent Marble... (GunPolicy.org)
US Defends Gun Sale Reporting Requirement in Court
26 October 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Gun store owners in southwestern border states argued in federal court Tuesday that the Obama administration cannot require them to report when customers buy multiple high-powered rifles.
The Justice Department responded to a lawsuit seeking to block the two-month-old requirement by asking a judge to uphold its legality, arguing the measure could help stop the flow of guns to Mexican drug cartels. It requires sellers in California, Arizona, New Mexico... (GunPolicy.org)
Ban on Ownership, Use of Firearms, Ammunition Extended in Liberia
26 October 2011
Heritage (Monrovia)
An Executive Order, reinstituting a total ban on the ownership and use of firearms and ammunitions in Liberia, has been extended. Executive Order No. 34 bans the possession, use, sale or manufacture of firearms, which include all arms of precision such as flintlock guns with unrifled barrels and shotguns. The ban excludes single-barrel guns used solely for hunting, which must, however, be registered with the Ministry of Justice through the Office of the Superintendent... (GunPolicy.org)
Demand Growing in Canada for High-Tech Guns Popularised in Games, Movies
26 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
Whether it's computers, cars, motorbikes or guns, 28-year-old Greg MacDonald — a self-confessed "tech nerd" — is always looking for the latest and greatest technology.
A Newfoundlander and lover of fine machinery, MacDonald says the rigorous research and development that goes into modern military-grade firearms — known as "black rifles" within shooter circles — is a sort of poetry in motion.
"When I see a firearm, I see engineering, mathematics and physics,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Scrapping Canada Long-Gun Registry: Some Relevant Numbers
26 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
Since the introduction of stricter gun laws in 1991, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in homicides by long guns, Statistics Canada data shows. The reduction in homicides involving any type of firearm was 37 per cent.
Statistics Canada released a report on Oct. 26, 2011, on homicides in Canada in 2010. That year, there were 170 shooting homicides, about 32 per cent of all homicides. The total homicide rate fell to its lowest level since 1966 (1.62 per 100,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Government Presses Ahead with Plan to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Reuters
OTTAWA - The government pressed ahead on Tuesday with plans to scrap a registry of shotguns and rifles, brushing off police complaints the move will make their life tougher.
The Conservatives - who enjoy considerable support in rural areas - have long argued that the long-gun registry is wasteful, does nothing to cut crime and unfairly targets law-abiding farmers and hunters.
"Our government will continue to uphold our commitment to effective gun control measures that... (GunPolicy.org)
New Philippine Bill Listing 8 Professions Allowed to Carry Guns Outside Home
25 October 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – Even priests, bank tellers, nurses, accredited media practitioners and businessmen whose lives are in danger will be allowed to carry firearms outside of residence once a proposed legislation on this in the Senate is passed into law.
Senate Bill 2933, which seeks a comprehensive law on firearms, light weapons and ammunitions filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson, listed at least eight professions and occupations that should be given permit by... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada's Conservative Government to Ease Gun Laws
25 October 2011
Associated Press
TORONTO — Canada's Conservative government introduced legislation Tuesday to scrap a controversial law that requires the registration of rifles and shotguns.
Canada has long required registration of hand guns, but the long-run registry law passed in 1995 faced bitter opposition from rural Canada, the Conservative party's base, which considered it an overreaction to the problem of urban crime.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said they don't want laws targeting... (GunPolicy.org)
Bill to End Canada Long-Gun Registry Will Destroy Data Already Collected
25 October 2011
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA—Prime Minister Stephen Harper has acted to kill any attempt by a provincial or future federal government to recreate the doomed long-gun registry.
In a surprise move aimed at putting a bullet in the registry for good, the Conservative government bill tabled Wednesday orders the commissioner of firearms to destroy "as soon as feasible" records related to 7.1 million long-barreled guns collected over the past 15 years.
If passed, Bill C-19 would, as promised,... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Four People, Owned by 6 Per Cent of Canadians
24 October 2011
Montreal Gazette (Québec)
The Canadian public loves its guns, and has a sizable arsenal to prove it.
According to the Canadian Firearms Centre, there are more than 7.6 million registered firearms in Canada, about one gun for every four Canadians.
More than 1.8 million Canadians - about six per cent of the population - have valid gun licences, with the largest concentrations in Atlantic Canada and the North.
The Yukon stacks up as the most gun-loving area of the country, with more than 84 guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Shooters, Tax Group Urge Tories to Gut Gun Licensing As Well
24 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
As the federal government prepares to scrap the long gun registry, a number of groups are urging the government not to stop there.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and Conservative MP Candice Hoeppner, whose private member's bill to kill the registry nearly passed in the last session of Parliament, are expected to announce the new legislation at an event near Ottawa Tuesday.
The Conservatives tried and failed to get rid of the controversial registry several times over... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Groups Want Some Guns Banned Before Registry Is Scrapped
23 October 2011
Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
After finishing a rotation through Afghanistan with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 22-year-old Dan Styles is back in Canada, safe and sound with his young family.
When he's not caring for his one-year-old baby daughter, Styles now spends a lot of his personal time at the shooting range near his home at CFB Petawawa, in eastern Ontario. There, he hones the skills he relied on in the field.
"It's practice, practice, practice," he says. "The better you get at it,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police High Command to Tighten Handgun Carrying Control for Jamaica Cops
23 October 2011
Jamaica Gleaner
In a bid to prevent unauthorised members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) from carrying service revolvers, the Police High Command is to implement a new system called the Firearm Authorisation and Identification System (FAIS).
The new system of checks and balances is also designed to impede armed criminals from taking advantage of cracks in the current system that quite often allows a person to get by with a gun if he or she presents a police identification... (GunPolicy.org)
Airguns Allowed into Canada Easily Converted into Real AK-47, Police Say
20 October 2011
CBC News (Canada)
The RCMP are racing to track down and seize hundreds of replica AK-47 BB guns imported from China that investigators fear can be easily reconfigured into deadly prohibited weapons.
The Mounties launched raids and seizures last week on a number of gun stores in B.C., Ontario, and Quebec. Investigators believe the toys — assembled with authentic parts from the Chinese Type-56 version of the AK-47 semi-automatic assault rifle — can be transformed into weapons with a... (GunPolicy.org)
London, Ontario Gun Violence Fear: Toronto's Guns Land Here
19 October 2011
London Free Press (Ontario)
Many come from the U.S. - ripped off, smuggled across the border and often secreted here with the illegal drug trade.
But London also pays for crime in the Big Smoke - Toronto, with many of the illegal guns seized here by police originating in the mega-city as well. As recently as four years ago, four of every 10 guns seized by a special London squad could be traced back to the Toronto area.
But the truth is, illegal weapons scooped off London streets - 441 so far... (GunPolicy.org)
2,577 Firearms Seized, 1,650 Firearms Destroyed in Trinidad & Tobago
15 October 2011
Newsday (Trinidad & Tobago)
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday donned special protective gear as she manned a large saw and destroyed a gun — one of 1,650 weapons comprising illegal firearms and obsolete firearms from the Defence Force — which were destroyed over the past week.
The PM accompanied a team of security officials including National Security Minister John Sandy and Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs at a ceremonial firearms destruction event at the Police Academy in... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Police Gun Control Described as a 'Nightmare', Say MPs
13 October 2011
Cape Argus (Cape Town)
Political Bureau
NATIONAL police commissioner General Bheki Cele and his top cops were slammed by Parliament's police oversight committee yesterday over the state of the service, with the chair of the committee describing its firearms control as a "nightmare".
In the past five years, 11 935 SAPS firearms have been lost or stolen.
As the police top brass were being grilled, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said in a written parliamentary reply that one-third (91 191) of... (GunPolicy.org)
Criminal Says He Has No Trouble Obtaining a Handgun in Australia
11 October 2011
Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
A hardened Gold Coast criminal has told The Courier-Mail he could obtain a "very nice" handgun for about $2000 in two hours "through bikie connections".
The man, who has a criminal history involving outlaw motorcycle clubs, said the weapon would be "top of the range, like a Glock 9mm" and was likely to have come from a cache of guns stolen during a break-in and then stored for later use or sale. "It could be easily procured for a job," he said.
A spate of shootings on... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico: No Licence to Carry Guns if History of Domestic Violence [Espanol]
11 October 2011
Periodico Digital (Mexico)
[Translated summary: The National Defence Commission of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies approved a ruling that establishes new requirements for those applying for a licence to carry firearms, including no criminal record for willful or negligent use of firearms and no history of domestic violence.]
La Comisión de Defensa Nacional estableció nuevas obligaciones para este trámite
La Comisión de Defensa Nacional de la Cámara de Diputados federal aprobó el dictamen... (GunPolicy.org)
California to Ban Open-Carry of Handguns, Retain Info on Long Gun Sales
11 October 2011
San Francisco Chronicle
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Jerry Brown has outlawed the open carrying of unloaded handguns in California, signing a bill late Sunday night that makes the practice that had been popular with some gun rights advocates a misdemeanor in the state.
The bill, AB144 by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge (Los Angeles County), will take effect Jan. 1 and was backed by law enforcement officials throughout the state who said the practice created a public safety... (GunPolicy.org)
At Urging of Police, California Bans Open Carrying of Handguns
10 October 2011
Los Angeles Times
Sacramento— With the announcement early Monday that he had outlawed the public display of handguns in California, Gov. Jerry Brown bucked a national trend toward more lenient firearms laws and placed himself in the political cross-hairs of the state's 2nd Amendment activists.
Brown, the owner of three guns, said in a statement that he signed a bill banning the open carrying of handguns at the urging of law enforcement officials, who included Los Angeles Police Chief... (GunPolicy.org)
Smuggled US Ammunition Feeds Mexico's Ongoing Drug Gun Wars
9 October 2011
USA Today
PHOENIX - Every year, thousands of guns are smuggled into Mexico from the United States, fueling the brutal drug-cartel wars and stirring outrage on both sides of the border.
But often overlooked in the controversy are the tons of bullets that also make their way south of the border.
In Mexico, ammunition is strictly regulated and possession of even a single illegal round can lead to prison. But there is nonetheless a steady supply of bullets. Almost all of it comes... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Founding Fathers, Towns Once Imposed Strict Gun Control
9 October 2011
New York Times, Book review
In "Gunfight," his provocative, highly uneven new book about the fight over gun control, the constitutional law professor Adam Winkler writes that "gun rights and gun control are not only compatible; they have lived together since the birth of America." He argues that "despite the controversy over the meaning of the Second Amendment, Americans have always had the right to keep and bear arms as a matter of state constitutional law. Today, nearly every state has such a... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Who Killed 4 and Himself in US Used Illegally Altered AK-47
5 October 2011
Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada)
CARSON CITY - The gunman who killed four people and then himself at a restaurant on Sept. 6 used a Chinese-made version of an AK-47 assault rifle altered into an illegal automatic weapon, the Carson City sheriff's office said Wednesday.
Sheriff Ken Furlong said his deputies and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were continuing to investigate how the weapon and others ended up in the hands of Eduardo Sencion.
Sencion, 32, of Carson City, fired 60... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada Gun Control Not Linked to Homicide Rates - Study
5 October 2011
National Post (Toronto)
Criminal record checks, 28-day waiting periods, the long-gun registry: none has done anything to stem Canadian firearm homicide rates, according to a new study by an emergency-medicine academic.
"No significant beneficial associations between firearms legislation and homicide or spousal homicide rates were found," reads the abstract on the study, written by Caillin Langmann, a resident in the division of emergency medicine at McMaster University, and himself a vocal... (GunPolicy.org)
