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
Turkey
In Turkey, Debating a Woman's Right to Have a Gun in Domestic Violence
19 May 2012
National Public Radio (USA)
In Turkey, hundreds of women die each year at the hands of a husband or family member, in a society that critics say too often ignores violence against women. After years of frustration, one organization has shaken up the debate with a controversial proposal: arming women and training them to defend themselves.
Looking back, Yagmur Askin thinks perhaps she should have paid more attention on her wedding day, when her husband's family welcomed her by saying, "You enter... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National Public Radio (USA)
36144
Sweden
3 Swedish Journalists Guilty of Weapons Crimes
18 May 2012
Local (Sweden)
The editor-in-chief of Swedish tabloid Expressen and two other journalists with the paper have been convicted of weapons crimes related to a report about how easy it is to buy guns in Malmö in southern Sweden.
Expressen's editor Thomas Mattson was convicted of instigating a weapons crime, while former news editor Andreas Johansson was found guilty of being an accessory to a weapons crime.
Journalist Diamant Salihu, who actually purchased the gun, was convicted of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
36146
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
Belgium,Morocco
Morocco Breaks Up Terrorist Cell, Stops Related Gun Trafficking [Francais]
13 May 2012
Le Matin (Morocco)
[Translated summary: On Saturday, the chief of the national police brigade during the presentation of seized firearms, said to the press that the dismantling last saturday of a terrorist cell that was active in several cities of the Kingdom, directed by an influential member of the terrorist organisation called "movement of the moudjahidines in Morocco, led to the arrest of 15 people and the seizure of several firearms. He further indicated that these firearms had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Matin (Morocco)
36129
France
Arms Trafficking in French Prison: 6 Men Sentenced [Francais]
11 May 2012
Europe 1 (France)
[Translated Summary: Sentences ranging from 18 months to 4 years of prison were requested on Friday in front of the Pontoise Correctional Tribunal, to six men judged for trafficking weapons of war. Two of the men were accused of organising these transactions from their prison cells using a mobile phone.]
Des peines de 18 mois à 4 ans de prison ont été requises vendredi devant le tribunal correctionnel de Pontoise contre six hommes jugés pour un trafic d'armes de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europe 1 (France)
36141
United Kingdom
High Number of Guns on Island of Jersey, for Small Population
2 May 2012
BBC News
There are three times as many guns per head of population in Jersey than in England and Wales, according to the police.
The States of Jersey police said there were more than 9,700 guns in the island, with a population of 97,857.
The guns in Jersey are kept by 1,800 registered owners.
One islander owns more than 300 weapons but the police said they were a World War II enthusiast and all the guns had historical significance.
Home Affairs Minister Senator Ian Le... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
36098
South America,Asia,Turkey,United Kingdom,Mexico,United States
Proposal to Relax Export Restrictions on Firearms in U.S. Unpopular
2 May 2012
Wall Street Journal
U.S. homeland-security and law-enforcement agencies have objected to
Obama administration proposals to relax export restrictions on
high-powered firearms, threatening a centerpiece of the president's
trade and national-security agenda.
The agencies, in internal memos viewed by The Wall Street Journal,
warn the changes could help arm drug cartels and terrorists and make
it harder for the U.S. to crack down on gun-trafficking.
The arms proposal is part of a broader... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
36097
Germany
Germany Compiling Firearms Register, Post Erfurt Massacre [Francais]
30 April 2012
Canoe.ca (Canada)
[Translated Summary: Germany is currently putting together its own firearms register, conform to a law to be respected by all E.U. Member States. The Bundestag made the decision following the 10th anniversary of the massacre that took place in the town of Erfurt.]
OTTAWA – L'Allemagne est en train de bâtir son propre registre des armes à feu, se conformant ainsi à une règle que devra respecter l'ensemble des pays de l'Union européenne.
La chaîne... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Canoe.ca (Canada)
36096
United States,France,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Sweden
Pakistan a 'Very Gun-friendly Society,' 9 in 10 Owners Unlicensed
30 April 2012
Dawn (Karachi)
On January 25 this year, 32-year-old Waqas, a garment factory employee was hit by a bullet in New Karachi and he died. The bullet was not fired from the gun of a target killer, but by friends of a bridegroom amidst late-night wedding celebrations.
Two children aged 10 and 12, died in Sialkot in a similar incident on February 20, when the jubilant brother of a bridegroom unleashed a burst of bullets.
Such accidents, almost an every-day affair in Pakistan, never make it... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Dawn (Karachi)
36091
Germany
Ten Years After School Massacre, Germany Plans National Gun Registry
26 April 2012
Deutsche Welle
Ten years after Germany's worst school shooting, in which a former pupil killed 16 people before committing suicide, politicians are set to lay the foundations for a national gun-owners' register.
The church bells in Erfurt rang out on Thursday shortly before 11am – the time a decade ago when 19-year-old Robert Steinhäuser started shooting at his former school there. A day of commemoration was planned in the Thuringian city.
It was April 26 when Steinhäuser took... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
36082
Denmark
Only Danish Police, Gun Clubs, Hunters May Own Big-bore Airguns [Dansk]
25 April 2012
Berlingske (Denmark)
[Translated Summary: As of June 1st, ownership of airguns over 4.5mm cal will be restricted in Denmark. More than 240,000 Danes currently own larger-calibre airguns, and authorities are anxious to avoid US-style weapon availability.]
Fra 1. juni er det ikke længere lovligt at eje og bruge luftvåben af en særlig kaliber uden at være politimand, medlem af en skytteforening eller jæger.
Danmark må ikke ende med amerikanske våbentilstande, hvor stort set alle med... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Berlingske (Denmark)
36089
Norway
For the Environment, Military Switches to Lead-Free Ammunition in Norway
25 April 2012
United Press International
RAUFOSS, Norway -- Norwegian/Finnish manufacturer Nammo has been selected to provide Norway's military forces with lead-free, small arms ammunition.
The contract is worth about $870 million, with options exceeding that of the original contract.
"We are proud to supply world class ammunition that is both environmental friendly and fully satisfies the customer's demands for operational function," said Edgar Fossheim, president and chief executive officer of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
36073
China,Sweden
Swedish Minister 'Ignorant' of UN Gun Export Embargo on China
23 April 2012
Local (Sweden)
Sweden's enterprise minster Annie Lööf has come in for heavy criticism following a blunder about Sweden's arms exports.
In an interview broadcast on Saturday on Sveriges Radio (SR), Lööf didn't rule out exporting arms to China – despite an arms embargo having been imposed on the country since 1989.
"If we don't export weapons to China, as far as pesticides or other equipment for instance, what consequences would that have," said Lööf on the air.
When asked... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
36070
Spain
Easy Access to Guns for Minors in Castellón Province, Spain [Espanol]
20 April 2012
El Periódico Mediterráneo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: More than 400 minors have the permission from the province of Castellón to use arms. The accident involving King Felipe's grandson Juan Froilán, in which he accidentally shot himself in the foot with a hunting rifle, has brought the use of firearms by minors back into the spotlight.]
Más de 400 menores tienen permiso de Castellón para usar armas. El accidente del nieto del rey Felipe Juan Froilán, que se disparó accidentalmente en un pie con... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Periódico Mediterráneo (Spain)
36053
Senegal,Tunisia,Latvia,France,Romania,Mali,Guinea,Ghana,Europe,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Belarus
Belarus FM Denies Reports of Illegal Arms Transfers to Côte d'Ivoire
20 April 2012
Telegraf (Belarus)
Spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Andrei Savinykh denied reports of arms shipments to Côte d'Ivoire in violation of the UN sanctions. "It's not even an accusation; it's a clumsy attempt of individual journalists to muddy the waters, as the proverb says," he said.
"The Belarusian side has been always cooperating openly with experts from the UN Security Council Committee on Côte d'Ivoire, whose reports these pseudo-journalists referred to. If they really... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Telegraf (Belarus)
36051
Ukraine
Ukraine to Destroy Ammo, Small Arms under Partnership for Peace Project
18 April 2012
Interfax (Ukraine)
Ukraine and NATO will continue cooperation in scrapping ammunition under the NATO Partnership for Peace Trust Fund project.
A relevant framework agreement was signed between the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) in Kyiv on Tuesday, Interfax-Ukraine learned at the Defense Ministry's press service.
According to the agreement, 76,000 tons of ammunition, 366,000 units of light weapons and small arms and three million... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Interfax (Ukraine)
36045
Netherlands,Germany,Austria,Hungary,Serbia,Eastern Europe,Belgium
Belgian Authorities Disband International Gun Trafficking Ring [Français]
17 April 2012
RTL (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Brussels Police and the Federal Prosecutor have dismantled an international gun trafficking network in cooperation with Serbian, Austrian, Hungarian and German authorities.]
La police judiciaire fédérale de Bruxelles et le parquet fédéral ont démantelé un réseau international de trafic d'armes. Huit personnes ont été arrêtées en Belgique et des armes à feu ont été saisies, des kalachnikovs et des explosifs destinés à... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RTL (Belgium)
36047
Somalia,Germany
Private Guards with Semi-automatic Guns to Defend German Ships from Pirates
13 April 2012
Spiegel (Germany)
Using private security firms to protect ships from Somali pirates has long been a legal gray area in Germany. Conceding that it doesn't have enough soldiers to do the job, the German government is considering a draft law allowing shipowners to deploy private armed guards. But there's one caveat: Security personnel would be limited to using semi-automatic firearms.
Shipping companies and Western governments have been struggling with the problem of piracy off the Horn of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Spiegel (Germany)
36036
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
A Gun in the Hand Makes a Man Look Taller & Stronger - New Study
12 April 2012
Los Angeles Times
In a study of how people assess danger, participants who looked at photos of hands holding different objects thought the gun bearers were the tallest.
The weapon may not make the man, but it certainly makes him loom larger, according to a new study by a team of UCLA researchers.
Their study, released Wednesday in the journal PLoS ONE, shows that a person holding a gun seems taller and more muscular in the viewer's mind than a person holding a tool or other... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Los Angeles Times
36021
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
Spain
Scandal as 13yr-old Underage Spanish Royal Shoots Himself in Foot
10 April 2012
Daily News (Durban) / SAPA-AFP
MADRID - Spanish King Juan Carlos' 13-year-old grandson has shot himself in the foot, the royal family said Tuesday, sparking a scandal because he is below the legal age for using a firearm.
The boy, Felipe Marichalar Borbon, shot himself while learning to use a shotgun on the family's estate in Soria, north-central Spain, on Monday, the royal household said in a statement.
"While on the patio of the house with his father, he shot himself with a small .36 calibre... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily News (Durban) / SAPA-AFP
36008
Oceania,Asia,Americas,Africa,United Kingdom,United States,Europe,Spain
New Forensic Technique Tags Firearm Type with Gunshot Residue
9 April 2012
United Press International
ALBANY, N.Y. -- A new forensic technique using lasers may allow investigators to match gunshot residue to a specific caliber of firearm, U.S. and European researchers say.
The new technique could lead to a stronger link between a suspect and a firearm, they said.
Researchers in Spain used spectroscopy to analyze six kinds of ammunition, assessing propellant from unfired cartridges then compared these spectra to the signature in residue from fired guns, ScienceNews.org... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
36018
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
France
9-yr Old Boy Accidentally Shot Dead by 13-yr Old in France [Francais]
5 April 2012
Europe 1 (France)
[Translated summary: It is in his father's arms collection that a 13 years old teenager has found the rifle used in the unintentional shooting that killed a 9 years old this week in France. Europe 1 parses French regulations on possession of firearms: categories, storage, conditions for lawful possession and latest amendments.]
C'est dans la collection d'armes à feu de son père que l'adolescent de 13 ans aurait trouvé le fusil qui a tué un enfant de 9 ans mercredi... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europe 1 (France)
35995
Europe,East Africa,Ireland,Palestine,Africa,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Libya,Belgium
Special Report on Belgian Arms Exports in Middle East and North Africa - Blog
5 April 2012
New York Times, Blog
The uprisings in Libya and Syria have cast the Belgian small arms industry as a case study of the difficult balances within a Western arms-manufacturing community that seeks exports to preserve revenue and local jobs, but risks compromising European policies and human rights values.
Belgium is one of Europe's busiest exporters of small arms and light weapons. As late as 2010, the last year for which publicly released data is available, 32 percent of the small-arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35992
Germany
Berlin, Germany: Gunman Kills One, Injures Two
5 April 2012
Local (Germany)
Berlin police are hunting a gunman who walked up to a group of young people on Wednesday night, and opened fire, killing a 22-year-old and seriously wounding two others, before fleeing on foot.
The attacker, who remains on the run, approached the group of five people at around 1 am near a hospital in the southern Neukölln area of the city and shot three of them from close range. The other two escaped unharmed.
The 22-year-old, died shortly afterwards in hospital,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Germany)
35985
Europe,Asia,South East Asia,China,United States
Gun Runners 'Using Internet and Express Delivery' in China – Police
5 April 2012
China Daily
Police success at border checkpoints forces arms traffickers to change
Gun smugglers are using the Internet and express delivery networks for trafficking arms into China, a police officer said.
Police broke up 69 gun-smuggling rings nationally last year, and smashed 20 gangs, Yan Zhengbin, deputy director at the public security management bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, told China Daily.
Nineteen cases involved fully assembled guns, while the remainder... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35982
France
Important 'Organised Crime' Gun Cache Found Near Lyon [Francais]
27 March 2012
Le Parisien (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: An important stockpile of arms and explosives, believed to be linked to 'organised crime', was found near Lyon, France. Amongst the arms: shotguns, handguns and rifles including 'Kalashnikovs'.]
Un important stock d'armes et d'explosifs, vraisemblablement "lié au grand banditisme", a été découvert près de Lyon, conduisant à l'interpellation de deux personnes présentées mardi à la justice, a-t-on appris de source judiciaire.
Une brigade... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Parisien (France) / AFP
35960
Eastern Europe,France
Multiple Shootings Highlight Growing Illegal Gun Trade in France
27 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
France's strict gun laws sharply limit legal ownership. But illegal trafficking is on the rise – at prices that people like Toulouse gunman Mohamed Merah can afford.
PARIS - As the prosecutor listed the weapons gunman Mohamed Merah amassed before going on a shooting rampage in Toulouse, French citizens received a stark reminder that gun trafficking doesn't only affect unstable countries. It's happening in France, too – a nation that is anything but gun-friendly.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Christian Science Monitor
35957
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania
Gun Abolitionists 'Salivate Like Dogs' as UN Arms Trade Treaty Nears - NRA
23 March 2012
National Rifle Association of America
Every year about this time, the warmer weather gives every manner of fast-growing weed the opportunity to appear out of nowhere and begin consuming people's lawns. Deny it an environment in which it can thrive, by spreading a grass fertilizer and weed killer mix from your home and garden store, and it somehow finds its way to your neighbor's grass.
The same is true about international activists and representatives of various countries' governments who periodically... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National Rifle Association of America
35953
France
French Public Amazed at Toulouse Mass Killer's Arsenal of Illegal Guns
23 March 2012
Reuters
PARIS - As France asks itself whether it could have done more to prevent Islamist gunman Mohamed Merah shooting dead seven people in a killing spree that shook the nation, there is one question that refuses to go away: how did he obtain so many guns.
The size and nature of the arsenal amassed by Merah - who stockpiled at least eight guns including a Kalashnikov assault rifle and an Uzi machine pistol - has focused attention on the easy availability of illegal weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35951
Panama,Liberia,Oman,Yemen,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Mauritius,Seychelles,Mongolia,Djibouti,Madagascar,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,Somalia,Kenya
Anti-piracy Security Firms Keep Guns in Floating Armouries to Avoid Law
22 March 2012
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say.
Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35956
France
French Motorcycle Gunman Used Same Pistol in School, Army Shootings
20 March 2012
Washington Post / AP
TOULOUSE, France — Hundreds of police blanketed southern France on Tuesday, searching for a gunman — possibly a racist, anti-Semitic serial killer — who killed four people at a Jewish school and may have filmed his attack.
Authorities suspect the same killer was behind attacks last week on French paratroopers of North African and French Caribbean origin.
France was reeling Tuesday after Monday's shooting in the southern city of Toulouse, the deadliest school... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post / AP
35930
Eastern Europe,France
France 'Awash' with Illegal Firearms Imported Across Porous EU Borders
20 March 2012
Press Association (UK)
France is awash with illegal firearms transported into the country across porous European borders, it was claimed.
While gun laws are strict, it is not difficult for unauthorised members of the public to get their hands on weapons, according to the president of the Union Francaise des Amateurs d'Armes, a French gun society.
Jean-Jacques Buigne suggested the killer responsible for the attacks outside a school in Toulouse most likely did not have a licence for the heavy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Press Association (UK)
35923
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35944
France
Toulouse Mass Shootings: What Is an 11.43mm (.45cal) Pistol? [Francais]
19 March 2012
Le Point (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: The handgun used in the Toulouse school shooting and in the shooting of military officers was an 11.43mm (.45cal) pistol, known to be a weapon for settling scores.]
Le pistolet utilisé pour la fusillade de Toulouse et les meurtres de militaires est connu comme étant l'arme des règlements de comptes.
Le pistolet de calibre 11,43 mm, utilisé pour tuer trois parachutistes à Toulouse et Montauban et employé dans la fusillade lundi devant une... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Point (France) / AFP
35936
France
3 Children, Teacher Killed in Jewish School Shooting - Third in France
19 March 2012
Local (France) / AFP
A gunman burst into a Jewish school in France on Monday, shooting dead three children and a teacher in the third deadly gun attack in a week by a man who made his escape on a motorbike.
The children, aged three, six and 10, and a 30-year-old religious education teacher were mowed down as they arrived for class at the Ozar Hatorah school in the southwestern city of Toulouse, officials said.
Israel said it was "horrified" by the attack and a European rabbis' group... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (France) / AFP
35914
United Kingdom
Border Force Warns All Ships Entering UK: They Must Declare Guns on Board
16 March 2012
BBC News
Three shotguns and ammunition have been seized from the crew of an an oil tanker which docked in Milford Haven.
Officers from the Border Force boarded the Panamanian-registered ship for a routine search.
Members of the Chinese and South Korean crew told them the weapons were being carried as self-defence against pirates in the Indian Ocean.
But the Border Force is warning all ships entering UK waters they must declare any firearms on board.
The weapons were seized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35917
France
Gunman Riding a Scooter Shot Dead 2 French Soldiers in South of France
16 March 2012
Local (France) / AFP
A gunman riding a scooter shot dead two French soldiers and seriously wounded another in a hail of bullets on a street in the southwestern city of Montauban on Thursday, officials said.
The motive was not immediately clear but officials said they believed the shooter had acted alone and described the attack as a "criminal act".
It followed a similar shooting on Sunday in the nearby city of Toulouse when an off-duty soldier was shot dead by an assailant on a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (France) / AFP
35915
United States,Germany,Europe,Australia
In Wake of Glock Seizure, Australian Minister Defends Gun Control Efforts
15 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
TONY EASTLEY: According to Tony Abbott Sydneysiders this morning not only face peak hour traffic but a reign of terror on the streets because of the illegal importation of hundreds of handguns from Europe and he puts it down to the Federal Government's lack of border control. The Opposition Leader says it can all be sheeted home to the Government.
On Tuesday police and other Federal and state authorities arrested alleged members of a gun smuggling syndicate who'd... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35910
Austria,Germany,Australia
Post Office Owner Smuggled German Glocks to Sydney Gangs - Police
14 March 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
It began at a firearms manufacturing factory in Austria - and ended at a suburban Sydney post office.
Police yesterday cracked an elaborate gun-smuggling operation that spanned the globe, putting hundreds of illegal firearms into the hands of Sydney's underworld.
In the small township of Remscheid, Germany, up to 300 brand new Austrian-made Glock handguns were disassembled, packed in boxes with inconspicuous labels such as "plastic" and "metal", and shipped to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
35906
European Union
European Union Adopts New Law on Export, Import & Transit of Guns
13 March 2012
GRIP.org
On 8 March 2012, the European Union Council has finally adopted a new European legislation that sets the rules and procedures to be followed by Member States on export, import and transit authorizations of firearms for civilian use (such as hunting weapons and sporting weapons), their parts and components, and ammunition, to and from the EU. These new rules therefore only address firearms transfers with non-EU countries. They complement the existing European legislation... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: GRIP.org
35905
Germany,Europe,Australia
German-Australian Gun Smuggling Network Broken in Police Raids
13 March 2012
Sydney Morning Herald
Police have smashed a criminal syndicate allegedly importing illegal handguns from Europe into Australia via a Sydney post office.
The joint Australian German investigation, launched last month, resulted in three arrests today.
The NSW Firearms and Organised Crime Squad led raids earlier today to stop the importation of illegal firearms from Germany to Australia.
Three men have been arrested in Sydney and are assisting police with their inquiries after a number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sydney Morning Herald
35903
Palestine,Israel,European Union,France
France and Arms Trade Control: an Opaque System - Opinion [Francais]
9 March 2012
Le Monde (France), Opinion
[Translated summary: Today, the French system on arms export control remains opaque: unlike neighboring countries such as United Kingdom and Netherlands. For example, it is impossible to know exactly what France sells, to whom, for what use or … if it refuses to sell to third countries. The last five years have not allowed significant advances. Instead, with the easing in spring 2011 of arms transfer controls inside and outside the European Union, or the refusal to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France)
35898
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
Nepal,Myanmar,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,Mauritius,Libya,Morocco,Saudi Arabia,Iran,Turkey,Thailand,Indonesia,Malaysia,France,China,United States,Pakistan
Pakistan Has Achieved Self Sufficiency in Small Arms and Ammunition
5 March 2012
Indian Defence Review
After partition, Pakistan did not inherit any military production facilities. In 1951, the Pakistan Ordnance Factory was established at Wah cantonment to produce small arms, ammunition and explosives. After 1965, Pakistan, apart from shifting its overwhelming arms supplies reliance from the US to China and other western countries like France; also began to concentrate on expanding its defence production facilities. In this, it received effusive assistance from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Indian Defence Review
35895
Greece
Redundant Man Turns Hunting Rifle on His Former Employer in Greece
5 March 2012
Gulf News (Dubai) / Reuters
KOMOTINI - After more than 30 years as a factory worker, Dimitris Manikas was dreaming of retirement and planned to get married for the third time when a redundancy notice blew his hopes away.
Laid off from his job at a trash can factory in this northern Greek town, the 52-year-old father of two called off his wedding. Without any income, he feared his house would be next to go.
Driven to despair, Manikas on Thursday barged into the factory whose name he had tattooed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Gulf News (Dubai) / Reuters
35879
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
Belgium
Belgium Government Puts an End to Unrestricted Sale of Firearms [Francais]
1 March 2012
Le Vif (Belgium)
[Translate summary: The sale of antique, folk and decorative firearms is now subject to prior authorisation in Belgium.]
Le gouvernement a décidé jeudi de soumettre dorénavant à autorisation préalable la vente d'armes à feu historiques, folkloriques et décorative, mettant ainsi fin aux dernières possibilités d'acquérir librement des armes à feu sur le marché belge.
"Il n'y aura plus d'armes à feu en vente libre en Belgique", a assuré jeudi la ministre... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Vif (Belgium)
35872
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
France
French Parliament Unanimously Adopts Tighter Gun Control Law [Francais]
27 February 2012
Le Nouvel Observateur (France)
[Translated summary: The French Parliament has set a new gun control policy in order to better address firearm trafficking. The text on "modern, simplified and preventive gun control" aims at reforming outdated legislation from 1939.]
Le Parlement a mis en place, lundi, un nouveau contrôle des armes, destiné à mieux réprimer le trafic, à l'origine de braquages retentissants, avec l'adoption définitive d'une proposition de loi UMP-PS, rareté politique en période... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Nouvel Observateur (France)
35865
Portugal
Gun Licence Applications Up 20%, More Gun Dealers Open in Portugal
25 February 2012
Portugal News
Licensing requests for guns have increased by 20 percent in Portugal in the past year, with the number of establishments selling firearms also increasing by 10 percent.
This in turn has led to the number of registered firearms having increased in Portugal, which currently has around 1.4 million licensed guns, 19,000 of which were licensed in the past year.
According to the President of the Security, Organised Crime and Terrorism Observatory (OSCOT) José Manuel Anes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Portugal News
35860
Spain
Spanish Family Arrested for Running Gun 'Supermarket' at Home [Espanol]
21 February 2012
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Spanish National Police arrested a married couple and their son for allegedly running a "supermarket" of firearms in their house and in a storage room in San Vicente dels Horts (Barcelona), selling craft guns to criminals and drug traffickers who used them for settling accounts and threatening rival gangs. It is, according to the Chief of Police, "one of the largest arsenals of Catalonia".]
BARCELONA - La Policía Nacional ha detenido a un... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europa Press (Spain)
35856
Belgium
Major Gun Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Belgium [Francais]
21 February 2012
7sur7 (Belgium)
[Translated summary: 248 firearms, more than 30,000 ammunition of all calibres and other weapons were seized in Brussels, Liege and Charleroi. The investigation concerning the existence of an illegal trade of firearms began in 2010. It allowed to discover ramifications in various cities across Belgium.]
Une mine anti-personnel, une grenade, 248 armes à feu et plus de 30.000 munitions de tous calibres confondus ont été saisis lors de 27 perquisitions menées les 15... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 7sur7 (Belgium)
35853
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
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Human Rights Groups Warn Against Diluted UN Arms Trade Treaty
18 February 2012
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS - After a week of tense negotiations, a United Nations preparatory committee concluded a final round of talks on Friday to define the rules of procedure for a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which is expected to be finalised in July this year.
The ratification of the report by committee chair Ambassador Roberto Moritan of Argentina closed the last of four prepcoms held since 2010 to lay the groundwork for the ATT negotiations.
The report includes a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
35845
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
Italy
Police Seize 'Mafia Arsenal' of Machine Guns, Handguns in Calabria
15 February 2012
Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (Italy)
CROTONE - Italian police on Wednesday found a big 'Ndrangheta mafia weapons cache outside this Calabrian city. "It was a full-blown arsenal, comprising 15 handguns, at least a dozen rifles and machine guns including several Kalashnikovs, and thousands of bullets of various calibres," police said. Investigators said they were "fairly sure" the "well-oiled" weapons were in regular use by local... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno (Italy)
35848
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
Uganda,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Turkey,Scotland,United Kingdom,Oceania
Dunblane Father Urges End to Global Gun Trade Killing 1500 a Day
12 February 2012
Daily Record (Scotland)
A global campaign to control the trade in deadly weapons will be stepped up at Glasgow University tomorrow when anti-gun campaigner Dr Mick North - whose daughter Sophie was killed in Dunblane tragedy in 1996 - leads a new push by Oxfam and Amnesty towards a United Nations arms treaty.
Here, he explains why the issue means the difference between life and death.
_________
Next month marks the 16th anniversary of my daughter's death.
Sophie was just five when a gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Record (Scotland)
35822
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
Germany,United Kingdom,China,Nigeria
British and German Arms Dealers Involved in Arms Shipment to Nigeria
8 February 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
British prosecutors recently vowed to pursue a legal case involving the shipment of large cache of weapons, allegedly from China and destined for Nigeria, after a London judge threw it out.
Those involved in the trade are said to be British and German arms dealers. Mr Gary Hyde, a 42-year old retired British volunteer police officer, is accused of conspiring with his German business partner Karl Kleber for the illegal shipment of 40,000 Ak47 assault rifles, 30,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
35808
United Kingdom
UK Govt is Considering Tougher Penalties for "Middle Men", Gun Runners
8 February 2012
Huffington Post (UK)
The government is considering plans to give tougher sentences to "middle men," gun runners who supply the firearms used in murders.
Home Secretary Theresa May said the "middle men are as responsible as those who pull the trigger", as she announced a consultation on the issue on Wednesday.
It follows concerns from police chiefs and politicians that current sentences of up to 10 years are too lenient.
"We need to target not just those who use illegal firearms but those... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (UK)
35807
Ireland
Concerns Persist Over Irish Police Attitude to Gun Licence Applicants
2 February 2012
Irish Times (Dublin)
ANALYSIS - Following an intervention by Mr Justice John Hedigan, the Garda and three gun enthusiasts have come to an agreement. This will allow gun club members reapply for licences where they have been refused.
The basis on which the case was settled was the reasoning for the refusal of licences was flawed.
However, questions about the behaviour of the Garda posed by Mr Justice Hedigan remain to be answered. Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has asked the Garda... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Irish Times (Dublin)
35797
France
France Considers Simplifying Its Gun Law - Minister of Interior [Francais]
1 February 2012
Le Figaro (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: According to the Minister of Interior, 3,500 arms were seized in France in 2011. These numbers were announced after presenting to the Senate a more "modern, simplified and preventive" Firearm Bill.]
Le ministre de l'Intérieur Claude Guéant a annoncé à l'Assemblée nationale que "3.500 armes" avaient été saisies en 2011, en présentant en seconde lecture après son adoption par le Sénat une loi pour établir un "contrôle des armes à feu... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Figaro (France) / AFP
35813
Ireland
Legal Challenge on Irish Police's Refusal to Grant Licences Settled
31 January 2012
Irish Examiner (Dublin)
A legal challenge by shooting enthusiasts to the Garda refusal to grant them licences for restricted firearms has been settled.
The shooting enthusiasts had claimed their applications for restricted guns were being refused on a blanket basis by gardaí without adequate reasons.
The Garda authorities have denied claims of a fixed policy of refusing licences.
This morning at the High Court, when the matter was briefly mentioned before the court, Mr Justice John Hedigan... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Irish Examiner (Dublin)
35784
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
Austria,United States
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35776
Ireland
Irish Police Accused of Sharing Phrases to Defeat Gun Applications
26 January 2012
Independent (Dublin)
Letters sent by senior gardai to shooting enthusiasts turning down their gun-licence applications shared the same spelling and factual mistakes.
An analysis of refusal letters by 23 garda chief superintendents responsible for issuing firearm licences has concluded that 17 displayed evidence that they were not "independently produced".
Garda guidelines for restricted firearm certificates state that "each case ought to be judged on its own merits, being mindful of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (Dublin)
35781
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
Greece,Colombia,Sri Lanka,Syria,Chad,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
The Arms Trade Treaty and Human Rights - Amnesty's Report [Francais]
25 January 2012
Amnesty International
[Translated summary: While international negotiations on the adoption of an International Arms Trade Treaty are at a crucial time, Amnesty International published a report illustrating through the situation in 5 countries (Chad, Syria, Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Greece) the necessity of such an instrument to prevent deadly and irresponsible arms transfers.]
A l'heure où les négociations internationales en vue de l'adoption d'un traité international sur le commerce des... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International
35769
Ireland
Calls for Probe as Top Irish Cop Admits Altering Gun Licence Forms
24 January 2012
Independent (Dublin)
Pressure is mounting on the Government to launch an inquiry after one of the country's most senior gardai admitted altering application forms for firearms licences.
The alterations by Crumlin Chief Superintendent John Manley, described last week as "disturbing" by a High Court judge, took place after legal action was brought by almost 200 shooting enthusiasts who were refused firearms licences.
Another senior garda responsible for issuing gun licences has admitted, in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (Dublin)
35768
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
Iran,Ukraine,Ghana,Nigeria
Illegal Arms Importation, a Threat to Nigeria's Existence
23 January 2012
Nation (Nigeria), Editorial
A critical factor fuelling the alarming state of insecurity in Nigeria today is the dangerously large number of illegal arms circulating throughout the country. It is with these illegal weapons that sundry criminal elements have unleashed an unprecedented orgy of violence in recent times. In carrying out their dastardly acts, armed robbers, kidnappers, aggrieved militants, perpetrators of ethno-regional and communal conflagration, religious (Boko Haram) zealots,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nation (Nigeria)
35758
Sweden
Swedish Govt Suggests Stricter Penalties for Carrying Gun in Public Place
20 January 2012
Local (Sweden)
In a proposal to the Swedish Council on Legislation's (Lagrådet) the government has suggested implementing stricter penalties for carrying a weapon in a public place.
However, at present they are not willing to grant police the wire tapping capabilities for less serious crimes, powers which police have long sought.
"We have made every effort to signal the need for this and we hope that the government will continue to work on it. We really do need to have these... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
35759
Spain
Spanish Police Dismantle Gang Accused of Arms Trafficking [Espanol]
20 January 2012
ABC News (Spain)
[Translated summary: Spain's Civil Guard has dismantled an organisation based in Almería, said to be dedicated to arms and ammunition trafficking across the country, with the arrest of sixteen people and the seizure of 45 firearms and more than 1,200 cartridges of different calibres.]
ALMERIA - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización asentada en Almería dedicada al tráfico de armas y municiones en todo el país con la detención de dieciséis personas y... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Spain)
35752
Turkey
Turkish Charity Tells Battered Women How to Save their Lives - With a Gun
18 January 2012
New York Times
ISTANBUL — When the police showed up at the home of Muzeyyen Yanik in Istanbul in October in response to her request for protection from an abusive former husband, she had been dead and buried for three months — shot four times in the head. He is now on trial for murder.
Another woman, Ferdane Col of Izmir, had actually succeeded in obtaining a restraining order against her husband before being stabbed to death in October. He has been arrested.
Then there was... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
35749
United Kingdom
Children 'No Risk' with Shotguns, 7,071 Licences Issued to Under-18s in UK
18 January 2012
BBC News
Police revoked just two shotgun certificates given to children in the past decade, according to the Countryside Alliance.
The campaign group released the figures as MPs prepare to debate whether to introduce a minimum age of 14 for holding a shotgun certificate.
More than 7,000 under-18s received certificates between 2008 and 2010.
There is currently no minimum age for qualifying, but an anti-gun group said under-18s should not get certificates.
In a Freedom of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35745
United Kingdom
Debate Over Minimum Age for Shotgun Licence in UK
18 January 2012
Yorkshire Post (UK)
Countryside campaigners have attacked moves to set a minimum age for shotgun licences, claiming research proves under-14s with certificates "pose no risk to the public".
The Countryside Alliance said their figures, which show that in the past 10 years only two people under the age of 14 have had shotgun certificates withdrawn by the police, prove "conclusively" that the young take the responsibility of handling shotguns seriously and efforts to stop them entering the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Yorkshire Post (UK)
35740
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
Europe,Tunisia
Import Network of Guns between Europe and Tunisia Dismantled [Francais]
13 January 2012
Business News (Tunis)
Un réseau d'importation d'armes à feu et de munitions en provenance de l'Europe a été découvert et démantelé par la brigade de lutte anti-terroriste, selon une déclaration de Moez Mhadhbi, chef du service de la lutte anti-terroriste, vendredi 13 janvier 2012 à Mosaïque Fm.
Le réseau était implanté à travers le pays. Les armes, qui étaient distribuées, dans plusieurs endroits à travers la Tunisie, ont été saisies. Plusieurs individus impliqués, et... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Business News (Tunis)
35734
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
Kosovo,Bulgaria,Albania,Hungary,Croatia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
A 5th of Bosnia & Herzegovina Population Own 750,000 Unregistered Arms
12 January 2012
Southeast European Times
An estimated fifth of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) population own 750,000 unregistered weapons, according to officials who cite widespread availability and easy access on the black market as a major source of concern.
"After traffic accidents, illegal arms are the most common cause of death in BiH. About 90% of illegal acts are done with the use of illegal weapons," Denis Hadzovic of the Centre for Security Studies in BiH told SETimes.
Most illegal weapons are guns... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southeast European Times
35736
Germany,Poland,Nigeria,China,United Kingdom
UK Arms Dealer Arranged to Sell 80,000 Chinese Guns to Nigeria - Court
10 January 2012
BBC News
A British-based arms dealer helped organise the shipment of thousands of guns from China to Nigeria without the necessary licence, a court has heard.
Gary Hyde partly arranged and organised the shipment in 2007 of 80,000 rifles and pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition.
Southwark Crown Court heard he did not receive permission from the relevant government department.
Mr Hyde, from Derwent near York, denies the charges.
The court was told the shipment involved... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
35724
United Kingdom,United States
Former Marine Gets 10yrs for Smuggling US Guns to English Crime Gangs
10 January 2012
News & Observer (North Carolina)
GREENVILLE -- A former U.S. Marine has been sentenced to 10 years in prison today for illegally trafficking dozens of handguns to the United Kingdom.
Steven Neal Greenoe, 37, a former Raleigh resident, pleaded guilty in federal court to the charges, which allege that the joint U.S. and U.K. citizen took nine trips from North Carolina – where he grew up – purchased handguns, and concealed a total of 63 pistols in his luggage before returning to England, where he... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: News & Observer (North Carolina)
35722
Israel,Jordan,Iraq,Turkey,Syria,Lebanon
Syria Crisis Amplifies Demand for Black Market Guns in Lebanon
10 January 2012
Daily Star (Beirut)
BEIRUT - As Abu Rida reels off a list of the latest prices for weapons and ammunition on Lebanon's black market, his small audience lets out low whistles of surprise."$2,000 for an RPG?" said one man, referring to a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.
"I swear to God," replied Abu Rida who has seen his profits skyrocket over the past year. "The prices are crazy. And it's all going to Syria."
Black market arms dealers like Abu Rida are struggling to cope with a soaring... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Star (Beirut)
35721
Sweden
Swedish Courts 'Go Easy' on Gangsters Needing Guns for Self Defence
8 January 2012
Local (Stockholm)
Being a member of a criminal gang in Sweden can actually result in milder sentences for weapons offences as courts provide leniency in cases in which offenders have been shown to live in a hostile environment and need extra protection.
Following the recent spate of killings in Malmö, politicians have promised changes in Sweden's current weapons laws to curb the violence.
According to some court's interpretation of current laws, criminals can actually receive milder... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Stockholm)
35714
Denmark,Sweden
Swedish Customs 'Not Focused' on Weapon Smuggling from Denmark
5 January 2012
Local (Stockholm)
The Öresund bridge, connecting Sweden and Denmark, has long been known to be an important route for weapons smugglers to get their wares into Sweden. Despite this only seven illegal weapons were seized there over the course of 2011.
"We have been mainly focusing on drugs," said Anders Trägårdh, head of operations at customs in Malmö, to daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN).
The debate about the illegal smuggling of weapons has been given a new lease of life after a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Stockholm)
35711
Switzerland
Swiss Gun Love Under Fire - Experts Call for National Firearm Registry
5 January 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Almost two centuries have passed since Switzerland last fought in a war, yet the country's gun ownership rate remains the highest in Europe. After a series of gun-related killings at the end of last year, The Local's Meritxell Mir looks at what's being done to get fingers off triggers.
Every year, more than 300 people die in Switzerland in gun-related incidents. In many ways, the figure is quite low, when one considers the country has about 2.5 million weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Switzerland)
35707
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