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Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Greek Speaker Reminds MPs No Guns in Govt
20 May 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
Parliamentary speaker Evangelos Meimarakis has spoken to the representatives of all parties to remind them that no MPs should carry guns in the House, it emerged on Monday.
Meimarakis acted after receiving a letter of complaint from New Democracy MP Fotini Pipili, who said that some lawmakers are armed when they enter Parliament.
There have been reports in the past of Golden Dawn MPs being stopped for carrying guns into the House and an Eleftherotypia report on Monday... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Soldier Dies in Gun Prank Accident
20 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A soldier was killed when a fellow soldier accidentally shot him during a prank in Mardin's Midyat district on Sunday, according to Turkish media reports.
Private E.Y. was reportedly killed when his friend Pvt. M.S. accidentally shot him while both were on guard duty in Cevat Paşa Barracks in Midyat.
E.Y.'s body was taken to Midyat State Hospital's morgue and an investigation has been started to look into the incident. M.S. was hospitalized after he suffered from a... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Injured in Shooting at Swedish School
18 May 2013
Local (Sweden)
Panic broke out at a Gothenburg school on Friday evening as one man was injured in a shooting which could be linked to a violent robbery that took place in the area on the same day.
The man sustained light injuries and was admitted to the Sahlgrenska Hospital.
On Saturday morning, police had made no arrests but were treating the incident as attempted murder or attempted manslaughter after receiving around 30 calls from the public.
At least one cartridge case was... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Nigeria,China,United States,United Kingdom
Former Doyen of UK Gun Lobby Pleads Guilty to More Gunrunning
17 May 2013
Democrat and Chronicle (USA)
British arms dealer Gary Hyde has admitted helping smuggle illegal AK-47 magazines into the United States for sale by a Chili-based firearms wholesaler, federal court records show.
Hyde signed a plea agreement in late April but it was not filed until this week, records show.
Hyde admitted that he had helped alter the markings on the 5,760 magazines so their country of origin — China — would not be known. In the U.S., there is a federal ban on the importation of... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil,Iceland,United States,United Kingdom,Denmark
Low Rates of Gun Homicide in Iceland Despite High Gun Ownership
16 May 2013
BBC News
Even though I grew up in New England, there was something novel about seeing an Icelandic blizzard. It was paralysing, with epic wind gusts that made snowflakes feel like razors.
As I dragged my bags along Reykjavik's snowy pavement, an older man in a Jeep pulled alongside me.
"You want to get in?" he asked.
It sounded crazy. Why would I ever get in a stranger's car?
Despite everything I was taught about riding in cars with strangers, I climbed in the backseat. And... (GunPolicy.org)
Norwegian Police Warn of Rise in Armed Gang Violence
14 May 2013
Views And News From Norway
As Norway moves into summer, gang-related violence is on the rise in the capital. Tension is so high between Oslo's rival gangs, police warn, that armed battles can break out at any time.
Police worry that Oslo's gang culture has become more widespread and more complex. Newspaper Aftenposten reported on Tuesday that gang battles motivated by revenge, territory and drug-related profits are on the increase.
Weapon seizures
Police confiscated a total of 22 firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Cops Bust UK Drug Gang with Guns
13 May 2013
Local (Spain)
Spanish and British police have nabbed a hashish-smuggling ring that hid hundreds of kilos of drugs in electrical transformers before shipping them off to the UK.
Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Spain's national police have arrested nine people and seized 322 kilos of hashish from an international organization that smuggled drugs inside industrial electrical transformers.
The joint investigation found that the drugs were purchased in Spain then... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Police Report Shows 80 Percent of Guns Unregistered in Turkey
11 May 2013
World Bulletin (Istanbul)
A report recently drafted by the National Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department shows that almost 80 percent of guns that police seized from individuals in incidents threatening public security from 2010-2012 were unregistered.
According to the report, the types of firearms confiscated in police operations over the course of past five years were manufactured guns (51 percent), handmade guns (33 percent), blank guns turned into real guns (16... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Licensing Law Changes Considered in Turkey
10 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A bill recently submitted to Parliament could give former gun license holders who forgot to renew their licenses another chance.
The current Law on Firearms, Knives and other Weapons states that gun carrying and keeping licenses shall be valid for five years following the date of confirmation and shall be renewed once every five years on condition of payment of the renewal charge. The license holder is also required to inform the public institution that has issued the... (GunPolicy.org)
German Man Kills Wife Then Shoots, Injures 3 Neighbours
10 May 2013
Local (Germany)
German police are picking through the remnants of a blood bath after a man shot dead his wife, and then roamed the neighbourhood ringing door bells and shooting people who answered. He then shot himself and is in a coma.
Aachen public prosecutor Robert Deller said on Thursday that the man turned his gun on himself before the police could arrest him.
The 63-year-old man from the town of Langerwehe in North Rhine-Westphalia shot dead his 64-year-old wife with a... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Plans Ban on Guns at Bars and Cafes, Safety Training for Owners
9 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
According to a new regulation, people carrying guns will not be allowed as a security measure to enter entertainment venues such as bars, cafés, night clubs and places where wedding ceremonies are held, Interior Minister Muammer Güler announced on Wednesday.
Under the regulation, Güler told reporters, people who want to buy guns will receive training on how to use them safely. Moreover, those carrying weapons will be denied entrance to entertainment venues such as... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Firm Illegally Sold Weapons to Mexico
7 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A German arms manufacturer has admitted to illegally selling thousands of rifles to Mexico, where the weapons were reportedly used to commit human rights violations.
Heckler & Koch, which produces weapons such as pistols, machine guns, and grenade launchers, is under investigation by German authorities for exporting G36 rifles to several Mexican states where Germany prohibits gun sales, due to human rights concerns.
The company previously claimed it had only ever... (GunPolicy.org)
US, Spanish Gun Lovers Download 3D Gun Plans 50,000 Times First Day
7 May 2013
New York Daily News
The first downloadable gun has gone viral.
The plastic firearm that can be churned out on a 3-D printer and easily assembled was downloaded at least 50,000 times Monday, according to the self-described anarchist who made it available for free online.
Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed, a collective of gun advocates, said the most downloads were done in Spain followed by the United States.
The prospect of terrorists getting hold of the guns by clicking a computer... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Launches Locally Made Rifles, Aims for $100M in Exports
6 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
ISTANBUL - Sarsılmaz Firearms Industry, the leading private producer of guns and rifles in Turkey, introduced on Monday the country's first domestically produced infantry rifles as well as new generation pistols, firearms with which the company is targeting to reach the $100 million export mark in the next three years.
The 133-year-old company invested TL 14 million in its new products and plans to increase its investment to TL 27 million in line with an expected... (GunPolicy.org)
3D Gun Fired in US But Officials Worried Over Risks for Crime, Youth
6 May 2013
BBC News, Video
The world's first gun made with 3D printer technology has been successfully fired in the US.
The controversial group who created the firearm plan to make the blueprints available online.
Anti-gun advocates have criticised the project and Europol, Europe's law enforcement agency, said it was closely monitoring the development.
Rebecca Morelle... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Charged After Swedish Woman Dies in Shooting Game
3 May 2013
Local (Sweden)
A Swedish woman has died after playing what appeared to be a game of Russian roulette in western Sweden. The 23-year-old man who provided the weapon was charged for manslaughter on Thursday.
The incident occurred in mid-March in an apartment in Flatås, Gothenburg, where emergency service workers found the 48-year-old woman seriously injured.
The 23-year-old man is believed to have brought out a gun during an evening of drinking, loaded it with one live round, put it... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Govt Budgets to Seize Rifles Easily Converted to Automatic
1 May 2013
Global News (Canada)
Six years after approving German-made rifles that can be converted to machine guns "in minutes" – guns that by law should have been prohibited to begin with – the federal government will spend up to $260,000 buying them from their owners.
In February 2007, the RCMP classified the SSD BD38, a semi-automatic replica of a German Second World War-era sub-machine gun, as a 'restricted' firearm, meaning that it had the same legal status as a handgun. That classification... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk Kosovo Man Shoots, Kills Wife After Divorce Request
1 May 2013
Croatian Times
A Kosovan man who shot his Swiss wife dead at the bus stop when she refused to consider changing her mind about divorcing him - and then went for a beer at a local pub - has claimed her death was her own fault.
Afrim Mujaj, 45, then sat calmly watching as ambulances sped by in a bid to try and save the life of his 35-year-old wife Mirvete in Riniken, Switzerland. And as emergency services tried in vain to keep her alive - the court heard he bought rounds of drinks for... (GunPolicy.org)
Swedish Cop in Trouble After Letting Friend Fire Gun Despite Ban
30 April 2013
Local (Sweden)
A Swedish police officer risks disciplinary action after letting a soon-to-be groom fire 30 shots with his service weapon at a bachelor party held at the indoor shooting range of a police station in western Sweden.
Wishing to give his friend a memorable send-off before he entered into married life, the officer invited the groom-to-be and ten other friends to celebrate at the shooting range of the Halmstad police station in June of last year.
During the festivities,... (GunPolicy.org)
One Shooting a Week in Swedish Town, Gangs Blamed for Half Shootings
29 April 2013
Local (Sweden)
After a man was shot dead through his kitchen window in Gothenburg this weekend, local police said easier access to weapons has lead to one shooting a week in the western Sweden city.
"It's been really easy for criminals to get their hands on weapons and they don't hesitate to use them," Erik Nord of the Västra Götaland police told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper (DN).
DN reported that for the past two years, Sweden's second largest city has seen on average one... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Argentina,Costa Rica,Libya,Germany,United States,Brazil,Paraguay,Austria
Most Brazilian Guns Exported to US
29 April 2013
Folha de Sao Paulo
BRASILIA - The U.S., currently discussing restrictions on the sale of firearms, purchased 7.9 million guns from Brazil in the past 40 years, and 59% of those were exported during the Lula administration (2003-2010).
That is the result of a new study by the Army Command to which Folha had access through the Access to Information Act, with a detailed record of the sellers and buyers of 9.9 million revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns, among other weapons, exported... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunshots Fired As Italian Government Sworn In, Three Injured
28 April 2013
al Jazeera
Two Italian paramilitary police officers have been shot and wounded outside the Rome office of new premier Enrico Letta as he was being sworn in nearby presidential palace.
The gunman and a female passerby were also injured in Sunday's incident outside Palazzo Chigi, the building the hosts the premier's office, Italy's ANSA news agency said.
A police official said that one of the wounded police officers had been shot in the neck and was in a serious condition after... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Swedish Police Shoot Drunk Gun-Toting Man
27 April 2013
Local (Sweden)
A drunk man was shot in the foot by police in Umeå in northern Sweden on Friday night after he pointed a pistol at them in an attempt to evade arrest.
"They determined that they were faced with a deadly threat," said Benny Ahlenius at Umeå police.
Police were called to an address in the Umedalen area of the city on Friday night following a report that a man had assaulted and threatened his wife.
When the police unit arrived the apparently drunk man pointed a gun at... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
French Teen Killer Bought Kalashnikov Online
26 April 2013
Global Post (Boston) / Agence France Presse
A French teenager who used a Kalashnikov to shoot three men dead obtained his murder weapon on the Internet, it emerged on Friday, a day after the shooting.
The apparently deranged 19-year-old was arrested shortly after opening fire on motorists and pedestrians in the small town of Istres, near Marseille on Thursday afternoon.
Police sources said the weapons enthusiast had bought the deactivated rifle on the Internet and had been able to get it working. Raids on his... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish MP Suggests Relaxing Gun Laws for Rural Citizens to Fight Crime
26 April 2013
Irish Examiner (Dublin)
Michael Healy-Rae, who holds certificates for three different guns, said firearms were very restricted in Ireland. They are linked to pest control and game hunting or sports, and one had to be a member of a gun club, or own land, to be granted a licence, he said.
However, the Kerry South TD said changes in rural Ireland meant communities now have to police themselves against ever-more aggressive and armed criminals. He claimed that with whole swathes of the country... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gunman Kills Politician, Self After Alleged Licensing Altercation
26 April 2013
Local (Germany)
A 74-year-old gunman killed a top official in the northern German town of Hamelin on Friday before shooting himself dead, police said.
"The perpetrator killed district administrator Rüdiger Butte and then killed himself," a police spokesman said. Officers were still at the scene on Friday afternoon, collecting evidence to support an investigation.
Shots were heard shortly after 10am in the city's main administrative building, where 63-year-old Butte was later found... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Firearms Seized from Motorcycle Gangs in Finland
25 April 2013
YLE (Finland)
The number of firearms seized by police from motorcycle gangs classed as criminal groups has risen sharply over the past few years. A decade ago, police on average confiscated only a few dozen guns annually from motorcycle gangs. Since 2010, more than 400 have been seized, nearly 250 of which are handguns.
"The weapons seized include pistols, revolvers, a few shotguns and ten sub-machine guns. Ammunition has also been confiscated. Some of the guns had been made... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 2.6 Million Ammo Rounds Destroyed in Republic of Congo
25 April 2013
Global Times (China)
More than 2.6 million rounds of unexploded ammunition have been neutralized by a non-governmental organization in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, to avoid a repetition of the deadly blast in the city last year.
The action was taken in Brazzaville's Mpila district, where an explosion occurred at an arms depot on March 4, 2012, the European Union (EU) said in a statement released here on Wednesday.
"The evaluation of the clearing and clean-up... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kills Three with Assault Weapon in 'Random' French Shooting
25 April 2013
Local (France)
Three people were killed in the south of France on Thursday when a gunman opened fire apparently at random in the southern town of Istres. French President François Hollande has sent his Interior Minister to the scene of the shooting.
A gunman opened fire with a Kalashnikov rifle in the southern French town of Istres on Thursday killing three people.
A 55-year-old woman was also left slightly injured after a bullet grazed her ear and police found a Kalashnikov... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Oceania,Europe,Asia,United States,Americas
Study Shows Gun Ownership Doesn't Preserve Freedom, Democracy
25 April 2013
Atlantic (USA)
After League City, Texas, became the first city in the state to pass a resolution effectively nullifying federal gun regulations in February, Councilwoman Heidi Thiess, who speared the motion, shared a quote. "Gen. Isoroku Yamamoto, who was the commander of Japan's WWII Combined Fleet, was asked why he never bothered to invade the U.S. after Pearl Harbor," she remarked. "And you know what he said? 'You can't invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind... (GunPolicy.org)
Banned Gun Owner Accidentally Kills Self in Austria with Illegal Handgun
24 April 2013
Croatian Times
An Austrian man banned from owning a gun after police ruled that he was not mature enough accidentally shot himself in the head after buying an illegal handgun in his local pub.
38-year-old Walter Mainz proved that police had a point when he took the gun out to show his pals at his home in Löffelbach, Austria, and then removed the magazine believing this meant that the gun was unloaded.
But he didn't realise that one bullet was still inside the gun, and when he put... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,Europe
Gun Crime, Homicide Falling But Violence Still Costs UK £124b a Year
24 April 2013
Kensington and Chelsea Today (UK)
Surprisingly, the UK is 11% less violent than a decade ago but the lack of peace still has an economic impact of £124 billion which comprises both direct and indirect costs and lost productivity annually. In 2012 this was the equivalent of £4,700 per household an astonishing 7.7% of the UK's annual GDP. These figures were released today by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) in the first-ever UK Peace Index (UKPI), which reveals London was beaten to the... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Turkish People Spent TL 117 Million on Guns in 2012
22 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Turkish people spent TL 117,922,000 on guns and bullets last year, with gun sales increasing by 54 percent, according to data from the state-owned Turkish Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).
While a total of 19,575 handguns were sold in Turkey in 2011, the number of handguns sold last year rose to 30,207. The price of handguns ranges between TL 570 and TL 12,000. Of the 30,207 handguns, 21,464 were made in Turkey. A total of TL 57.8 million of revenue... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Crime Falling in Irish City, Despite Recent Shootings
22 April 2013
Independent (Dublin)
A family have escaped without injury after gunshots were fired into their home.
The shooting incident happened in the Limerick city suburb of Moyross around midnight.
There were several people – including teenagers - inside the house in Cosgrave Park at the time, but none were injured.
A number of gunshots were fired at the home and the front door and an upstairs window were hit.
Gardai are continuing to investigate the incident and are attempting to establish a... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Police Arrest Former Pupil Over School Shooting Threat
22 April 2013
BBC News
Dutch police have made an arrest following a threat, posted on the internet, to carry out a shooting at a school in the city of Leiden.
The suspect is a former pupil of the British School, which has a site in neighbouring Voorschoten.
More than 20 schools were told to stay closed on Monday in response to the threat posted on internet forum 4chan.
The anonymous writer said they would shoot their teacher "and as many students as I can".
He or she said they would be... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
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)
Swiss Man Shoots, Injures Neighbour with Rifle Over Noise
16 April 2013
Local (Switzerland)
An American expat rapper living in Biel in the canton of Bern says he is lucky to be alive after a neigbour fired at him with a gun for making too much noise in his apartment.
"I really dodged a bullet today," the man said on his Facebook page, according to a report online from the 20 Minutes newspaper.
The bearded man posted a photo showing a burn mark on his cheek about the size of a two-franc coin.
"My neighbour arrived with a pump action rifle in my apartment... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Guns of 15,000 Abusive Men Seized in Turkey
14 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Şahin has announced that the weapons of 15,000 men found to have been involved in violence against women have been confiscated as a protective measure since the Law on the Prevention of Violence against Women came into effect 13 months ago.
Speaking to the Akşam daily during her visit to Helsinki, Şahin provided some details about the implementation of Law No. 6284 on the Prevention of Violence against Women and the Protection... (GunPolicy.org)
Swedish Children Find Loaded Gun in Snow, Fire Round
14 April 2013
Local (Sweden)
A group of children playing in a snow drift in Umeå in northern Sweden on Saturday came across what they thought was a toy gun only to find out that it was a real weapon when one of them pulled the trigger.
Luckily the shot was fired into the ground and none of the children were hurt.
"It could have gone really badly. The children could just as well have started playing a war game and begun shooting at each other. It is also an area with lots of people and children... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Seize Weapons from Rappers Posing on Street
13 April 2013
Croatian Times
A group of gangsta rappers posing with machine guns as they filmed a music video were arrested by a police SWAT squad in Germany after terrified passers by mistook them for the real thing.
The 12 musicians - wearing face masks and brandishing firearms - were surrounded by 25 heavily armed police commandos in Munich and detained in a special anti-terrorist cell block.
Police later put the group's terrifying arsenal of machine guns, pistols, assault rifles, knives and... (GunPolicy.org)
Portugal,Libya,United States,Guinea-Bissau,Colombia
Alleged FARC Scheme Swapped Cocaine for West African Arms
12 April 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
An international police operation has dismantled a network in which Colombian rebel group the FARC allegedly attempted to exchange cocaine for weapons from the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.
The investigation, involving US, Colombian, Portuguese, and Guinea-Bissau authorities, lasted over a year, reported EFE. Colombian police arrested two men in Bogota who are accused of serving as as the FARC's intermediaries for the West Africa-based weapons suppliers.
On... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Owner Used Legal Gun to Kill 14 in Serbian Mass Shooting
11 April 2013
Guardian (UK)
The Serbian veteran suspected of killing 13 people in a shooting rampage and then turning the gun on himself and his wife died on Thursday, hospital officials have said.
Belgrade Emergency hospital said Ljubisa Bogdanovic, 60, died from head wounds. His wife Javorka Bogdanovic, also 60, was recovering from surgery and in a stable condition.
Bogdanovic went on a pre-dawn house-to-house rampage on Tuesday, police said, killing his mother, his son and a two-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Considers New Gun Law After Mass Shooting
10 April 2013
Balkan Insight (Sarajevo)
BELGRADE - Milorad Veljovic, head of Serbian Police, said police were working on a draft Law on Weapons and Ammunition that would provide greater control over people who possess guns. "The draft will be passed to the government in the coming days," Veljovic said.
The move comes after a 60-year-old man, named only as Ljubisa B., went on the rampage on Tuesday morning, killing six men, six women and a boy aged two in Velika Ivanca, 60 kilometres south of... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,United States,England & Wales
Motives Unclear in Serbian Gunman's Rampage, Law Change Demanded
10 April 2013
Montreal Gazette (Québec) / Associated Press
Serbia held a national day of mourning Wednesday as police searched for possible motives in the Balkan nation's worst peacetime shooting massacre, which left 13 villagers dead and triggered demands for tighter gun-control laws.
Police say a 60-year-old veteran went on a pre-dawn, house-to-house rampage Tuesday in a village near Belgrade, including killing his mother, his son and a two-year-old cousin before shooting himself and his wife. The two are in critical... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,England & Wales,United States,Macedonia,Croatia,Slovenia,Kosovo,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Montenegro,Serbia
Citizens in Former Yugoslavia 'Traumatised and Heavily Armed'
10 April 2013
Washington Post
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The wars from 1991 to 1999 as Yugoslavia broke up took up to 200,000 lives, turned millions into refugees and left much of the region's people traumatized and heavily armed. It was the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The millions of weapons that remained in possession of civilians after the fighting have caused fatalities every week, as traumatized former soldiers either shoot family members or commit suicide or... (GunPolicy.org)
War-Affected Serbian Man Kills 13, Injures Self and Wife in Mass Shooting
9 April 2013
CTV News (Toronto) / Associated Press
He went from house to house in the village at dawn, cold-bloodedly gunning down his mother, his son, a 2-year-old cousin and 10 other neighbours. Terrified residents said if a police patrol car hadn't shown up, they all would have been dead.
Police said they knew of no motive yet in the carnage Tuesday that left six men, six women and a child dead in Velika Ivanca, a Serbian village 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast of Belgrade.
After the rampage, police said suspect... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Murders on the Rise in Corsica as Authorities Crack Down on Corruption
3 April 2013
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Corsica, the so-called "Island of Beauty" is mired in a wave of violence that has seen dozens killed in recent years. The island's top politician Paul Giacobbi speaks to The Local about the danger posed to his own life and how to put an end to the bloodshed.
With five suspected gangland murders so far this year and 20 similar killings last year, it is easy to see why the Mediterranean Island of Corsica has been dubbed the 'murder capital' of Europe.
One of the men... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Americas,Asia,Africa,Oceania,Europe
UN Approves Global Gun Trade Treaty: NRA, Iran, N Korea, Syria Oppose
3 April 2013
Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to create the first treaty regulating the international arms trade, a landmark decision that imposes new constraints on the sale of conventional arms to governments and armed groups that commit war crimes, genocide and other mass atrocities.
The vote was hailed by arms-control advocates and scores of governments, including the United States, as a major step in the global effort to put in place... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia Plans Firearms Collection, Destruction Campaign
29 March 2013
SEESAC (Belgrade)
On 26 and 27 March, at Vlašić, UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) hosted a meeting of the representatives of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) of Republika Srpska, MoI of Sarajevo Canton, MoI of the Central Bosnia Canton, MoI of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, MoI of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton, MoI of the Canton 10, MoI of the County of West Herzegovina, Police of Brčko District, MoI of the Hercegovacko-Neretvanski Canton, and the representatives of the international... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Iran,Syria,United Kingdom,Kenya,North Korea
Iran, N. Korea, Syria Block Arms Trade Treaty at Last Minute
29 March 2013
Australian (Sydney)
Iran, North Korea and Syria have held up agreement on the first global treaty on the $US80 billion ($A76.97 billion) a year conventional arms trade.
The three states twice blocked moves to adopt a treaty by consensus at the end of 10 days of arduous talks at the UN headquarters.
Kenya announced that a coalition of countries from around the world would now take the treaty straight to the 193-member UN General Assembly next week for approval. It can be passed with a two... (GunPolicy.org)
Austrian Pensioner Shoots and Kills Girlfriend, Self in Costa Rica
28 March 2013
Inside Costa Rica
An Austrian citizen in Guanacaste shot his partner twice before turning the gun on himself Tuesday night, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ).
The murder-suicide occurred in the couple's home in Villa Margarita, 400 meters north of the main traffic lights in Liberia, Guanacaste, where the couple had lived for about five years.
The Judicial Police identified the man by the last name Ladstetter, 71, and his partner by the last name of Achio,... (GunPolicy.org)
England & Wales,Germany,Guyana
Politicians Block Guyana Gun Control Laws Despite Arms Trade Treaty
28 March 2013
Guyana Times International
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has lamented that while critical steps are being taken in the international arena to hammer out an Arms Trade Treaty, locally the opposition has voted down a bill that seeks to strengthen this country's fight against illicit arms.
Negotiators from around 150 countries gathered in New York at the United Nations for a final push to hammer out a binding international treaty to end unregulated conventional arms sales, a pact that a... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Police Chief Rejects Reissue of Machine Guns After Cop Shooting
27 March 2013
BBC News
The Commissioner of the Irish police has rejected calls for detectives to be reissued with Uzi submachine guns.
Martin Callinan said it "would not have made the slightest bit of difference" if a murdered detective had been armed with an Uzi.
Detective Adrian Donohoe was shot during a robbery on 25 January 2013.
The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) passed a motion calling for the reissue of the Israeli-made weapons at its conference.
The guns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Corrupt Glock Police Pistol Deals Feed Philippine Crime Gun Market
26 March 2013
Investvine (Hong Kong)
Austrian gun maker Glock has been accused of supplying the black market in the Philippines with firearms in deals that were originally sealed with the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Over the past years, Glock delivered several batches of its highly demanded 9mm pistols to the PNP. The most recent deal was 12,000 pistols worth around $30 million ordered by the country's police forces as a first shipment of the biggest firearms procurement of the PNP so far, delivered... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Mexico,United Kingdom,Ghana,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty Talks Enter Stormy Final Round
26 March 2013
Rappler / Agence France Presse
More than 100 countries complained Monday that talks on a conventional arms trade treaty had gone "backwards" from a vow to conclude a strong accord on the $80 billion a year trade.
The major western powers, who expressed confidence that an accord could be reached, face tough criticism over the treaty as talks at the UN headquarters entered the final straight.
A group representing 103 countries blasted the latest text as a step "backwards."
A statement by the 103,... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Police in Spain Seize 59 Illegal Guns, Parts in Sting Operation [Español]
25 March 2013
Vanguardia (Colombia)
[Translated summary - The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organisation making illegal firearms in Barcelona, some of which were linked to a double homicide. Five people were arrested and 59 weapons were seized, as well as parts and tools for gun manufacture.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización criminal dedicada presuntamente al tráfico de armas por toda España, con el arresto de cinco personas, según ha informado el Ministerio... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Asia,Europe,Africa,Americas,United States
NGOs Slam New Arms Trade Treaty Draft, Blame US for Changes
25 March 2013
Reuters
Human rights groups on Monday sharply criticized the latest draft of what could become the first international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global conventional arms trade, accusing the United States and others of pushing to dilute it.
Several Western delegations, however, played down the complaints of groups like Oxfam, Amnesty International, the World Council of Churches and Control Arms, saying the latest draft showed progress, though improvements were clearly... (GunPolicy.org)
Both Sides of US Gun Debate Citing Nazis as Reason For, Against Guns
24 March 2013
Washington Post
When the president of Ohio's state school board posted her opposition to gun control, she used a powerful symbol to make her point: a picture of Adolf Hitler. When a well-known conservative commentator decried efforts to restrict guns, he argued that if only Jews in Poland had been better armed, many more would have survived the Holocaust.
In the months since the Newtown, Conn., school massacre, some gun rights supporters have repeatedly compared U.S. gun control... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Engineer Jailed for Reactivating, Modifying Firearms
23 March 2013
Irish News
A Newry engineer who reactivated guns for paramilitaries was operating a large-scale munitions factory for dissident republicans, police have said.
Bryan Christopher McManus (56) was yesterday jailed for more than three years.
Ordering McManus to spend half a six-and-a-half year sentence in jail and half on licence parole, Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland told him he had "made a very bad decision to associate with undesirable elements".
The judge at Belfast... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Africa,Asia,Americas
Conflicts of Interest Plague Arms Trade Treaty Talks
22 March 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
The U.N. organ tasked with maintaining international peace and security harbours a serious conflict at its core.
The Security Council's five permanent members (P5) – United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – along with Germany, are the world's six leading arms exporters, often shipping weapons used to perpetuate violence across the globe.
Meanwhile, over 150 member states have gathered at U.N. headquarters, from Mar. 18-28, to negotiate an Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
School Shooting 'Likely' in Sweden - Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency
21 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
There will likely be a school shooting in Sweden sometime in the foreseeable future, according to the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, which warned that local authorities are woefully unprepared to deal with such an event.
"Many people have access to hunting weapons, even if you can't go to just any store and buy a gun, access to them is nevertheless pretty wide," MSB risk analyst Magnus Winehal told the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.
In a report looking at... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippines,South East Asia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty or What? - Opinion
21 March 2013
Philippine Star, Opinion
In the next week or so, the members of the United Nations have an opportunity to agree an historic Treaty that would make a lasting difference to people across the world. It's not front-page news most of the time, but the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is within our grasp — and, with it, comes a chance to make a major contribution to the security of humankind. It will help to ensure that the uncontrolled movement of arms no longer threatens the security and prosperity of... (GunPolicy.org)
3,100 Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons Destroyed in Tanzania
20 March 2013
IPP Media
German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the Tanzanian Police have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against organised crime and international terrorism.
"The fight against international terrorism, piracy, organized crime and also everyday crime remains the essential task of the security authorities throughout the world … therefore, international cooperation is crucial …," stated the German Ambassador Klaus-Peter Brandes.
He emphasised... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
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)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Is a Global Arms Trade Treaty possible? - Video
19 March 2013
Inside Story, al Jazeera, Video
Human Rights groups say one person is killed every minute because of armed violence, through conflict and crime, but no globally agreed standards exist to regulate the international trade in arms, a trade in dangerous and deadly products, designed to kill and... (GunPolicy.org)
What's Worked, and What Hasn't, in Gun-Loving Switzerland
19 March 2013
NPR (USA)
Switzerland has an entrenched gun culture that is embraced by most of its 8 million citizens, some of them as young as 10 years old.
Every Swiss community has a shooting range, and depending on who is counting, the alpine country ranks third or fourth in the number of guns per capita.
"You can walk into a cafe in a town where there is a shooting festival and you'll see rifles hanging on the hat rack. It's just incredible. It's just proliferation all over the place,... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
US Gun Lobby Stepping Up Its Opposition to UN Arms Trade Treaty
17 March 2013
Guardian (UK)
The National Rifle Association is stepping up its opposition to a UN treaty aimed at halting the illicit trade of guns into conflict zones, after months of silence on the issue believed to be due to its focus on domestic gun control.
Human rights campaigners said that the resurgence of the NRA's campaign was designed to "stir up anti-UN panic" ahead of the UN conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, which opens on Monday in New York. The Obama administration indicated in a... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Global Gun Grabbers Team with UN to Prep African Countries for Arms Trade Treaty
15 March 2013
Fox News (USA)
A week before it opens a treaty conference to impose worldwide limitations on arms sales, the United Nations co-hosted and paid for a series of meetings involving 48 African nations and an anti-gun group that espouses much greater national and international control of firearms, including registration of small arms and ammunition.
The co-host of the gathering in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa was a multinational "civil society" network known as IANSA, which calls... (GunPolicy.org)
London Gun Murder Investigation Unit to Be Realigned, Merged
14 March 2013
Guardian (UK)
Police confirmation that they had moved the central core of Operation Trident – its dedicated murder investigation unit – to the homicide and serious crime command, effectively signals the end of Trident, the London-based organisation I founded with other community activists in the mid-1990s.
Back then, while the culture of gun crime affected whole communities and neighbourhoods, 90% of homicide victims were black, mainly black men. The police response was woeful,... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Nepal
Nepal Decides to Endorse UN Small Arms Treaty
9 March 2013
Xinhua
KATHMANDU - With the objective of controlling the illegal trade of small arms like pistol, Nepal has decided to endorse the UN small arms convention which is being discussed among the UN members at present.
"Nepal supports the bid to regulate and control the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons," the Kathmandu Post quoted a government official, as saying, on Saturday.
"It is of prime importance that the small arms do not reach the non-state actors, who may... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
US Gun Lobby's Silence on UN Arms Treaty Surprises Gun Control Campaigners
9 March 2013
Guardian (UK)
The National Rifle Association is so tied up fighting new gun restrictions in the wake of the Newtown shooting that it has failed so far to mount its expected lobbying blitz against a new international arms control control treaty.
With just a few weeks to go until the world's first Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is put to a final vote at a UN conference in New York campaigners have voiced surprise at the NRA's relative silence on the issue. Until the Newtown tragedy, in which... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Asia,Oceania,Europe,Canada,Americas
Canadian Gun-Control Groups Question Inclusion of Gun Advocate in Arms-Trade Talks
9 March 2013
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
OTTAWA — Gun-control advocates and opposition parties want to know why the Harper government has consistently included a prominent firearms advocate in Canadian delegations at international arms-control talks in recent years.
They believe Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA) president Steve Torino's presence alongside Canadian diplomats is tied to what they say are Canadian efforts to weaken a new Arms Trade Treaty being negotiated at the United... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Coroner Calls for Radical Overhaul of Gun Licensing
8 March 2013
Guardian (UK), Press Association (UK)
A coroner has called for radical overhaul of gun licensing at the conclusion of an inquest into a taxi driver who shot dead three members of his family before killing himself.
Andrew Tweddle described the current system as flawed, adding that it was fortuitous there had not been more incidents like the one in Horden, near Peterlee, County Durham, on New Year's Day 2012.
Michael Atherton, 42, killed his partner, Susan McGoldrick, 47, her sister, 44-year-old Alison... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Switzerland Debates Gun Registration Law in Shootings' Aftermath
7 March 2013
Bloomberg Business Week
On a snowy late-February morning, a man walked into the cafeteria of a wood-processing plant in the Swiss village of Menznau and opened fire with a Sphinx AT .380 pistol. Four people died, including the gunman. Six others were wounded. It was Switzerland's second mass shooting in less than two months. In January a man with a history of mental illness fired a rifle from his window in the Alpine village of Daillon, killing three and injuring two. The shootings have... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
European Union,Sweden,Myanmar,Syria
Stray Swedish Weapons Show Up in Syria, Myanmar Despite EU Ban
7 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
Syrian rebels appear to be using Swedish weapons, visible in a new video that has emerged from the civil war in which an anti-regime fighter cradles a well-known Swedish model of anti-tank rifle.
TV4 news found the video in which a rebel fighter emerges with a Carl Gustaf rocket launcher perched on his right shoulder.
The report dubs the weapon a "Swedish export success story".
It is the second time in the past few months that Swedish weapons have made their way to... (GunPolicy.org)
Rising Rate of Gun Ownership in Spanish Region [Español]
4 March 2013
Laverdad (Spain)
[Translated summary: There are 12 guns per 100 citizens in the Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha. The number of guns has increased since 2011, to 266,189 in total.]
Castilla-La Mancha acumulaba en 2012 un total de 266.189 armas, que son 1.275 más que en 2011, lo que representa un incremento de medio punto porcentual que, a su vez, es la subida que se ha experimentado en la concesión de licencias de armas.
Según estos datos facilitados por la Delegación del... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden Holds Gun Amnesty to Get Illegal, Homemade Guns Off Street
1 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
Sweden on Friday commenced with its first weapons amnesty in more than five years, allowing anyone to turn illegal firearms in to police with no questions asked.
"From a law enforcement perspective, we are happy to have a new, temporary weapons amnesty underway," Detective Peter Thorsell of the legal division of the National Police Board (Rikspolisstyrelsen) said in a statement.
"Reducing illegal weapons possession is a very important measure for reducing gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Ireland Gun Lobby Proposes Allowing Preteens Access to Guns in Law
28 February 2013
BBC News
Children as young as 10 should be allowed to use firearms, a Stormont committee has been told by gun groups.
Northern Ireland's Justice Committee has been taking evidence on proposed changes to firearms licensing.
At present, firearms certificates may be issued to 16 to 18-year-olds in specific circumstances for use on farms. Under the plans, the age would be reduced to 12.
Two organisations for shooting said they favoured lowering the age to 10.
Vaughan Harkness,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Kills Three, Injures Seven in Mass Workplace Shooting
27 February 2013
New York Times
GENEVA — At least three people were killed in a shooting at a Swiss factory on Wednesday, the police said, adding that the gunman was among the dead. The episode was the second mass shooting in Switzerland this year.
The shooting occurred at about 9 a.m. in the canteen of a Kronospan wood processing factory in the town of Menznau, about 14 miles west of Lucerne, the police said in a statement. A spokesman for the police in Lucerne said that the gunman was a... (GunPolicy.org)
