Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
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
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
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
Madagascar,Guinea,Ghana,Botswana,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Russia,Austria,Israel,Germany,Italy,United States,Yemen,Philippines,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Tunisia,Brazil,Burkina Faso,Egypt,Côte d'Ivoire,Malawi,Mauritania,Morocco,Namibia,Niger,Nigeria,Congo (ROC),Senegal,Tanzania,Uganda,Zambia,Zimbabwe,Argentina,Ecuador,Chile,Honduras,Guatemala,United Arab Emirates,Trinidad & Tobago,Jordan,Dominican Republic,Singapore,Kazakhstan,Liberia,Saudi Arabia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Congo (DRC),Guyana,Mauritius,Latvia,Oman,Nepal,Somalia,Bolivia,Colombia,Venezuela,Peru,Mexico,Qatar,Kuwait,Indonesia,Malaysia,Thailand
Brazilian Gun Industry Seeks New Markets: Africa and Asia [Portugues]
27 January 2012
Publica (Brazil)
[Translated summary: With the support of the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Brazilian gun manufacturers seek new markets in countries with a history of human rights violations: Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines and Yemen. Brazil is among the six countries in the world with annual exports exceeding $ 100 million, according to recent research from Small Arms Survey. According to the Army, responsible for supervising and controlling exports from 2005 to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Publica (Brazil)
35794
Russia
Russia Touts 20 New Kalashnikov Variants, Holds 17 Million Surplus
25 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
IZHEVSK - Izhmash, the manufacturer of Kalashnikov AK assault rifles, said its sales were up 57.4 percent last year at 5.73 billion rubles (about $190 million).
Civilian weapon sales rose 25 percent and a similar increase is expected this year, Izhmash press secretary Yelena Filatova said.
Production is to increase 30 percent this year, to 5.1 billion rubles, she added.
In September 2011, Chief of the Russian General Staff Nikolai Makarov said the Defense Ministry... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35777
Russia
Police Seized 227 Guns from Passengers at Russian Airports in 2011
23 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - Police seized 227 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and several kilograms of explosives at airports around Russia in 2011, a spokesperson for the Russian transport police said on Monday.
Russia has tightened security measures at airports and railway stations following a terrorist attack at the Domodedovo airport near Moscow in January 2011 which killed 37 and injured 120 people.
"During passenger preflight checks at Russian airports last year,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35764
Russia
Russia's Kalashnikov Factory Dumped Assault Rifle Parts in Public Tip
16 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
IZHEVSK - Police have found functional gun parts at a dumping ground for destroyed Kalashnikov automatic rifles in the Urals republic of Udmurtia, local Interior Minister Alexander Pervukhin said on Monday.
"I regret to report we've discovered many firearms parts and details that can still be used," Pervukhin told the republic's head, Alexander Volkov. He did not elaborate on how the rifle parts ended up as waste.
The local Kalashnikov recycling facility already... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35737
Russia
Siberian Truck Driver Takes Crates of Army AK-47s, Sells for Firewood
13 January 2012
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - A retiree in the Udmurtia region of the western Urals has alerted police after finding scores of Ak-47 assault rifles in crates he bought for firewood, police said.
The Udmurtian man contacted the police after he found "an object similar to a Kalashnikov assault rifle" in one of the wooden cases, a police source said.
Another 78 rifles and munitions were later found in the crates which the man bought for firewood from a Kamaz truck driver who was supposed to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35731
Slovakia,Austria,Azerbaijan,Serbia,Russia,Armenia,Turkey,Romania,Czech Republic,Croatia,United States,Bulgaria,Ukraine,Southern Europe,Georgia,Eastern Europe
South Caucasian Republics Purchased 107,324 Small Arms in 2005-2010
4 January 2012
Milaz.info (Azerbaïdjan)
The South Caucasian republics purchased 107 324 small arms from various countries of the world in 2005-2010.
APA reports quoting the UN Register of Conventional Arms that Georgia takes the first place among the South Caucasian republics on purchase of small arms during this period.
Georgia bought 76 377 small arms from 7 countries. The submachine guns, short rifles, pistols, automatic rifles, pistol-machineguns, heavy machineguns, grenade launchers as well as the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Milaz.info (Azerbaïdjan)
35704
Thailand,Colombia,Russia,United States,Uganda,Rwanda,South Africa,United Arab Emirates,Belgium,Sudan,Somalia,Côte d'Ivoire,Liberia,Angola,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Congo (DRC)
Stopping the Trade in Death, Gun Trafficking, Smuggling - Opinion
6 December 2011
New York Times, Opinion
On a dark November morning in 2004, I woke up in my bungalow overlooking Lake Kivu, tense with anticipation. Our small United Nations team was about to undertake a surprise inspection of three airfields in eastern Congo, notorious for smuggling operations.
With the backing of U.N. peacekeeping forces and a U.N. Security Council mandate, we searched almost every incoming and outgoing aircraft that day. By evening, we had the evidence to link several aviation front... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35632
Russia,Mozambique,Nigeria,India,Australia,East Africa,Eastern Europe,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Global: Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Dumps Increasing - IRIN / SAS
5 December 2011
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG - The rate of accidents at munitions storage sites has risen to unprecedented levels in 2011, despite a growing international commitment to assist countries in managing their weapons and ammunition stockpiles.
"During the first ten months of 2011, the average number of explosions has increased to more than three per month - the highest rate recorded in a calendar year," said the Small Arms Survey (SAS), a Geneva-based NGO monitoring small arms and armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
35622
Russia
Moscow Bans Airgun Ammo in Attempt to Enforce Firearm Registration
13 November 2011
Moscow Times
Ammunition for air guns has disappeared from the city's specialized stores, apparently on verbal orders from a police force that has long frowned upon people buying — and often abusing — non-lethal firearms.
Although officially blamed on red tape, the disappearance of the ammunition is actually part of an Interior Ministry campaign to ban air guns across the country, Izvestia reported Friday.
Such an unofficial ban would amount to abuse of power, a pro-gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
35533
India,Spain,United Kingdom,Italy,Germany,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,Belgium,Austria,Yemen,Syria,Libya,Egypt,Bahrain,West Asia,North Africa,Europe,Russia,United States
Major Arms Exporters Accused of Mideast Gun Sales Before Human Rights
24 October 2011
al Jazeera
According to an Amnesty International report, the US, Russia and a number of European countries supplied large quantities of weapons to repressive governments in the Middle East and North Africa before this year's uprisings.
The report says that these arms deals were signed despite evidence of a substantial risk that they could be used to commit serious human rights violations.
The human rights group reports that in the five years preceding the Arab spring $2.4bn... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35448
European Union,China,Germany,South Korea,Switzerland,Serbia,France,United Kingdom,Syria,Yemen,Bulgaria,Belgium,Libya,Italy,Bahrain,Egypt,United States,Russia,West Asia,North Africa,Finland,Austria,Sudan,North Korea,Spain
Tracing the Middle East Weapons Flow
19 October 2011
al Jazeera
Earlier this year, as mass popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and audiences across the world sat transfixed by images of unarmed citizens confronting iron-fisted security forces in the streets of Arab capitals, powerful governments from Russia to the United States were forced to begin accounting for the weapons they had for decades sold to the very rulers they now found themselves abandoning.
In Egypt and Bahrain, protesters held up tear gas canisters... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
35436
Germany,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Belgium,Austria,Yemen,Syria,Libya,Egypt,Bahrain,North America,West Asia,North Africa,Europe,United States,Russia,Italy,Spain
Arab Spring Abuses Show Need for Arms Trade Curb - Amnesty
18 October 2011
Reuters (Africa)
LONDON - Russia, the United States and European countries ignored fears over human rights abuses and sold large numbers of weapons to governments in the Middle East and North Africa in recent years, Amnesty International said in a report on Wednesday.
Rights group Amnesty said the failings showed the need for a meaningful international arms trade treaty to choke off the supply of weapons to countries seen at risk of turning them on their own people.
"The Arab Spring... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters (Africa)
35431
India,Russia,Germany,United States
India's Unlicensed Gun Market Thrives on Smuggled, Home Made Firearms
5 October 2011
First Post (Mumbai)
A 10-year-old boy was accidentally shot dead by his 12-year-old neighbour while they were playing cop and thief in West Delhi earlier this week. On 24 September, 23-year-old toll attendant, Umeshkant Pandey, was shot dead by the driver of a white Bolero. His crime: he asked the driver to pay Rs 27 as toll tax.
Gun crime has consistently been on the rise in India, and every few weeks, there is a new tragedy. An armed gang shoots a woman over a small piece of jewellery,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: First Post (Mumbai)
35375
Russia,Peru,Colombia,Greece
Russian Accused of Gun-Running Beats Extradition and Leaves Greece
1 October 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
ATHENS - Vladimir Gavrilov, a Russian accused of gun-running to Colombia's FARC rebels in the 1990's has been released from custody in Greece, where he had been detained for a month on an extradition request from Peru, his lawyer Georgy Gurovanidis told RIA Novosti.
Gavrilov returned to Moscow on Saturday morning after his release.
Vladimir Gavrilov had spent a month in detention in Salonika, Greece, after being detained at the end of August on an international arrest... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35347
Venezuela,Libya,Russia
Russia Defence Ministry Orders an Update of the Kalashnikov Rifle
28 September 2011
Moscow Times
The Defense Ministry said Tuesday that it has suspended purchases of the legendary Kalashnikov rifle and is expecting the manufacturer, Izhevsk machinery plant, to present it with a new model of the weapon.
Mobilization reserves of Kalashnikov assault rifles, which the Soviet armed forces began using in 1949, are too big, and the ministry is not satisfied with the quality of the current firearms arsenal, General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov said.
The current reserves... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
35334
Russia
Boy Injures 2 Students with Unattended Police Assault Rifle in Russia
17 September 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MAKHACHKALA - A high school student in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Dagestan accidentally wounded two other students after he made a shot from an assault rifle in a school, a local police spokesman said on Saturday.
He said several policemen were invited to a school in the Tarumovsky district of Dagestan to deliver a lecture for children.
"A senior class student was examining an assault rifle that was left unattended for some time by one of the policemen after... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
35287
United Kingdom,France,Russia,Bahrain
Russia Ignores European Human Rights Embargo, Offers Guns to Bahrain
29 August 2011
Moscow Times / Bloomberg
Russia for the first time is selling weapons to Bahrain after Britain and France banned deliveries of security equipment to the Gulf monarchy because of its crackdown on protesters.
State arms trader Rosoboronexport says it wants more business in Bahrain. The country is selling AK-103 Kalashnikovs with grenade launchers and ammunition for tens of millions of dollars to Bahrain, according to a person close to the Russian Defense Ministry who declined to be identified... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times / Bloomberg
35224
Russia,United States,European Union,Belgium,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Burundi
Development, Security Require a World Without Small Arms [Francais]
9 August 2011
Pax Christi Wallonie Bruxelles (Brussels)
[Translated summary: In Burundi, the authorities spend each year an average of 5 dollars per person for health care. Each gun injury costs 163 dollars to the health care system. Three quarters of the global budget for health care is thus spent on these injuries!]
Au Burundi, les autorités consacrent en moyenne 5 dollars par habitant aux soins de santé chaque année. Chaque blessure causée par une arme à feu coûte 163 dollars au système des soins de santé. Trois... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pax Christi Wallonie Bruxelles (Brussels)
35176
Kyrgyzstan,Czech Republic,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Central Asia,Russia,Uzbekistan,China,Kazakhstan,European Union,United States,Colombia,Iran
Smuggling of Small Arms in Central Asia Is Endemic - British Expert
2 August 2011
Journal of Turkish Weekly (Turkey), Transcript
British intelligence analyst and journalist Richard M. Bennett says the Fergana Valley is extremely vulnerable to the covert smuggling of arms and drugs, despite the official reports of Central Asian governments denying its highlighted status. Mr. Bennett told JTW that Russia has been responsible for an overwhelming amount of illegal arms circulating in ex-Soviet Central Asia. In his view, Russia's military intelligence (GRU) is the mastermind of major trafficking... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Journal of Turkish Weekly (Turkey)
35152
Russia
3 Civilians Killed in a Restive Russian Province in North Caucasus
28 July 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
MAKHACHKALA, Russia -- Police say a village leader and an elderly couple have been killed in a restive Russian province in the North Caucasus.
Vyacheslav Gasanov, a police spokesman in the republic of Dagestan, said village chief Rabadan Omarov in central Dagestan was killed late Thursday night when an unidentified man stormed his house and gunned him down with an assault rifle.
In southern Dagestan, a married couple in their 60s known, for having conservative Muslim... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: San Francisco Chronicle / AP
35136
France,Qatar,United Kingdom,Libya,Russia,Italy
Small Arms Seized by Italy Gone Missing, Libya Likely Destination
20 July 2011
Scotsman (Edinburgh)
A shipment of weapons seized by the Italian navy following a tip-off from British secret agents has gone missing - most likely ending up in the hands of Libya's rebels.
The haul, which was described by one military expert as "enough to start and win a small war", included 400 anti-tank missiles and 50 launchers for them; 30,000 AK47s; 5,000 Katusha rockets; 11,000 anti-tank rockets and 32 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
All of the Russian-made weapons were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Scotsman (Edinburgh)
35083
Israel,United Kingdom,Russia,France,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,United States
Productive Negotiations at the UN on Arms Trade Treaty [Francais]
18 July 2011
Courrier du Vietnam / AFP
[Translated summary: Member States of the UN "made significant progress" during the week of negotiations in New York for the adoption in July 2012 of the Arms Trade Treaty, said on July 15 Eric Danon, representative of France in the negotiations.]
Les États membres de l'ONU ont "beaucoup progressé" pendant une semaine de négociations à New York en vue de l'adoption en juillet 2012 d'un traité sur le commerce des armes, a déclaré le 15 juillet Eric Danon,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Courrier du Vietnam / AFP
35078
Russia
Tensions on Moscow Roads, Reports of Multiple Clashes with Firearms
18 July 2011
Moscow Times
Tensions on Moscow roads have flared with a prominent blogger and an opposition activist reporting separate clashes with firearm-wielding motorists accused of driving violations.
Photographer-blogger Dmitry Ternovsky said a 24-year-old ethnic Gypsy from Latvia pulled out an air gun and fired multiple shots at his car on Volgogradsky Prospekt on Thursday.
Ternovsky had angered the man by photographing the black, emergency siren-equipped Mercedes S500 that he was riding... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Moscow Times
35071
United States,Indonesia,New Zealand,South Korea,China,Russia,South Africa
New Zealand Police Promise Gun Ban for Rugby World Cup Bodyguards
14 July 2011
Stuff (New Zealand)
Foreign bodyguards will be banned from carrying weapons when protecting overseas dignitaries at this year's Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand police will assume full responsibility for the protection of visiting heads of state and VIPs at the tournament, which starts two days before the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
Visiting security agents were permitted to carry weapons to protect foreign leaders during the 1999 Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Stuff (New Zealand)
35054
European Union,Bulgaria,Russia,West Africa,Pakistan,France,Australia,United Kingdom,Canada,Germany,Italy,United States,Haiti,Côte d'Ivoire,Madagascar
Study Finds Small Arms Have Serious Impact on Fragile States
6 July 2011
Voice of America
A new study finds the global authorized trade in small arms, light weapons, and their ammunition is worth nearly $7.1 billion a year. In its annual report, the independent think tank, the Geneva Forum, also examines the serious impact small arms proliferation is having upon three so-called fragile states-Madagascar, Ivory Coast and Haiti.
Arms exporters
The survey finds in 2008, the United States, Italy and Germany topped the list of 14 top exporters of small arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of America
35022
United Kingdom,United States,Europe,India,China,Russia,Libya,France
France Air-dropped Guns to Libyan Civilians: In Breach of Arms Embargo?
30 June 2011
Le Point (France) / Reuters
[Translated summary: France acknowledged that it airlifted small arms to Libyan civilians fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces in a besieged mountain region south of Tripoli. Critics say that this is against the UN arms embargo].
NEW YORK, PARIS - La France a défendu sa décision de parachuter des armes aux insurgés libyens, une opération à laquelle l'Otan n'a pas été associée et qui suscite jeudi une controverse, les Nations unies ayant imposé en février un... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Point (France) / Reuters
35000
United States,North Africa,Russia,European Union,East Asia,Indonesia,China
The Arms Trade Treaty, Several Hurdles Must be Overcome Before 2012
8 June 2011
United Nations News & Commentary
In a three-day meeting organized by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) the European Union, and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, representatives of nearly 30 East Asian and Pacific countries are gathering with regional and international organizations to discuss the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
This is the latest in a series of regional meetings UNIDIR is conducting to develop concrete recommendations on the future Treaty and to assist States with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Nations News & Commentary
34919
Thailand,United States,Russia
Arms Treaty Campaigners Seize on 'Merchant of Death' Gun Running Case
28 January 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
When Andrew Niccol wrote and directed the feature film "Lord of War", the story was partly inspired by the life of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman suspected of using his air cargo company as a cover for arms dealing.
While he succeeded in trading arms all over the planet – and especially in war-torn nations like Sierra Leone and Liberia - for two decades without technically breaking any international laws, Bout was finally arrested in 2008 in Thailand, as part of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
34273
United States,Africa,Russia
Russian Arms Dealer's Trial Resumes Amid Calls for Global Arms Treaty
21 January 2011
Voice of America
Alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout makes a second appearance in a New York court Friday, where he is accused of offering to supply arms to terrorists and rebels in Africa. Oxfam, an International non-governmental organization fighting poverty and injustice, says the Bout case shows why there is an urgent need for global rules on arms trade.
The charges against Viktor Bout stem from a 2008 U.S. sting operation in which authorities say Bout tried to sell weapons to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of America
34235
United Kingdom,Switzerland,Russia,Norway,Mexico,Japan,Italy,Germany,Austria,Czech Republic,India,China,Canada,Brazil,Australia,United States
How Gun Control Laws Vary in 16 Countries Around the World
10 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Australia
Ownership is strictly prohibited unless there are "genuine reasons" such as licensed sport, animal control or employment requirements.
Brazil
If you are over 25 and have registered a weapon, you are free to keep it indoors. The country has the second-highest gun-related death rate after the US.
Canada
Significantly stricter than the neighbouring US. To acquire a licence, applicants must undertake a safety course, pass a criminal records check and be... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
34020
United States,Russia
Accused Russian Gun Runner Viktor Bout Tells of His Life in New York Jail
3 January 2011
RIA Novosti (Russia)
Suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, extradited from Thailand to the United States in mid-November, has given an interview to RIA Novosti.
Former Russian armed forces officer Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by U.S. agents and extradited to the United States after spending more than two and half years in Thai prisons. The charges against him include conspiring to supply arms to terrorist groups and kill U.S. nationals. Bout... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
33948
Russia
Russian Kalashnikov Maker Near Bankrupcty, AK-47 Industry Under Threat
20 December 2010
Lenta (Russia)
Izhmash will continue to produce the basic range of small arms and advanced weapons models. On this, as reported by Interfax , said deputy director general of the state corporation Russian Technologies Nikolai Volobuyev. Previously reported that the production of weapons will suffer from Izhmash on IMZ in connection with the forthcoming bankruptcy of the enterprise.
According Volobuyeva, currently being worked out a program of financial recovery Izhmash that does not... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Lenta (Russia)
33888
Russia,Venezuela
Kalashnikov Factory Makes Assault Rifles, Ammo in Venezuela [Espanol]
3 December 2010
Agencia EFE
[Translated summary: From May 2011, a new Russian-built factory in Venezuela will produce Kalashnikov assault rifles, Model 101 to 105, with ammunition, for both Warsaw Pact and NATO calibres.]
MOSCÚ/MOSCOW -- Venezuela comenzará a fabricar fusiles Kaláshnikov y sus municiones antes de lo previsto y las primeras partidas se producirán en mayo de 2011, informó hoy la corporación estatal rusa para la exportación de armamento, Rosoboronexport.
"Tenemos previsto... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Agencia EFE
33876
Africa,Russia,Thailand,United States
Heavy Price to Pay for Dealing With Viktor Bout, Lord of War
18 November 2010
Herald (Scotland), Opinion
He's been dubbed the Merchant of Death.
Viktor Bout, former Russian army officer turned international arms dealer extraordinaire, was this week extradited to the US from Thailand, accused of trying to sell weapons to Colombian rebels as well as supplying many of the guns, bombs and bullets used in conflicts across Africa and the Middle East.
Bout – pronounced "boot" – is very much a man who epitomises the dangerous and mercenary times we live in. Here we have a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Herald (Scotland)
33711
Thailand,Russia,United States
Who Is the 'Merchant of Death?' Global Gun Runner Viktor Bout - CNN
17 November 2010
CNN
He's known as the "Merchant of Death" and the "Lord of War," -- an alleged international arms dealer straight out of a cloak-and-dagger spy novel who eluded authorities for years and inspired Hollywood villains.
But in reality, according to those who have seen or met Viktor Bout, he is a somber man, sometimes nattily dressed, a wheeler-dealer who has insisted he is innocent of the allegations leveled against him.
Bout, a Russian citizen and former military officer,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
33663
Thailand,Russia,United States
Russia Claims US Pressure, Pressures US to Free 'Merchant of Death' Bout
17 November 2010
BBC News
Russia has described as a "blatant injustice" Thailand's decision to extradite alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to the US to face charges of conspiring to sell weapons.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was the result of unprecedented American pressure on Thailand.
Mr Bout arrived in New York late on Tuesday after Thailand backed the US request following a long legal battle.
He was arrested in Bangkok in 2008 in a US-led operation.
The former... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
33654
Bulgaria,Russia
Russia, Bulgaria Address Illegal Production of Kalashnikov Assault Rifles
14 November 2010
RIA Novosti (Russia)
SOFIA - Russia and Bulgaria have agreed to resolve issues related to unlicensed production of Soviet-era weaponry and equipment by Bulgarian companies, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.
"We spoke about bilateral military-technical cooperation. There are some problems in this area that we must resolve together," Putin said after talks with his Bulgarian counterpart Boiko Borisov in Sofia on Saturday.
"They are related to unlicensed production of Soviet-era special... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
33884
Russia,United States,Thailand
Russian Foreign Minister, Clinton Discuss Viktor Bout Gun Running Case
10 November 2010
Voice of Russia (Moscow)
November 20th will mark the deadline for the Russian businessman Victor Bout to be extradited from Thailand to the US on what Russia sees as false arms smuggling charges.
The upcoming handover would come three months after a ruling about it by a Thai high court.
Lower courts had dismissed the case as driven by politics and without foundation in available evidence.
Bout was detained in Bangkok in 2008 during a vacation.
According to the Bangkok daily 'Nation', his... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of Russia (Moscow)
33617
Russia,Afghanistan
Russia Once Again Airlifts Planeloads of Assault Weapons to Afghanistan
9 November 2010
Voice of Russia (Moscow)
Power structures in any country should be well-armed: otherwise, what we are talking about can't be called power structures. This rule is of great importance for all countries, including Afghanistan in the first place. And still, till recently the power structures in Afghanistan were practically unarmed. Now the situation has begun changing – among other things, thanks to supplies from Russia.
The transport planes of the Russian Interior Ministry have begun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of Russia (Moscow)
33622
Russia,United States
How the AK-47 Rewrote the Rules of Modern Warfare
1 November 2010
Wired (San Francisco)
Part 1: Origins
The compact automatic rifle that Stalin's engineers unveiled in 1947 didn't look like much of a gun. The result of a secret design contest, its components were simple, inelegant, workmanlike. Its ammunition lacked the stopping power of other rifle cartridges. Its barrel was too short to achieve the range of standard infantry rifles. When the Pentagon finally got its hands on a few of the weapons in the 1950s, officials scoffed. But from this unheralded... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wired (San Francisco)
33926
United States,Russia,Thailand
Thailand Moves to Extradite Russia's 'Merchant of Death' Gun Runner to US
26 August 2010
Associated Press
BANGKOK — A suspected Russian arms dealer known as "The Merchant of Death" has been transferred to a high-security prison in the Thai capital pending his extradition to the United States, authorities said Tuesday.
A Thai appeals court last week ordered Viktor Bout's extradition within three months to face four terrorism-related charges in the U.S. Neither American nor Thai officials have said when exactly he will be extradited or specified the bureaucratic steps... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
33208
Russia,United States,Thailand
Infamous Russian Gun Runner Still at Center of US-Russia Tug of War
19 August 2010
Associated Press
THAILAND - The suspected Russian arms dealer known as "The Merchant of Death" is tired of prison life but optimistic a Thai appeals court will rule in his favor Friday and refuse to extradite him to the United States, his lawyer said.
Viktor Bout, a 43-year-old former Soviet air force officer, is reputed to be one of the world's most prolific arms dealers. He has been linked to some of modern history's most notorious conflicts, allegedly supplying weapons that fueled... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
33207
Russia
Venezuela Launches Mass Production of Russian Kalashnikov Assault Rifle
17 July 2010
Pravda (Moscow)
Venezuela has become the first nation in the world to make the iconic Kalashnikov third generation assault rifle on Russia's official license. The first batch of the legendary small arms that conquered the whole world has already been assembled at a Venezuelan enterprise, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Rosoboronexport official Alexander Yemelyanov.
Russian specialists simultaneously participate in the construction of a new factory in Venezuela, which would be... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pravda (Moscow)
33184
Russia,Venezuela
Venezuela Plant Can Make 50 Million Kalashnikov Rounds Every Year
25 May 2010
RIA Novosti (Russia)
An ammunition plant being built by Russia in Venezuela will have the capacity to produce over 50 million rounds for Kalashnikov assault rifles per year, a Russian defense industry official said on Tuesday.
The Urals-based Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (IMP) supplied 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles to Venezuela, and signed a new contract in 2007 licensing production of Kalashnikov rifles in the Latin American country.
Under the contract, Russia is building an assembly line... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
33179
Russia
Moscow Police Officer Dies While 'Scratching Nose With Loaded Gun'
11 May 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Investigators believe a young Moscow cop died after scratching his nose with his loaded gun.
The Moskovsky Komsomolets reports the 23-year-old policeman, who was not named, was found under a desk with a head wound. The investigation ruled out a murder and there was no note that would indicate suicide, the paper said.
The alarm was raised when a supervisor couldn't reach the policeman by phone. A locked door was broken down and the man's body was located, the paper... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Herald Sun (Melbourne)
32645
Russia,Italy
Italian Gun Maker Beretta Rescues Russian Weapon Plant in Joint Venture
7 May 2010
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW - State Technology Corporation Rostekhnologii plans to embark on a joint small arms production venture with Italian firearms company Beretta, Kommersant business daily reported on Friday.
Director General of Rostehnologii Sergei Chemezov told Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday the state corporation is negotiating with the Italian company on the production of "hunting and sporting arms, and handguns for the special services and police."
A source... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
32644
Russia
Demand for Guns, Insurance Tipped to Surge After Russia Terror Attacks
30 March 2010
Gazeta (Russia)
Terrorism has staged a comeback in Moscow. After a six-year interval, blasts hit the Moscow metro again, this time killing 38 people. Experts observe that following each terrorist attack, people show an increased interest in life insurance and in buying cars and small arms.
Irina Vorobyeva, of 2K Audit Business Consultations, says that faced with such a situation people begin buying cars, afraid to travel on public transport. "We may well see a rise in car purchases,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Gazeta (Russia)
32466
North Korea,Russia
President Bans All North Korea Gun Purchases, Transport to, from Russia
30 March 2010
Itar-Tass (Moscow)
MOSCOW - President Dmitry Medvedev prohibited all state structures, Russian legal and physical persons to purchase all types of weapons in North Korea. The appropriate decree on measures for implementing UN Security Council resolution 1874 of June 12, 2009, is placed at the Kremlin's official site.
"All state institutions, industrial, commercial, financial, transport and other enterprises, banks, organisations, other legal and physical persons, under Russian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Itar-Tass (Moscow)
32437
Russia
Moscow Wedding Guest Severely Injured in Russian Roulette Prank
24 March 2010
Associated Press
MOSCOW, Russia - Russian television has aired a video of a wedding guest shooting himself in the head with a rubber bullet in a game of Russian roulette.
An excerpt from a wedding video airing on NTV television shows a man addressing the groom, then whipping out a pistol, pointing it to his head and pulling the trigger with a click.
The man gives the gun to another man who then shoots himself in the temple and falls to the ground.
The Komsomolskaya Pravda daily... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
32402
Russia
Policeman Gets Life for Shooting 7, Killing 2 in Moscow Supermarket
19 February 2010
Associated Press
MOSCOW, Russia - A Moscow court sentenced a police precinct chief to life in prison Friday for a drunken shooting spree that killed two people and wounded seven.
Maj. Denis Yevsyukov opened fire last April inside and outside a Moscow supermarket. He killed a cab driver and wounded several passers-by in the street, then gunned down a cashier and a customer in the market. He then held two dozen people hostage for several hours and shot at police officers before they... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
32170
United States,Russia,Thailand
New Charges in US Battle to Deport Russian Gun Runner from Thai Jail
17 February 2010
Associated Press
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. prosecutors filed new charges Wednesday in their global pursuit of a suspected arms dealer, hoping to convince reluctant officials in Thailand to extradite him over objections from Russia.
An updated indictment charges that Viktor Bout and his former business associate, Richard Chichakli, conspired to violate United Nations sanctions aimed at stopping bloody fighting in Africa.
The new charges appear aimed at helping U.S. authorities overcome a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
32156
North Korea,Kazakhstan,Serbia,Russia,Thailand,Ukraine,Belarus
Ex-Soviet Pilots, Aircraft Ship Weapons for Global Gun Running Networks
17 December 2009
Time (USA)
KIEV -- It was no ordinary smuggling bust. On Dec. 11, an old Russian plane landed in Thailand to refuel after taking off hours earlier from Pyongyang, North Korea. In its hull, police found 35 tons of explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, all being transported from North Korea in breach of U.N. sanctions. The captain and his crew were promptly arrested and charged with illegally transporting arms. But according to experts,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Time (USA)
31690
Serbia,North Korea,Russia,Thailand
North Korean Arms Plane Cargo Linked to East European Gun Traffickers
15 December 2009
Times (UK)
The weapons laden plane seized in Bangkok en route from North Korea at the weekend has been linked to two renowned East European arms traffickers by a respected Swedish think-tank in the latest twist in the mysterious saga.
The Ilyushin-76 aircraft, which was found to be carrying 35 tons of weapons including rockets and grenades, was most recently registered under a company called Beibars, linked to Serbian arms dealer Tomislav Dmanjanovic. It had previously been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times (UK)
31658
Russia,China,Pakistan
Russia Confronts Pakistan, China Over 'Illegally' Copied AK Assault Rifles
16 November 2009
United Press International
HONG KONG, China — At a press conference held during an international exhibition of defense equipment in Turkey last summer, a Russian military delegation harshly criticized the Pakistan Ordnance Factories Company for copying Russian weapons systems.
The Russians claimed that the POF's RPG-7P anti-tank rockets, 122-mm D-30 howitzer ammunition and PK-10 assault guns were 100-percent imitations of Russian systems. The PK-10 assault gun is a Pakistani version of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
31477
Russia,Venezuela,United Nations
Ten Countries Apply to Build Kalashnikov Assault Rifle Producing Plants
10 November 2009
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW — Ten countries have applied for licenses to construct plants to produce Kalashnikov assault rifles, a deputy CEO of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Tuesday.
Rosoboronexport is currently fulfilling a 2005 contract to build a Kalashnikov plant in Venezuela.
"In the past few years, ten foreign states have applied to Russia for the creation of facilities on their territories to build licensed Kalashnikov AK-100 series assault rifles," Igor... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
31454
Thailand,United States,Russia,Colombia
Documents Shed New Light on Viktor Bout 'Merchant of Death' Arms Deal
5 November 2009
Washington Times
Newly obtained documents prepared by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) describe an elaborate sting operation to capture purported weapons trafficker Viktor Bout in Bangkok and America's current appeal to extradite him to New York.
However, the documents, made public recently, do not confirm that Mr. Bout had access to the weapons or where the arms and ammunition were located.
Mr. Bout, a Russian citizen, has been dubbed the "Merchant of Death" for his... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Times
31395
India,United Nations,Russia,China
UN Gun Trade Treaty 'Likely Very Weak' as India, Russia, China Abstain
2 November 2009
Times of India / TNN
NEW DELHI — Even as the crucial global arms trade and transfers (ATT) treaty, which seeks to regulate the $55 billion arms trade and promote democracy, found overwhelming support from 153 member countries at the UN on Friday, India was among the 19 who abstained from the meet.
These 153 countries — including top arms suppliers like US, Britain, Germany and France — supported a UN disarmament committee resolution which will lead into negotiations for the treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India / TNN
31433
Germany,United Nations,Russia,China
Germany Backs Global Arms Trade Treaty, China and Russia Abstain
31 October 2009
Deutsche Welle
Germany, along with other key United Nations members, has backed talks on a global treaty to regulate the global trade of weapons. Two major arms suppliers, Russia and China, refused to support the measure.
The United Nations resolution calls for talks aimed at agreeing a treaty to police the world's $55-billion (37-billion-euro) arms trade.
The UN General Assembly's first committee on disarmament and peace passed the resolution calling for a treaty by 153 votes to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
31432
United Nations,United States,Russia
US On Board, Russia Abstains in UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Talks
30 October 2009
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS — The world's top weapons exporters agreed to back negotiations on a global treaty to regulate the world's $55 billion arms trade, but Russia refused to show support, diplomats said on Thursday.
The deal came after negotiators from four of the top arms traders — the United States, Britain, France and Germany overcame sharp disagreements on the wording of a U.N. General Assembly resolution that will guide negotiations on a treaty, which were to begin... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
31336
Russia
Kalashnikov, 90, Decries "Criminal" Use of Rifle, Russia's Loss of Profits
26 October 2009
Reuters
KLIMOVSK, Russia — Approaching 90, the inventor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle has one big regret:
The almost unstoppable Kalashnikov, designed in 1947, has become the weapon of choice for militants and rebels from Liberia to Afghanistan as well as gangsters and drug traffickers.
"It is painful for me to see when criminal elements of all kinds fire from my weapon," Mikhail Kalashnikov said in a videotaped address to a conference of Russian arms traders and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
31337
Russia,China
Russia, China Near Copyright Deal to Licence Kalashnikov Production
22 October 2009
RIA Novosti (Russia)
KLIMOVSK — Russia is working to reach an agreement with China on copyright protection of Kalashnikov assault rifles, the head of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Thursday.
"We have received China's national patent for Kalashnikov products. The documents have been handed to the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation to prepare and conclude an intergovernmental agreement in the field," Anatoly Isaikin told journalists.
Isaikin said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
31358
Thailand,United States,Russia
US Pushes Thais to Extradite Suspected Russian Gun Runner
14 October 2009
Associated Press
BANGKOK — A senior U.S. Justice Department official on Tuesday told Thai officials the extradition of suspected arms dealer Viktor Bout is "a matter of great importance to the United States."
U.S. Deputy Attorney General David Ogden told reporters he was "disappointed" by the decision of a Thai lower court in August to reject a U.S. extradition request for the Russian and was hopeful an appeals court would rule to extradite him. No date has been set for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
31249
Thailand,Colombia,United States,Russia
Cold War Reopened in Fight to Free, Jail 'Merchant of Death' Gun Runner
24 September 2009
Reuters / RIA Novosti
MOSCOW — Colombia has appealed to Thailand over its decision not to extradite alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to the U.S., the Kommersant daily reported on Thursday.
Former Russian army officer Bout, 42, was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by U.S. agents.
The Bangkok Criminal Court refused in August to extradite Bout to the United States, where he is accused of conspiring with others to sell millions of dollars' worth of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters / RIA Novosti
31048
Russia,United States
Kalashnikov Faces Bankruptcy as Knock-offs Outsell AK-47s Ten to One
21 September 2009
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
For years, the AK-47 assault rifle has been the world's most popular weapon, the gun of choice for dictators, gang members and Third World revolutionaries.
But the global recession and a proliferation of copycats has left the Russian maker of the Kalashnikov, OAO Izhmash, in financial turmoil.
Monday, a court in Russia said it will consider a bankruptcy application filed against Izhmash by a supplier owed more than $13-million (U.S.). According to reports out of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Globe & Mail (Toronto)
30990
Thailand,United States,Russia
Thai Court Rejects Global Gunrunner Viktor Bout's Bail Request
2 September 2009
RIA Novosti (Russia)
BANGKOK — A Thai court refused on Wednesday to release alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout on bail and under guarantees from his lawyer and Russian diplomats.
Bout's family earlier appealed to the Bangkok Criminal Court to release him on bail in a motion submitted by his defense and Russian Embassy officials.
The court said it could not grant Bout bail because the Thai prosecutors representing the United States had submitted an extradition appeal to a Thai court... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
30852
United Kingdom,Russia
MPs, Minister 'Concerned' at UK Arms Dealers Trafficking ex-Soviet Guns
19 August 2009
BBC News
UK-based arms dealers may have been selling former Soviet weapons from Ukraine to blacklisted countries, a cross-party group of MPs has warned.
The MPs said they were "extremely concerned" the UK government had not been aware of a list of arms dealers licensed by the Ukrainian authorities.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband has ordered an investigation into the alleged transactions.
The MPs are calling for tougher restrictions on arms exports.
The MPs — known as... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
30763
Russia,Thailand,United States
Viktor Bout, the 'Merchant of Death': Gunrunner with Captivating Character
18 August 2009
CBC News (Canada)
Viktor Bout may not be a household name like Osama bin Laden, but to some he is considered no less dangerous.
Dubbed the Merchant of Death, the former Soviet air force officer is said to have delivered arms that fuelled some of the world's worst conflicts and is linked to the likes of warlords and dictators.
For author and security expert Stephen Braun, one of the "great ironies" surrounding Bout lies in the United States' post-9/11 pursuit of terrorists, which netted... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada)
30829
Thailand,United States,Russia
'Merchant of Death' Viktor Bout Wonders Why the US Wants Him So Badly
16 August 2009
Bangkok Post
In a series of exclusive interviews, Viktor Bout talks to the press outside Russia for the first time about his arrest in Bangkok and the failed effort to extradite him to the US
After the surprise court ruling in Bangkok last Tuesday when the United States was denied the extradition of Viktor Bout, the man they have dubbed the Merchant of Death flashed a "V" for victory sign as he was led in leg irons and an orange prison suit from the Criminal Court.
The once... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bangkok Post
30758
Thailand,United States,Russia
Thai Court 'Violated UN Resolutions' by Not Extraditing Gunrunner Bout
15 August 2009
Nation (Bangkok), Editorial
On the surface, the court decision earlier this week to deny the extradition of world-famous mercenary Viktor Bout seemed to be a logical one. Bout had done Thailand no harm, the court argued. He might be a bad guy somewhere out there, arming rebels, outlawed groups and political organisations, except these people have never hurt Thailand.
However, upon deeper scrutiny, the ruling was faulty on every count and will end up having huge ramifications on the Thai national... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nation (Bangkok)
30851
Georgia,Russia
South Ossetia Tries to Disarm Its Citizens with Amnesty, Buyback
15 August 2009
New York Times
TSKHINVALI, Georgia — For years, there was not much difference between a civilian and a soldier in South Ossetia, which was embroiled in a long struggle to separate from Georgia.
David G. Sanakoyev, for example, wore a tie during the day. As South Ossetia's ombudsman for human rights, he handled complaints about prison conditions or unlawful firings. Three times a week, after work, he changed into camouflage and took up a position at the territory's border, rotating... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
30762
Thailand,United States,Russia
Thailand, US Push Again for Extradition of Russia's Global Gun Runner
14 August 2009
Associated Press
BANGKOK — Thai prosecutors announced Thursday they plan to challenge a lower court ruling that rejected a U.S. request to extradite suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
That means Bout, 42, dubbed the "Merchant of Death" for allegedly shipping arms that have fueled conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, will spend several more months in a Thai jail pending the appeal. He had hoped for release as early as Friday.
Bout was arrested in March 2008... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
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Thailand,United States,Russia
Thai Court, Russian Suspect, US Disbelief as Global Gun Runner Walks
12 August 2009
International Herald Tribune
BANGKOK — A Thai court stunned U.S. officials here on Tuesday by rejecting the extradition of Viktor Bout, the Russian businessman accused of global arms trafficking.
Mr. Bout, the inspiration for the 2005 Hollywood film "Lord of War," was arrested in a March 2008 sting operation at a hotel in Bangkok after allegedly agreeing to sell millions of dollars worth of weaponry to undercover U.S. agents posing as rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Herald Tribune
30744
Thailand,United States,Russia
Thailand Blocks US Attempt to Extradite Global Gun Trafficking Suspect
12 August 2009
New York Times / International Herald Tribune
BANGKOK — A Thai court stunned American officials here on Tuesday by rejecting the extradition of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman who is accused of global arms trafficking.
Viktor Bout was escorted from a courthouse in Bangkok on Tuesday after a judge refused a request that he be extradited to face arms trafficking charges in the United States.
The United States says Mr. Bout agreed to sell millions of dollars worth of weapons to agents posing as Colombian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times / International Herald Tribune
30743
Thailand,Russia,United States
Thailand Rejects US Request to Extradite Russian Gun Runner Bout
12 August 2009
Associated Press
BANGKOK — A Thai court on Tuesday rejected a U.S. request to extradite a Russian arms dealer who allegedly sold weapons to dictators and warlords around the world, raising the prospect that he could be freed by the weekend.
The unexpected ruling in favor of Viktor Bout was welcomed by Russia. The United States, which had mounted the sting operation that led to his arrest at a Bangkok hotel, said it was "mystified" by the court's decision.
Bangkok Criminal Court... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
30727
Thailand,Russia,United States
Viktor Bout is Just the Middleman: Target Big Government Gun Runners
12 August 2009
Nation (Bangkok), Editorial
The criminal court has rejected a request by the United States for the extradition of Viktor Bout, an alleged Russian arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death".
Bout, who is said to have inspired the Hollywood film "Lord of War" starring Nicholas Cage, has been fighting extradition since his March 2008 arrest in Bangkok on charges of peddling weapons.
While the decision may have surprised some, given the close diplomatic ties between Thailand and the US, not to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nation (Bangkok)
30725
Thailand,Russia,United States
Russian 'Merchant of Death' Defies US Attempt to Try Him for Gunrunning
11 August 2009
Guardian (UK)
Had Hollywood not already fictionalised Viktor Bout's extraordinary life in the arms-dealing blockbuster Lord of War, events today might have provided a fitting closing scene and set it up nicely for a sequel.
For in front of a febrile media throng, a grinning, mustachioed Bout, 42, allegedly the world's biggest gunrunner, flashed a victory sign as he sauntered from a Bangkok court after a Thai judge refused to extradite him to the United States.
Pursued for years by... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
30726
Thailand,Russia,United States
Thai Court Dismisses US Case Against Russian 'Merchant of Death'
11 August 2009
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
BANGKOK — A Thai court Tuesday dismissed a case against Russian national Viktor Bout, an alleged gun-runner dubbed the 'Merchant of Death,' allowing the prosecution 72 hours to appeal the verdict.
'If the prosecution doesn't appeal within 72 hours, then Viktor Bout is free,' judge Kittakorn Phattanasiri said.
Bout was arrested at a Bangkok hotel in March 2008 in a joint US-Thai sting operation that caught the Russian negotiating a deal to sell arms to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Presse-Agentur
30715
United States,Russia
Licensed Gun Store Owner Guilty in US-Russia Arms Trafficking Case
6 August 2009
Citizens Voice (Pennsylvania)
The owner of a Luzerne County gun store pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy in Scranton's federal court.
Mark Komoroski, co-owner of D&R Sports Center in Nanticoke, was one of two people indicted in 2006 for allegedly smuggling of military equipment into Russia, Kuwait, Germany and Japan in violation of U.S. export laws.
The federal investigation focused primarily on paramilitary equipment purchases made from D&R in early 2005 by a Russian firm that reportedly had... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Citizens Voice (Pennsylvania)
30701
Russia
Over 180,000 Russians Obtained Gun Licenses in First Quarter of 2009
20 July 2009
Times of India / IANS
TULA — Over 180,000 Russians have received gun licenses since the beginning of the year, a Russian cabinet minister said.
"In the first quarter of the year alone, the licenses issued covered 50,000 pieces of firearms," Russia's first deputy interior minister colonel-General Mikhail Sukhodolsky said during his address to territorial ministries and departments of the Interior Ministry.
"All in all, about 180,000 people received the licenses for bearing weapons for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India / IANS
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