Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Russia
Russian Boy Unintentionally Kills Brother with Unregistered Gun
12 May 2013
Reuters
A 7-year-old Russian boy told investigators he had shot and killed his 4-year-old brother by accident with their grandfather's rifle on Sunday, law enforcement authorities said.
The boy said he and his brother had found the gun under a bed in their grandparents' house in the Siberian town of Bukachacha and were playing with it on the porch while the adults slept, the federal Investigative Committee said.
The boy said he accidentally pulled the trigger while trying to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37455
Russia
Russian Police Detain Several People Over Celebratory Shootings
28 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Police have detained at least nine people traveling in a wedding caravan of five cars for allegedly firing celebratory shots in southern Moscow on Sunday, a police spokesman has said.
"A wedding cortege of Azerbaijan's nationals has been detained at the entrance to the Tsaritsyno park," the spokesman said adding that the passengers and the drivers have been taken to a police department to "give explanations over the shooting."
Police have halted a caravan... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37383
Russia
Russian President Opposes Idea of Free Gun Sales for Defensive Use
27 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he opposes the idea of allowing Russians to buy guns freely for self-defense purposes.
"I do not support the idea of free arms distribution in Russia," Putin told Rossiya 24 television adding: "It is dangerous to artificially stimulate this process."
The idea came after a shocking massacre in downtown Belgorod, southwest Russia, on Monday afternoon, which left six people dead.
A gunman killed three people... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37381
Russia
Russian Mass Shooting Suspect Has Criminal Record, History of Aggression
24 April 2013
BBC News
A gunman suspected of shooting six people dead in the western Russian city of Belgorod on Monday has been captured, Russian police have said.
Sergei Pomazun, 31, was detained after being caught trying to flee the city on a freight train.
The manhunt lasted more than 24 hours and involved over 2,000 police.
Mr Pomazun is believed to have shot dead three people in a hunting shop and three passers-by. He is said to have wounded a policeman during his capture.
When... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
37365
Russia
Russian Man Steals Rifle, Shoots and Kills Six People
22 April 2013
Reuters
MOSCOW - A man shot dead six people, including two schoolgirls, with a rifle after robbing a hunting shop in the western Russian city of Belgorod on Monday, local officials said.
Police said their main suspect was a former convict in his thirties, adding that the attacker had fled in an expensive car.
The man, who was still on the run on Monday evening, first opened fire at the personnel of the shop and then also shot dead passersby outside in the city's main street,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37355
Russia
Russia Govt Passes New Law to Crack Down on Shootings in Public
17 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday adopted in the first reading a bill toughening punishment for shooting in public places.
The amendments to the Russian Administrative Offenses Code were proposed by a group of Duma deputies. In line with the draft law, those shooting in inhabited localities and at sites where shooting is not allowed will be fined 50,000 rubles ($1,575), their weapons license suspended, weapons seized, and may... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37343
Poland,Ukraine,Israel,Côte d'Ivoire,Bulgaria,Belarus,China,Angola,Russia
Guns Easily Available in Côte D'Ivoire Despite Embargo
16 April 2013
IRIN (UN News)
ABIDJAN - Côte d'Ivoire's recent turbulence - including the ouster of president Henri Konan Bédié in 1999, a long-running insurgency and deadly poll unrest in 2011 - has left the country awash in arms, which have contributed to human rights abuses, widespread crime and persistent insecurity.
Two years after coming to power in 2000, Laurent Gbagbo's administration faced an army mutiny, which morphed into a full-scale rebellion. In response, the government underwent a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
37347
Russia
Lovesick Russian Man Takes Girl Hostage With Replica Uzi
15 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
ST. PETERSBURG - Police officers freed a female undergraduate student who was being held hostage by a man she spurned, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.
The young woman was captured at a university dormitory near St. Petersburg on Sunday morning and held by a man armed with an Uzi CO2 BB gun and a kitchen knife.
The girl's friend called the police, who arrived at the scene and eventually talked the man into laying down his arms and turning himself in.
The hostage... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37331
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Montenegro,Slovenia,Serbia,Macedonia,Romania,Albania,Bulgaria
South East Europe Workshop Confirms Surplus Firearms a Regional Threat
8 April 2013
SEESAC (Belgrade)
On 3-5 April, the 6th Workshop of the Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction (RASR) of Conventional Weapons and Munitions Initiative took place in Bled, Slovenia. The focus of the 6th RASR workshop were national legal frameworks regulating import, export and transit of weapons, ammunition and dual-use goods, particularly as they relate to the surplus weapons and munitions.
RASR is a regional initiative which aims to coordinate and support countries of South East... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SEESAC (Belgrade)
37295
Russia
Russian Police Find World War II Gun Arsenal in Apartment
5 April 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
KALININGRAD – Russian police in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad have discovered an arsenal of World War II firearms in an apartment belonging to a local resident, the regional Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Friday.
"They found an MG 34 machinegun, MP 38 and MP 40 sub-machineguns, a PPSh sub-machinegun and also five bolts, three pistol grips with trigger mechanisms, and six gun barrels from an unidentified model. In addition, there were also 220 rounds of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37292
India,Egypt,Russia,China
China Says UN Arms Treaty Lacks Consensus
3 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
There is no consensus on an international arms trade treaty, major weapons exporter China said on Wednesday, after it abstained as the UN General Assembly passed the measure by 154 votes to three.
The only votes against the first treaty on the conventional arms trade were from Syria, North Korea and Iran.
The 23 countries abstaining included Russia and China, ranked respectively as the number two and five weapons exporters by the Stockholm International Peace Research... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
37276
Turkey,Syria,Russia,France
Turkish Authorities Seize Guns Bound for Syria
29 March 2013
RTÉ (Dublin)
Turkish authorities say they have seized thousands of guns in a warehouse by the Syrian border.
A local news agency said the weapons had been destined for Turkey's war-torn neighbour.
The firearms, including more than 5,000 shotguns and rifles, starting pistols, gunstocks and 10,000 cartridges, were discovered during a raid in a village on the edge of the Turkish town of Akcakale.
The Dogan News Agency said the weapons were being stored on the edge of the border... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTÉ (Dublin)
37257
Russia
Russians Debate the Right to Bear Arms After Shooting
26 March 2013
Russia and India Report
"If you outlaw guns only outlaws will have guns" – so goes the famous slogan of the National Rifle Association in the US. Until recently, few people thought that this would ever be a contentious issue in Russia. But the case of Alexandra Lotkova, a 21-year-old Moscow student, is stoking the fire of a debate that will eventually spill into the open.
Lotkova was jailed for three years this month because she injured a man with a shot from a travmatichesky pistol, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Russia and India Report
37235
South America,Eastern Europe,Thailand,Italy,Canada,United States,Philippines
The Gunmakers of the Philippines
20 March 2013
BBC News
CEBU, Philippines - A shot rings out from a factory on the outskirts of the Philippines' second-biggest city, Cebu.
But this isn't an all-too-frequent drive-by killing or an argument that has become violent.
The sound is from a testing range at Shooters Arms, the country's second-largest gun factory.
Shooters Arms produces about 20,000 pistols and shotguns every year, 85% of which are sold abroad - mainly to the US, Canada, Italy and Thailand.
Operations manager... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
37208
Romania,Burkina Faso,Poland,Russia,Latvia,Tunisia,Guinea,Senegal,Bulgaria,China,Africa,Europe,Côte d'Ivoire
Arms Proliferation and Abuse Shatter Communities in Côte d'Ivoire - AI
20 March 2013
Amnesty International (London)
Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
The 33-page report, Communities shattered by arms proliferation and abuse in Côte d'Ivoire, documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37206
Germany,United Kingdom,France,Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,Russia,United States
Armed Violence Kills 66,000 Women and Girls Each Year
20 March 2013
New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has urged the world's nations to agree on a strong UN treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in the next two weeks, saying it will save lives and make it more difficult for warlords, organised criminals and terrorists to obtain weapons.
Hopes of reaching agreement on what would be a landmark treaty were dashed last July when the United States said it needed more time to consider the proposed accord - a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
37202
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
37196
China,Russia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
UN Revives Effort on Pact to Regulate Arms Trade
17 March 2013
New York Times
In the shadow of the re-energized gun-control debate in the United States, negotiators at the United Nations will reconvene this week to try to reach a final agreement on a treaty to regulate the global trade in conventional weapons, a lucrative business that rights groups call the main source of illicit arms fueling deadly conflicts around the world.
"I am confident that member states will overcome their differences and muster the political will needed to agree on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37194
Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
NRA Opposes UN Arms Trade Treaty
16 March 2013
Washington Post
The National Rifle Association, which is battling a raft of gun control measures on Capitol Hill, also has an international fight on its hand as it gears up to oppose a U.N. treaty designed to restrict the flow of arms to conflict zones.
Negotiations open Monday in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, which would require countries to determine whether weapons they sell would be used to commit serious human rights violations, terrorism or transnational organized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37191
India,Egypt,Syria,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Urgent Call for Tighter Rules on International Arms Trade - Oxfam
12 March 2013
Oxfam International (Oxford), Media release
Draft Arms Trade Treaty text littered with loopholes which need fixing urgently to save lives
More than 325,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives through armed violence since negotiations for a treaty to regulate the global arms trade for the first time ground to a halt in July last year, say Oxfam and Saferworld, part of the Control Arms Coalition.
The Control Arms Coalition calls on world leaders to urgently adopt robust rules on international transfers... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Oxfam International (Oxford)
37183
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37175
Russia
Russian Police Raid Illegal Gun Workshop Making and Repairing Guns
7 March 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – The police and the Federal Security Service (FSB) have uncovered an underground arms factory and large cache of firearms in the Moscow Region, the Interior Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Two underground workshops for arms re-engineering were liquidated and four suspected criminal gang members were arrested," the police reported in a statement.
The workshops were based in two garages west of Moscow, where the security forces discovered at least nine machine... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37155
Russia
Russian Police Seize Large Cache of 'Black Market' Weapons
26 February 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Police has confiscated over 100 pieces of weaponry during a raid on an apartment in eastern Moscow owned by a suspected arms dealer.
"The seized arsenal included 24 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 34 Makarov handguns, 14 TT pistols, four Nagan revolvers, a Walther and a Parabellum pistols, three machine-guns, six rifles, a hand grenade and several fuses," police said in a statement on Monday.
The suspect, a 40-year-old Muscovite whose identity has not been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37113
Russia,Nigeria,Madagascar,Guinea
Nigeria Charges Russian 'Gun Dealers' for Smuggling
19 February 2013
BBC News
Fifteen Russian sailors have been charged in a court in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, with illegally bringing weapons into the country.
The crew of the MV Myre Seadiver were denied bail by the High Court, pending a final ruling on Monday.
The Nigerian navy had seized the ship, owned by Moscow-based security firm Moran, last October.
Moran has said the ship had permission to carry arms and had stopped in Lagos to change crew.
The vessel had been travelling from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
37084
United Arab Emirates,Russia
Russia Offers UAE Ammo Production Deal
18 February 2013
RIA Novosti (Russia)
ABU-DHABI - Russia is ready to offer the United Arab Emirates license-production of ammunition for BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles previously sold to the country, Pribor defense firm chief Oleg Chizhevsky said on Monday.
"About 700 BMP-3's have been delivered to the UAE; naturally, there is high demand for those shells and we are ready to meet it in any form, in any format," he said at the IDEX-2013 international arms exhibition in Abu Dhabi. He did not specify which... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
37081
Finland,United States,European Union,Germany,Switzerland,Russia,South Africa,Mexico
Registry Shows Germans Fourth in World For Guns
17 February 2013
Local (Germany)
Figures compiled for Germany's new National Weapons Registry reveal that there are 5.4 million legally owned guns in the country, making it the world's fourth most-armed nation per capita.
Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday that the state of Bavaria topped the list with 1.1 million, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 1 million and Baden-Württemberg with 700,000.
The new national gun register bundles together the data from over 500 local authorities, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Germany)
37072
Russia,Afghanistan,Israel,Belgium,United States
How Video Games Fund Arms Manufacturers and Sell Guns
31 January 2013
EuroGamer
The American confectionery company Victoria Sweets claims to have invented the candy cigarette. A thin stick of chocolate, wrapped in edible paper and designed to impersonate a roll-up, it debuted in 1915 and soon became the accessory of choice for children keen to play grown-up. Hollywood star, GI Joe, team captain: the sweet gave kids the chance try out one of the vogue props of adulthood.
Within 20 years it was so popular that cigarette companies began to take... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: EuroGamer
37023
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads From Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36931
United States,Russia,China,Mexico
Mexico's Gun Problems Go Beyond Drug Wars
11 January 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - A lot of attention goes to the U.S.-made weapons in the hands of criminal groups in this Latin American country. But there is little talk of another problem: the large number of light weapons in the hands of civilians.
The Mexican Constitution establishes the people's right to "own guns in their homes for their safety and self-defence", with the exception of high caliber weapons, while the 1972 Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives stipulates the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
36928
Russia,Nigeria
Russia Asks Nigeria to Release Alleged Gun, Ammo Smugglers
10 January 2013
This Day (Lagos)
The Russian government Wednesday called for the immediate release of the 15 sailors arrested by the Nigerian Navy for allegedly smuggling arms into the country.
Nigerian authorities intercepted a ship and arrested its Russian crew on October 23 last year after they found 14 AK-47 rifles guns and 8,500 rounds of ammunition on board.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said the sailors were facing a court case initiated "under false pretexts" and that Nigeria broke a promise... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: This Day (Lagos)
36924
Russia,Ukraine,Kenya,East Africa,European Union,Israel,Libya,Yemen,Ethiopia,United States,Somalia
Special Investigation: Lack of Gun Treaty Fuels Kenyan Smuggling Trade
9 January 2013
Star (Kenya)
Whether looking after his herd of cattle or taking them to the watering point, Boru hardly leaves his AK47 behind. He lives in the outskirts of Gambella village, a few kilometres from Isiolo town.
"It has become like a stick for me. I carry it around and my enemies fear me. It gives me more power than I had before I acquired it," Boru said.
Taking cover from the scorching sun under the shade of an old acacia tree, Boru, a father of three, told the Star he bought his... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star (Kenya)
36922
Guatemala,El Salvador,Venezuela,United States,Australia,Jamaica,Russia,Colombia
NRA 'Good Guys With Guns' Theory Already Disproved in Latin America
5 January 2013
New York Times
In the wake of the tragic shooting deaths at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., last month, the National Rifle Association proposed that the best way to protect schoolchildren was to place a guard — a "good guy with a gun" — in every school, part of a so-called National School Shield Emergency Response Program.
Indeed, the N.R.A.'s solution to the expansion of gun violence in America has been generally to advocate for the more widespread deployment and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36904
Israel,India,Czech Republic,Switzerland,United States,Italy
Indian Factory to Make 1 Million Rifles for Army Upgrade
16 December 2012
Sunday Standard / New Indian Express (Chennai)
NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has half a million rifles and carbines it doesn't want, and now plans to junk them all over the next five years. The dark lining is that these infantry weapons were developed and manufactured in India to equip four lakh soldiers at an expenditure of Rs 25,000 crore over two decades. So far, so bad. Now add another Rs 50,000 crore that will have to be spent over the next decade to re-equip our soldiers with the four kinds of weapons that are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sunday Standard / New Indian Express (Chennai)
36913
Russia,Belarus,Europe
Men Jailed for Smuggling Guns, Ammo into Russia
13 December 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
BRYANSK - The Bryansk city court in western Russia sentenced two businessmen to three and four years in prison on Thursday for illegal arms imports from Europe via Belarus, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said.
The operation was set up in 2010 by a Russian and a Belarusian national based in the city of Mogilev.
The handguns and ammunition they brought in were sold mainly to organized crime groups in Russia.
Police broke up the operation in September 2011 when a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
36822
Russia
Russian Poll Shows Civilians Think More Guns Means More Risk
23 November 2012
Kyiv Post (Ukraine) / Interfax (Ukraine)
MOSCOW - The overwhelming majority of Russians (82%) object to arms trade liberalization. They think that unlimited access to weapons may increase the crime rate.
Only 13% support free selling of weapons and 5% do not know, the Public Opinion Foundation said in comment on a poll held in 100 towns and cities in 43 regions on November 17-18.
Seventy-eight percent of 1,500 respondents said they would not buy weapons even if Russia permitted free selling of armaments to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Kyiv Post (Ukraine) / Interfax (Ukraine)
36771
United States,Thailand,Austria,Czech Republic
Thai Authorities Concerned Over Easy Access to Guns
18 November 2012
Bangkok Post
In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic accidents, and quickly escalate. Law enforcement officials say the root cause is the easy availability of guns, and this is true for teenagers as well as adults. People prefer to buy weapons outside of legal channels because they are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bangkok Post
36753
Russia
Russia Proposes Tougher Gun Laws After Alcohol-Fueled Mass Shooting
8 November 2012
Russian Legal Information Agency
MOSCOW - Amendments which tighten the regulations for carrying weapons may be approved in the near future in response to a recent incident in Moscow where a 30-year-old lawyer shot dead five of his colleagues, Izvestia daily reported, citing the head of the licensing service of the Interior Ministry Leonid Vedenov.
The newspaper reported that the draft amendments to the law "On Weapons" will be submitted to the Interior Ministry's administration.
"We have proposed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Russian Legal Information Agency
36722
Russia
Russian Arms Company Rogozin Wants Kalashnikov Merger
3 November 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
KLIMOVSK - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin called on Saturday for a merger of two of Russia's leading small-arms makers, Izhmash and Izhmekh, under the Kalashnikov brand.
"We need to set up a new-old brand, named 'Kalashnikov', based on the two old factories," said Rogozin, who has special responsibilities for Russia's arms industry, during a visit to the TsNIITOCHMASH arms plant near Moscow.
Oleg Bochkaryev, a member of Russia's military-technical... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
36716
Russia
Russia Gets Tough on Celebratory Gunfire at Weddings
28 October 2012
Daily Beast (Russia)
A caravan of cars with tinted windows and streaming ribbons stretches along the highway. Drum music accompanies the proud procession; gun-shot salutes ring out, calling neighbors to join the happy event. Guests gather outside in the courtyards of apartment buildings to clap, fire off more guns, and cheer. Couples perform the Lezginka, the traditional dance of the region.
This is a typical scene for a wedding in the North Caucasus, and for many years, one rarely seen... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Beast (Russia)
36700
Russia
Three Die in Shooting as Russia Police Attempt Arrest of Alleged Militants
24 October 2012
BBC News
At least two suspected Islamic militants and a member of the security forces have been shot dead in a clash in the central Russian city of Kazan, local officials say.
The shooting came after the militants were surrounded in a residential building in an operation against "especially dangerous criminals".
Police said one of the dead militants was wearing a suicide belt.
Kazan is capital of a region with large numbers of Muslim Tatars and Bashkirs.
Officials said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36681
Bulgaria
Bulgaria Police Seize Assault Weapons from Flour Mill
18 October 2012
Focus News (Bulgaria)
Plovdiv - Bulgarian police found a military arsenal of Kalashnikov rifles, machine guns and twenty firearms of collector's value at a flour-mill close to the town of Asenovgrad, district of Plovdiv (Central South Bulgaria).
"No arrests are made yet," said Senior Commissioner Todor Chonov, Director of the District Interior Ministry Directorate – Plovdiv, speaking for Radio FOCUS – Plovdiv.
Chonov explained that the operation was realised by the General Directorate... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Focus News (Bulgaria)
36653
Russia,Iraq
Iraq Govt Signs $4.2b Arms Deal with Russia
9 October 2012
BBC News
Iraq has signed contracts to buy Russian arms worth $4.2bn (£2.6bn; 3.2bn euros) this year, Russian news agencies report.
Moscow, the main supplier of arms to Iraq under Saddam Hussein, thus becomes the country's second-biggest arms supplier after the US.
The new contracts were announced after talks between the two countries' prime ministers near Moscow on Tuesday.
Reports suggest attack helicopters and missiles are included in them.
Iraq has been rebuilding its... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36632
Russia
Russian Weapons May Get Electronic Chip to Monitor Use, Ownership
9 October 2012
Voice of Russia (Moscow)
Russian weapons will fire only in the hands of their legitimate owners. A unique system of control over the operation of weapons has been developed by the order of the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
An electronic chip fitted into a pistol or machine-gun will be able to identify the marksman and block the shot if the biometrical information does not fit.
A photo, fingerprints, retina peculiarities and other personal information will be... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of Russia (Moscow)
36629
Russia
Russia Calls for Ban on Gun Sales to NGO End-Users, Prevents Diversion
8 October 2012
Russia Beyond the Headlines / Interfax
Russia has called on the world to agree on selling small arms and light weapons only to authorized dealers of importer countries, Russian Foreign Ministry security and disarmament department head Alexander Deineko said in an interview with Interfax.
Russia has suggested a set of measures, which would tighten control over the distribution of small arms and light weapons, primarily in the areas where the risk of an arms leak to the black market is high, he said.
"For... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Russia Beyond the Headlines / Interfax
36623
Russia
Anger Over $3 Fine for Celebratory Gun Shots in Russia's Capital
1 October 2012
Daily Reporter (Indiana)
MOSCOW — It was an unusual wedding escort even for Moscow's brash style: A red Ferrari led a motorcade in which guests fired celebratory shots from car windows as they sped down one of the city's main avenues near Red Square.
Sunday's parade drew an angry reaction from the Kremlin-controlled parliament, where senior lawmakers voiced outrage Monday after wedding guests from the province of Dagestan in Russia's North Caucasus walked away with $3 fines. Just one man was... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Reporter (Indiana)
36604
Czech Republic
Czech President Gets Minor Injuries After Being Shot at with Replica Gun
28 September 2012
BBC News
A man armed with a replica pistol has fired at Czech President Vaclav Klaus at close range while he was opening a bridge in the north of the country.
Footage of the incident from Czech television show Mr Klaus recoiling slightly but carrying on with the visit apparently unhurt. He was taken to hospital but suffered only minor bruising.
His security detail has come in for harsh criticism for allowing the man to get so close to Mr... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36600
Eastern Europe,France
Gun Control on French Agenda After Rise in Smuggling from East Europe
7 September 2012
Le Cawa d'AdmiNet (France)
Gun control has shot to the top of the political agenda in France in recent years because of massive influx of weapons from Eastern Europe.
Largely un-policed border crossings with countries like Italy have seen thousands of guns pouring into major cities over the past few decades from countries like Serbia and the Ukraine.
This has led to a huge increase in the number of criminals brandishing weapons, especially drugs gangs and ones linked to the Italian and Russian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Cawa d'AdmiNet (France)
36535
Russia
Drunken Russian Cop Kills Colleague While Shooting Bottles
28 August 2012
Moscow Times
A drunken cop accidentally killed a colleague while out shooting bottles near a Chelyabinsk region railroad, Urals transportation investigators said Monday.
According to investigators, the 25-year-old policeman killed his 30-year-old colleague in February after inadvertently firing at him while passing him a rifle by the Nyazepetrovsk-Uraim railroad.
The rifle, which the pair were using for target practice, was pointed at the head of the colleague at the time.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
36510
Peru,Argentina,Dominican Republic,Colombia,Mexico,Russia,United States
What Google's Arms Trafficking Map Tells Us
28 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The lights blanketing the globe on Google's latest foray into data visualization tell a hidden story of the gun trafficking business: that understanding the movement of ammunition is just as important as understanding the movement of weapons.
Google says the interactive map, which was a joint initiative between Google Ideas and the Brazil-based Igarape Institute, was pulled together using more than a million data points of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
36509
United States,Russia
Russian Town Sells 'Tens of Thousands' of Assault Rifles to US
14 August 2012
New York Times
IZHEVSK, Russia — The nickname of this town, home of the factory that makes Kalashnikov rifles, is the "Armory of Russia." Over the years, it has armed a good number of other countries, too, as the lathes and presses of the Izhevsk Machine Works clanged around the clock to forge AK-47s and similar guns for insurgents and armies around the world.
But these days, many of Izhevsk's weapons are headed somewhere else: the United States.
Despite the gun's violent history... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36466
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Eastern Europe,Romania,Greece,Bulgaria,Moldova,Macedonia,Serbia
Balkan Countries Loaded With Illegal Firearms
8 August 2012
Southeast European Times
Southeast Europe's are heavily armed – according to the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, people in the region legally own 3 million firearms and another 4 million illegal weapons.
Serbia leads the region in weapons, according to Ivan Cvijovic, police inspector at the public order sector of the Belgrade police department. The rate of registered firearms per 100 people is 15.81.
Montenegro has 14.36... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southeast European Times
36453
Turkey,Bulgaria
Bulgaria-Turkey Border Guards Seize 40,000 Rounds of Ammunition
5 August 2012
Sofia News Agency
Customs officers at the Kapakule border crossing point between Bulgaria and Turkey have intercepted an attempt to smuggle large amounts of ammunition into Turkey.
The X-ray inspection of a car driven by a Turkish national detected a suspicious load.
The car had entered Kapakule from the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing.
A follow-up inspection with a detection dog found 21 000 pistol bullets and an equal amount of bullets for sniper rifles, machine pistols, shotguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sofia News Agency
36438
Russia
Russian Police Seize Cache of Guns, Anti-Tank Rifle From Home
3 August 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
Russian investigators arrested a man in northwest Russia on Thursday for arms offences, including possession of an anti-tank rifle, the police said on Friday.
Police raided the man's apartment and country house in Gatchina, Leningrad Region, and uncovered an arsenal of weapons including the anti-tank rifle, pistols, grenades, mortar, and aircraft machine-guns, city police said.
The unemployed 39-year-old man was detained after he tried to sell a TT-30 semi-automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
36427
China,Russia,United States
US Gun Lobby Wins One, Beats Back UN Treaty to Slow World Gun Trade
29 July 2012
San Francisco Chronicle
When a global treaty to limit shady weapons sales gets swept up in the gun-control debate, it's clear that this country has a problem. A bloc of U.S. senators, chiefly Republicans with a sprinkling of Democrats, has managed to derail a U.N. treaty to restrict weapons sales between countries.
The reasoning is spurious and shameful, a political play on distrust of the United Nations and unfounded fears about a loss of domestic gun rights. But the threat was enough to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: San Francisco Chronicle
36409
Russia
Russia Plans to Relax Handgun Laws, 'Promote Weapons Culture'
24 July 2012
Russia and India Report
The Federation Council, the upper chamber of Russia's State Duma, has proposed that the public be allowed to own and use firearms. Alexander Torshin, deputy speaker of the Federation Council, is planning to submit a draft bill to the president that would allow service pistols to be used in self-defense. According to the document, a person would not be jailed for shooting under such circumstances. The bill is expected to be submitted to the State Duma early next year.
... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Russia and India Report
36379
Mauritius,Russia
Mauritius Bans Ex-Associates of Gun Smuggler from Operating Airline
17 July 2012
New York Times
MOSCOW — Two former business associates of Viktor Bout, the convicted Russian arms dealer now in federal prison in the United States, have been blocked by the government of Mauritius from setting up an aviation company that could have been used for smuggling guns, according to the government and a private American arms investigation group.
In a report scheduled for release on Wednesday, the group, Conflict Awareness Project, says that Mr. Bout's former lieutenants... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36351
Eastern Europe,United Kingdom,Germany
UK Gangs Use Fake Guns, Real Ammo, Police Blame Smuggling
17 July 2012
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A tide of converted replica firearms began flooding the underworld in the first decade of the 21th century.
In the late nineties and early noughties, the weapon of choice had been the machine gun, as automatic weapons, many of them from former Eastern Bloc countries, were smuggled to the port of Liverpool before washing up in Manchester's gangland.
The MAC-10 was a particularly deadly weapon favoured by the gangs of Longsight and Moss Side.
One Manchester gang... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Manchester Evening News (UK)
36345
Angola,Africa,West Africa,Venezuela,Iran,Egypt,Algeria,South Sudan,Liberia,Germany,France,China,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,South Africa
For Africa, Ammunition Control Deserves Global Gun Trade Treaty Focus
9 July 2012
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG — For a couple of hundred dollars or less an arms dealer can illegally source a blank end user certificate with the required signatures and stamps - needed to transfer weapons across international borders - and "if no one checks its authenticity (often the case) he can ship his wares to the world's hotspots with minimal risk, for maximum profit," a report by the Small Arms Survey (SAS) said in 2008.
Since then "not much has changed" Glenn McDonald, based... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
36317
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,Pakistan,Cuba,Iran,China,Russia
Arms Trade Treaty Should Cover Broad Range of Arms and Ammunition
8 July 2012
New York Times, Editorial
The world is awash in conventional weapons, like tanks, firearms and aircraft, with the market valued at $40 billion to $60 billion a year. Far too many of these arms are fueling conflicts and atrocities in Syria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. They have been used to kill countless innocent civilians, and they will be used against countless more if the international community does not find a way to keep them out of the hands of unscrupulous regimes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36316
United States,India,Russia
Russia's Position on the Arms Trade Treaty
6 July 2012
Voice of Russia (Moscow)
Russia has one of the most well developed arms control systems in the world and we have only one arms exporting nongovernmental agency which controls all arms trade.
Interview with Sergey Denisentsev – expert of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies from Moscow, Russia.
What is the position of Russia on IATT?
Well, the key difference between the Russian approach towards IATT and the approach of countries of the EU is the matter of goals of IATT.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of Russia (Moscow)
36307
Oceania,Russia,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,Syria,Egypt,China,United Kingdom
UK to Push for Ammunition Control in Arms Trade Treaty
28 June 2012
Independent (UK) / Press Association (UK)
Britain is to push for ammunition sales to be covered by new international arms trade controls despite strong resistance from the US.
The UK sees the inclusion of ammunition as an essential element of the proposed Arms Trade Treaty and will negotiate hard for it when a month-long conference opens at the United Nations in New York next week.
But the British delegation faces opposition from a number of countries including China, Egypt and Syria but also its traditional... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (UK) / Press Association (UK)
36286
United Kingdom,Germany,Ukraine,Sudan,China,South Sudan
Amnesty Accuses Sudan, China, Ukraine of Fueling Conflict in South Sudan
27 June 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — Amnesty International on Thursday accused China, Sudan and Ukraine of allegedly supplying military weapons to both South Sudanese Armed Forces (SPLA) and opposition groups, triggering scores of indiscriminate attacks in parts of South Sudan.
The organization, in its latest report, entitled South Sudan: Arms supplies fueling violations in forgotten conflict, examines the impact of responsible supplies and misuse of weapons, munitions and armaments that resulted... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
36281
Colombia,Chad,Sudan,Congo (DRC),Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,European Union,Pakistan,India,China,Africa,Russia,Syria
NGOs Set Minimum Specifications for Arms Trade Treaty [Francais]
27 June 2012
Le Monde (France), Opinion
[Translated summary: Associations, NGOs and hundreds of members of the global coalition "Control Arms" have set minimum specifications for the future Arms Trade Treaty. It will have to control all types of conventional arms and ammunition used by military as well as by law enforcement, since they can be used for serious human rights violations. ATT will include exports but also imports, transit and all types of transfers and all actors, such as arms brokers, like Viktor... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France)
36280
Russia,Venezuela
More Assault Rifles Floating Around, the Last Thing South America Needs
15 June 2012
Honduras Weekly, Editorial
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez said on Wednesday that his country has built several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and has plans to potentially export them to other Latin American countries. The president of Compañia Anonima Venezolana de Industrias Militares (Cavim) says the drones have a radius of 100 kilometers, a flying time of 90 minutes and a maximum altitude of 3,000 feet. The plane can transmit live streaming video and take high resolution... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Honduras Weekly
36256
Russia,Colombia,Venezuela
Venezuela Set to Produce 25,000 Kalashnikovs, Sniper Rifles a Year
14 June 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Venezuela is nearing completion of an arms factory which will produce 25,000 Kalashnikov and sniper rifles a year, a development which could have troublesome implications for the conflict in neighboring Colombia.
In a June 13 televised speech, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez praised an arms factory in Aragua state, constructed with Russian assistance. Though it is still waiting on equipment from Russia, when production is at full capacity the factory will be able to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
36247
United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Germany,France,China,Africa
The 'Big Six' Arms Exporters - Amnesty International
11 June 2012
Amnesty International (London)
DOCUMENT
1. China
There are few official statistics on the Chinese arms trade but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that accounts for around 3 per cent of the global trade in conventional arms.
Countries supplied
Recipient countries over the past decade have tended to be developing countries with poor human rights records including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, DRC, Guinea, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Myanmar,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
36235
Sierra Leone,Yemen,Syria,Algeria,Iran,Somalia,China,Belarus,Italy,Germany,Bulgaria,Austria,Russia,Tunisia,United Kingdom,United States,Qatar,Sudan,Africa,Libya,Egypt,France
An Arms Buyback for Libya? – Analysis
9 June 2012
Eurasia Review (EU/Asia)
The Libyan civil war of early 2011 was one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history, with an estimated 30,000 killed and 50,000 injured. While Muammar Gaddafi's death marked a watershed moment in Libyan history, the months of frenzied violence that preceded it saw a massive buildup of arms and munitions in the country. In the months leading up to and after his fall, Gaddafi's arms warehouses all across the country became unsecured; such was the level of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Eurasia Review (EU/Asia)
36228
Africa,Eastern Europe,France
Around 4,000 Weapons of War Circulating in France [Francais]
5 June 2012
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: The AK-47 attack on an armored van last Monday in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, recalls that criminals are increasingly using weapons of war. Are there more and more weapons of war in France? Where do they come from?]
L'attaque d'un fourgon blindé à la kalachnikov lundi en Seine-Saint-Denis rappelle que les malfaiteurs recourent de plus en plus souvent à des armes de guerre. Ce type d'armes se multiplie-t-il en France ? D'où viennent-elles ?... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Figaro (France)
36210
Libya,Iraq,Eastern Europe,West Asia,North Africa
International Forum in Erbil, Kurdistan Addresses Spread of Small Arms
30 May 2012
Rudaw (Kurdistan)
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—More than twenty parliamentarians from North Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe took part in a conference in Erbil on Sunday about the social and political effects of small arms, and ways to combat its proliferation.
The conference, officially titled the "Parliamentary Seminar on Controlling Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons," was organized by the Swedish global network the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Rudaw (Kurdistan)
36193
United States,France,United Kingdom,China,Pakistan,Venezuela,Cuba,Iran,Algeria,Egypt,Russia,Syria,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
New Global Arms Treaty Must Set Tough, Legally Binding Rules - Oxfam
29 May 2012
Chicago Tribune / Reuters
LONDON - States must set legally binding global rules on weapon and ammunition sales, aid agency Oxfam said on Tuesday, ahead of a United Nations summit to agree an arms treaty to prevent arms reaching human rights violators.
Citing the example of Syria, which has continued to receive arms shipments even as it is accused of killing more than 9,000 civilians in a crackdown on a popular uprising, Oxfam said it is vital that regulations on weapons sales are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Chicago Tribune / Reuters
36186
Germany,Poland,Austria
Former Vienna Policeman Revealed to Be an International Arms Dealer
25 May 2012
Austrian Times
A former member of the Vienna police force was apprehended in Germany on Monday suspected of having sold illegal weapons internationally.
The man named only as Jörg R., 47, for privacy reasons had worked for the Vienna police department for many years as a department inspector and radiation protection instructor. But due to his co-workers perceiving him as dubious, he was never well liked.
When he was relieved of duty in 2008 it was because of several complaints made... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Austrian Times
36176
Russia,France,China,Oceania,United Kingdom,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Germany,United States
Arms Trade Treaty: Will World Waste an Extraordinary Opportunity?
24 May 2012
Guardian (UK)
I often write a reflective piece to accompany the publication of the Amnesty International annual report on the state of the world's human rights, and as a result I have an archive of reflective pieces which read as a chronology of progress and problems charted over the last decade. We shall see whether the 2012 report will be the one that came just months before the world secured a binding, bulletproof arms trade treaty in the negotiations due to take place in July, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36180
Russia,Syria,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms-control, Humanitarian Groups Push for 'Bullet-proof' Arms Treaty
24 May 2012
Bloomberg (USA)
Arms-control and humanitarian groups are pressing President Barack Obama to seek a tough international treaty restricting sales of conventional arms.
"We are writing to encourage you and your administration to spare no effort to seize the historic opportunity to negotiate a robust, bullet-proof Arms Trade Treaty," groups including the Arms Control Association, Amnesty International USA and Oxfam America wrote in a letter to Obama.
The United Nations will attempt in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
36165
Russia
Russian Bill to Relieve from Criminal Liability Individuals Who Forfeit Guns
22 May 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia) / RAPSI
MOSCOW - The Supreme Court will introduce a draft law to the State Duma proposing to relieve individuals who forfeit illegally possessed arms from criminal liability, even if they had used those weapons to commit crimes, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency on Tuesday.
"The bill will bring greater transparency and certainty to the criminal law which states that an individual who voluntarily gives up his arms will be relieved from criminal liability,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia) / RAPSI
36155
Hong Kong,Italy,Germany,Israel,Austria,Bulgaria,Russia,India
Over 29,000 Russian AK-47s Imported by Indian Paramilitary Forces
20 May 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - AK-47s continue to be the preferred assault weapon for the country's paramilitary forces deployed to neutralise terrorists and Maoists at the frontiers and in the hinterland.
Over 29,000 pieces of this Russian-origin rifle were imported by forces like CRPF, BSF and NSG over the last three years, leaving behind, by a large margin, other sophisticated assault weapons procured from the US and Israel.
The inventory of the assault weapons procured for security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
36147
Brazil,Turkey,China,Pakistan,Central Asia,Russia,Afghanistan
Where Do 20 Million Illegal Guns Come From? Afghanistan, Says Pakistan
17 May 2012
Express Tribune (Pakistan)
KARACHI - There are an estimated 20 million illegal arms in circulation in Pakistan.
This includes serious firepower: law enforcement authorities are increasingly coming under attack from criminals and terrorists armed with heavy weapons such as grenades (including rocket-propelled ones), long-range sniper rifles and machine guns. The volatile situation in Lyari was a case in point, where despite the fact that police were equipped with tank-like armoured personnel... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Express Tribune (Pakistan)
36145
Russia,China,United States,United Kingdom,Congo (DRC),Myanmar,Iran
UK Minister Calls for International Support on Arms Trade Treaty
17 May 2012
Guardian (UK)
The international arms trade has become the greatest threat to development and has to be controlled by a tough treaty to regulate weapons and munitions sales, a government minister warns.
In a speech to the Institute for Strategic Studies thinktank, Alan Duncan, the minister for international development, will urge allies such as the US to set aside their concerns and sign up to the comprehensive arms trade treaty (ATT), which will be hammered out during a month-long... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36143
Russia,China,United States
US Marines Stole, Sold Nearly $2 Million in Guns to Gangs, China, Russia
15 May 2012
International Business Times (US)
U.S. Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C., stole and sold approximately $2 million in guns and combat equipment to streets gangs and to China and Russia, military officials confirmed. The stolen guns and combat gear included assault rifles, night-vision goggles and flashlights.
More than 60 people have been implicated in the incident, the Daily News in Jacksonville, N.C., reported. 47 service members and 21 civilians have been charged so far. Several of them have already... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Business Times (US)
36134
Senegal,Tunisia,Latvia,France,Romania,Mali,Guinea,Ghana,Europe,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Belarus
Belarus FM Denies Reports of Illegal Arms Transfers to Côte d'Ivoire
20 April 2012
Telegraf (Belarus)
Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Andrei Savinykh denied reports of arms shipments to Côte d'Ivoire in violation of the UN sanctions. "It's not even an accusation; it's a clumsy attempt of individual journalists to muddy the waters, as the proverb says," he said.
"The Belarusian side has been always cooperating openly with experts from the UN Security Council Committee on Côte d'Ivoire, whose reports these pseudo-journalists referred to. If they really... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Telegraf (Belarus)
36051
Ukraine
Ukraine to Destroy Ammo, Small Arms under Partnership for Peace Project
18 April 2012
Interfax (Ukraine)
Ukraine and NATO will continue cooperation in scrapping ammunition under the NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project.
A relevant framework agreement was signed between the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) in Kyiv on Tuesday, Interfax-Ukraine learned at the Defense Ministry's press service.
According to the agreement, 76,000 tons of ammunition, 366,000 units of light weapons and small arms and three million... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Interfax (Ukraine)
36045
Netherlands,Germany,Austria,Hungary,Serbia,Eastern Europe,Belgium
Belgian Authorities Disband International Gun Trafficking Ring [Français]
17 April 2012
RTL (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Brussels Police and the Federal Prosecutor have dismantled an international gun trafficking network in cooperation with Serbian, Austrian, Hungarian and German authorities.]
La police judiciaire fédérale de Bruxelles et le parquet fédéral ont démantelé un réseau international de trafic d'armes. Huit personnes ont été arrêtées en Belgique et des armes à feu ont été saisies, des kalachnikovs et des explosifs destinés à... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTL (Belgium)
36047
Ethiopia,South Africa,Burkina Faso,Sierra Leone,West Africa,Ukraine,Côte d'Ivoire,Eastern Europe,Russia,Central African Republic,Iraq,Afghanistan,United States,Colombia,Angola,Liberia,North Africa,West Asia,Africa
Shadowy 'Merchants of Death' Behind Africa's Illegal Gun-Running
11 April 2012
Think Africa Press (London)
Arms dealer Viktor Bout was sentenced to 25 years by a US federal court last week.
Widely known as the 'merchant of death', the 45-year-old Russian has delivered weapons and arms to a wide range of presidents, insurgents and rebels in Africa and the Middle East including the likes of Charles Taylor in Liberia and Jonas Savimbi in Angola. He was caught in a US sting in which his services were solicited for the supply of weapons to Colombia's FARC rebels.
His companies... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Think Africa Press (London)
36019
Qatar,East Africa,Russia,North Korea,China,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Mali,Libya,Belgium,West Africa
Small Arms Manufactured in Belgium Proliferate in Libya, Mali [Francais]
11 April 2012
L'Express (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: Notwithstanding risks of proliferation, small arms manufactured in Belgium circulate in Libya, Mali, and maybe tomorrow in Syria? Belgium is the biggest european exporter of small arms: in 2010, 32% of european exports of small arms to Middle East and North Africa came from this country.]
Malgré les mises en garde à Bruxelles sur les risques de prolifération, les armes légères fabriquées en Belgique circulent de la Libye au Mali. Et demain,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: L'Express (France) / AFP
36014
West Asia,North Africa,South America,Africa,United States,Russia
Russian Arms Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison by US Judge
5 April 2012
New York Times / Reuters
NEW YORK - Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer caught in an undercover sting by U.S. agents posing as Colombian guerrillas seeking weapons, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday by a U.S. judge in New York.
Bout, who was the subject of a book titled "Merchant of Death," asserted his innocence during the sentencing, telling the judge through a Russian interpreter, "I never intended to kill anyone. I never intended to sell arms to anyone. God knows this... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times / Reuters
36000
Eastern Europe,France
Multiple Shootings Highlight Growing Illegal Gun Trade in France
27 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
France's strict gun laws sharply limit legal ownership. But illegal trafficking is on the rise – at prices that people like Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah can afford.
PARIS - As the prosecutor listed the weapons gunman Mohamed Merah amassed before going on a shooting rampage in Toulouse, French citizens received a stark reminder that gun trafficking doesn't only affect unstable countries. It's happening in France, too – a nation that is anything but gun-friendly.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Christian Science Monitor
35957
Eastern Europe,France
France 'Awash' with Illegal Firearms Imported Across Porous EU Borders
20 March 2012
Press Association (UK)
France is awash with illegal firearms transported into the country across porous European borders, it was claimed.
While gun laws are strict, it is not difficult for unauthorised members of the public to get their hands on weapons, according to the president of the Union Francaise des Amateurs d'Armes, a French gun society.
Jean-Jacques Buigne suggested the killer responsible for the attacks outside a school in Toulouse most likely did not have a licence for the heavy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Press Association (UK)
35923
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35944
Pakistan,Iran,Egypt,Russia,United States,Somalia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
A 'Bulletproof' Arms Trade Treaty Could Slow the Global Flow of Guns
8 March 2012
MediaGlobal News (New York)
Every day, according to Amnesty International, thousands of people are killed, injured, raped, and forced to flee from their homes as a result of armed conflict, armed violence, and human rights violations and abuses perpetrated using conventional arms.
As violence continues unchecked around the world, a coalition of humanitarian and health organizations is rallying support for a "bulletproof" global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), to be discussed in July, that would stymie... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: MediaGlobal News (New York)
35894
Russia
Crusading Russian Woman Journalist Killed with Modified Air Pistol
6 March 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - Russian investigators have identified a man who sold the gun used to kill campaigning journalist Anna Politkovskaya in 2006, Kommersant daily reported on Tuesday.
Businessman Vladimir Nabatov modified an air pistol to fire live bullets and then sold the gun to Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, a former senior police officer on trial for organizing the contract killing.
It is not clear whether Nabatov is in police custody.
The suspected gunman, Rustam Makhmudov, was... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35888
Estonia,Dominican Republic,Ecuador,Ukraine,Kyrgyzstan,Moldova,Kazakhstan,Belize,Latvia,Venezuela,Belarus,Lithuania,Bahamas,Bolivia,Azerbaijan,Russia,Antigua & Barbuda,Guyana,South Africa,Jamaica,Honduras,Guatemala,El Salvador,South America,Colombia,Brazil,Central America,Caribbean
1/3 of Femicides Committed With Gun in Latin America and Caribbean [Espanol]
2 March 2012
RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
[Translated summary: Nearly a third of crimes against women are committed with a firearm and in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras this indicator is 60% - Small Arms Survey.]
El mayor nivel de feminicidios se registra en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Catorce países latinoamericanos aparecen entre los 25 del mundo con la tasa más elevada de crímenes contra la mujer.
El informe de la organización de investigaciones independientes Small Arms Survey,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
35882
Eastern Europe,Russia,United States,Belgium
Important Arms Cache Revealed by Belgium Police [Francais]
29 February 2012
RTL (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Explosives and weapons of war, including kalashnikovs, were seized by Belgium Police. This arms cache was Brussels' organised crime private supermarket.]
Kalachnikovs, grenades et dynamite, c'est l'étonnante découverte qu'a faite, mardi, la police d'Anderlecht dans un hangar, révèle une information de Sudpresse.
Selon le parquet de Bruxelles, ces explosifs et armes de guerre pourraient être revendus et destinés à des attaques à main... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTL (Belgium)
35873
Russia
Russia Reveals Plans to Upgrade Kalashnikov Soviet-era Assault Rifle
28 February 2012
Guardian (UK) / Reuters
MOSCOW - Moscow announced plans on Tuesday to modernise the Kalashnikov, giving a new lease of life to the Soviet-era assault rifle.
The move is part of a 20 trillion-rouble (£435bn) modernisation of Russia's armed forces that includes the addition of new armaments, submarines and aircraft by 2020.
The Kalashnikov has been a mainstay of the Russian army, as well as a weapon of choice for paramilitaries and gangsters around the world. The new-look weapon will get a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK) / Reuters
35876
Europe,Israel,Russia,United States
Why Does America Lead the World in School Shootings? - Opinion
28 February 2012
CNN, Opinion
Editor's Note: Dr. Frank Ochberg is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Michigan State University and former Associate Director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
School shootings are far more frequent in America than in other countries, although terrible massacres have occurred in Russia, Israel, and several European nations. In the high-crime neighborhoods of inner cities, school turf is relatively safe. We have learned to harden the target and patrol with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
35875
Philippines,Trinidad & Tobago,Zimbabwe,Zambia,Uganda,Tanzania,Senegal,Congo (DRC),Pakistan,Nigeria,Niger,Namibia,Morocco,Mauritania,Malawi,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Burkina Faso,Botswana,Egypt,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Ghana,China,United States,Austria,Russia,Israel,Bahrain,Asia,Africa,Brazil
Brazil Arms Exports: Country Preaches Peace, Sells Tons of Arms
28 February 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.'
One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35870
Algeria,India,Iran,North Korea,China,Syria,Russia
Russia Faces a Growing International Outcry over Its Arms Sales to Syria
21 February 2012
Reuters
MOSCOW/BEIRUT - Russia faces a growing international outcry over its arms sales to Syria but shows no sign of bowing to pressure and has even increased deliveries of arms that critics say are helping keep President Bashar al-Assad in power.
The biggest importer of arms to Syria, Russia sold Damascus nearly $1 billion worth of arms including missile systems last year, while shipments of hard-to-track Russian small weapons have risen since the uprising against Assad... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35852
Germany,Chad,Yemen,Egypt,Libya,France,United Kingdom,United States,Sudan,Belarus,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Syria,Russia
Towards an International Control of Arms Trade, NGOs Concerned [Francais]
19 February 2012
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: As negotiations were launched this week in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, Amnesty International, CCFD-Terre Solidaire and Oxfam France are concerned about the risk of a "Treaty at a discount ".]
La vente d'armes à un régime qui réprime sa population, comme le fait aujourd'hui la Russie à l'Etat syrien, sera-t-elle bientôt illégale ? C'est l'enjeu des négociations qui devraient aboutir, en juillet, à New York, à la signature d'un... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France)
35854
Italy,Philippines,United States,Russia,Germany,Czech Republic,China,Botswana,Oceania,Americas,Africa,Asia,Europe,Central Africa,Caribbean,South America,Central America,Zimbabwe,Namibia,Mozambique,Congo (DRC),Angola,Swaziland,South Africa,Southern Africa
High Gun Death Risk for Young African Men, Women at Home - UN Study
19 February 2012
Southern Times (Southern Africa)
WINDHOEK - Young men in Southern Africa are at the greatest risk of cold-blooded murder, while women in the region are more likely than others from around the world to be killed in domestic violence, a UN agency says.
The statistics from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) come as the region battles to contain the proliferation of gun-related crimes.
Experts have said gun-related crime is a major problem in South Africa and Swaziland, and is on the rise in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southern Times (Southern Africa)
35844
Egypt,Mexico,Iran,United States,Syria,Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Collapse of UN Arms Trade Treaty Talks Narrowly Averted - Reuters
17 February 2012
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS - Negotiators on Friday narrowly averted the collapse of talks on a world arms trade treaty to regulate the $55 billion global weapons market, agreeing on ground rules for negotiations after days of procedural wrangling.
Delegates and advocates for tougher oversight of global arms sales said the agreement set the stage for a monthlong conference in July to draft the treaty.
Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies as a result of armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35841
Sudan,China,Egypt,Bahrain,Libya,Germany,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
At Last, the World Acts to Control Global Arms Trade, UN Talks Begin this Week
12 February 2012
Independent (Dublin)
The global arms trade, which produces two bullets for every person on the planet every year and the weapons that kill 1,500 people each day, is facing the first worldwide effort to control it. An unprecedented treaty that would attempt to restrict arms sales is expected to be drawn up at talks in the United Nations this week.
A campaign for such an agreement, begun six years ago by Nobel laureates, faces attempts by the United States and Russia to water the treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (Dublin)
35825
Sudan,China,Russia,Syria
Russia, China Provide Guns to Violate Human Rights in Darfur - Amnesty
9 February 2012
Reuters
LONDON - Russian and Chinese arms are being used to violate human rights in Darfur region in breach of an "ineffectual" United Nations embargo, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Amnesty said Russia and China are supplying weapons to Sudan's government despite evidence they are being used against civilians in Darfur, where the U.N. estimates as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003 from violence, hunger or disease.
"China and Russia are selling arms to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35812
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