Top of PageGun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Drunk Kosovo Man Shoots, Kills Wife After Divorce Request
1 May 2013
Croatian Times
A Kosovan man who shot his Swiss wife dead at the bus stop when she refused to consider changing her mind about divorcing him - and then went for a beer at a local pub - has claimed her death was her own fault.
Afrim Mujaj, 45, then sat calmly watching as ambulances sped by in a bid to try and save the life of his 35-year-old wife Mirvete in Riniken, Switzerland. And as emergency services tried in vain to keep her alive - the court heard he bought rounds of drinks for... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Police Arrest Former Pupil Over School Shooting Threat
22 April 2013
BBC News
Dutch police have made an arrest following a threat, posted on the internet, to carry out a shooting at a school in the city of Leiden.
The suspect is a former pupil of the British School, which has a site in neighbouring Voorschoten.
More than 20 schools were told to stay closed on Monday in response to the threat posted on internet forum 4chan.
The anonymous writer said they would shoot their teacher "and as many students as I can".
He or she said they would be... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots, Injures Neighbour with Rifle Over Noise
16 April 2013
Local (Switzerland)
An American expat rapper living in Biel in the canton of Bern says he is lucky to be alive after a neigbour fired at him with a gun for making too much noise in his apartment.
"I really dodged a bullet today," the man said on his Facebook page, according to a report online from the 20 Minutes newspaper.
The bearded man posted a photo showing a burn mark on his cheek about the size of a two-franc coin.
"My neighbour arrived with a pump action rifle in my apartment... (GunPolicy.org)
What's Worked, and What Hasn't, in Gun-Loving Switzerland
19 March 2013
NPR (USA)
Switzerland has an entrenched gun culture that is embraced by most of its 8 million citizens, some of them as young as 10 years old.
Every Swiss community has a shooting range, and depending on who is counting, the alpine country ranks third or fourth in the number of guns per capita.
"You can walk into a cafe in a town where there is a shooting festival and you'll see rifles hanging on the hat rack. It's just incredible. It's just proliferation all over the place,... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Debates Gun Registration Law in Shootings' Aftermath
7 March 2013
Bloomberg Business Week
On a snowy late-February morning, a man walked into the cafeteria of a wood-processing plant in the Swiss village of Menznau and opened fire with a Sphinx AT .380 pistol. Four people died, including the gunman. Six others were wounded. It was Switzerland's second mass shooting in less than two months. In January a man with a history of mental illness fired a rifle from his window in the Alpine village of Daillon, killing three and injuring two. The shootings have... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Kills Three, Injures Seven in Mass Workplace Shooting
27 February 2013
New York Times
GENEVA — At least three people were killed in a shooting at a Swiss factory on Wednesday, the police said, adding that the gunman was among the dead. The episode was the second mass shooting in Switzerland this year.
The shooting occurred at about 9 a.m. in the canteen of a Kronospan wood processing factory in the town of Menznau, about 14 miles west of Lucerne, the police said in a statement. A spokesman for the police in Lucerne said that the gunman was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Dead, Seven Injured in Swiss Factory Shooting
27 February 2013
BBC News / Associated Press
Three people have been killed and seven injured during a shooting at a factory near the Swiss city of Lucerne, police have said.
The killer, a 42-year-old man who had worked at the factory for 10 years, is among the dead.
Shooting broke out in the canteen at the Kronospan wood processing plant in the town of Menznau at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT).
A prosecution spokesperson said the shooting took place over a few minutes.
Five of the injured are reported to be in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland,United States,European Union,Germany,Switzerland,Russia,South Africa,Mexico
Registry Shows Germans Fourth in World For Guns
17 February 2013
Local (Germany)
Figures compiled for Germany's new National Weapons Registry reveal that there are 5.4 million legally owned guns in the country, making it the world's fourth most-armed nation per capita.
Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday that the state of Bavaria topped the list with 1.1 million, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 1 million and Baden-Württemberg with 700,000.
The new national gun register bundles together the data from over 500 local authorities, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Guns: Living with Firearms the Swiss Way
11 February 2013
BBC News
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, but little gun-related street crime - so some opponents of gun control hail it as a place where firearms play a positive role in society. However, Swiss gun culture is unique, and guns are more tightly regulated than many assume.
Throughout the attack, Anne Ithen kept her eyes shut.
"I didn't want to see it. I didn't want those images in my head for the rest of my life… but I remember... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,France,United States,Switzerland
Three Dead, Two Injured in Swiss Shooting
8 February 2013
Washington Post
DAILLON, Switzerland — On Jan. 3, the day Sandy Hook Elementary students returned to school in Newtown, Conn., Florian Berthouzoz leaned out his window and opened fire on this tranquil Swiss village with an old military carbine and a 12-gauge shotgun.
By the time he finished shooting, three women were killed, apparently at random, and two men were wounded. Berthouzoz was brought down by a police officer's bullet in the chest.
The shooting in Daillon, on a steep... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Launches a Gun Collection [Francais]
7 February 2013
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: Cantons of Vaud and Geneva, Switzerland, launched a campaign of voluntary surrender of firearms to reduce the number of firearms in circulation: 230,000 firearms in civilian hands in 2012.]
Les cantons de Vaud et Genève lancent jeudi une campagne de dépôt volontaire afin de diminuer le nombre d'armes en circulation.
Sous le nom d'opération «Vercingétorix», les autorités de la métropole lémanique invitent les citoyens à se séparer de... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Jordan,United Arab Emirates
Swiss Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Blocked on HR Grounds
23 January 2013
SwissInfo
The Swiss government has vetoed the planned sale by the firearms group KRISS of weapon components to Saudi Arabia, arguing that the weapons made from them could be used to violate human rights.
The Swiss group's application for an export licence was for items worth SFr436,000 ($468,000), according to the economics ministry.
The ministry said the application was for components for pistols to be sent to the United States for assembly, and then exported to Saudi Arabia... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,France,United States,England & Wales,Switzerland,Australia
Editorial: Three Million Guns In Australia is More Than Enough
15 January 2013
Sydney Morning Herald, Editorial
It should be troubling to Australian governments that since 1988, after more than 1 million guns have been destroyed as a result of government buyback programs, numerous amnesties, voluntary returns, the banning of semi-automatic weapons and the tightening of gun import controls, the number of guns in private hands in Australia is as large as it has ever been.
It's not hard to see why. Since 1988, while governments have been running
a variety of gun control programs,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Couple Face Charges Over Illegal Gun Cache, Drugs Haul
9 January 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A Swiss couple busted for a major pot plant growing operation in Biberist, a town in the canton of Solothurn, also harboured a large cache of weapons, cantonal police said on Wednesday.
After receiving information, Solothurn police searched the couple's house in November and uncovered a plantation of 900 marijuana plants in the basement.
Some of the hemp plants were ready to harvest, said police, who added that officers ensured the entire plantation was... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Govt Proposes National Gun Registry, Debates Other Measures
9 January 2013
Agence France Presse / Channel News Asia (Singapore)
GENEVA - A week after an apparently deranged gunman killed three women in an idyllic Swiss village, the lower house of parliament called Tuesday for the equivalent of a national gun registry.
The lower house security policy commission voted with 12 in favour and seven opposed for linking existing gun registries at a cantonal level into a national network, commission president Chantal Gallade was quoted by the ATS news agency as saying.
The commission had asked the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Agence France Presse / Channel News Asia (Singapore)
Swiss Fondness for Guns Under Scrutiny after Shooting Tragedy
5 January 2013
Sydney Morning Herald
As much as Americans, the Swiss love their guns, seeing them as integral to their national traditions of self-reliance, independence and international neutrality, with a trained and equipped citizen-army capable of deterring any foolish invader.
Many Swiss, after serving in the army, keep their service weapons at home, and the country has no national register for firearms. In February 2011, the Swiss handily rejected restrictions on gun ownership in a national... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kills Three in Swiss Village
4 January 2013
Local (Switzerland) / AFP
A gunman has opened fire in a village in southern Switzerland, killing three people and wounding two others, police said on Thursday.
The man, who had reportedly been drinking heavily before the shooting and was armed with a hunting rifle, launched the attack in the village of Daillon late on Wednesday.
As police rushed to the scene to stop the attack, they exchanged fire with the gunman and wounded him, police said. He had been taken to hospital, they said.
"Three... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooter Uses Ex-Army Rifle, Kills 3 Women in Swiss Village Spree
3 January 2013
Bloomberg Businessweek (USA)
A gunman shot dead three people and injured another two in a mountain village in southern Switzerland, police said.
Officers were alerted to the shootings in Daillon, near the city of Sion in the Valais canton, at 8:50 p.m. yesterday by a caller, who reported seeing "several wounded people lying on the ground," the regional police force said in a statement posted on its website late yesterday.
An elite police unit deployed to the village opened fire on the gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Are Very Serious about the Right to Own, Carry Firearms
20 December 2012
Time (USA)
Even as the gun-control debate rises again in the U.S. in the aftermath of the horrific school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the gun-loving Swiss are not about to lay down their arms. Guns are ubiquitous in this neutral nation, with sharpshooting considered a fun and wholesome recreational activity for people of all ages.
Even though Switzerland has not been involved in an armed conflict since a standoff between Catholics and Protestants in 1847, the Swiss are very... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Israel,United States
Israel, Switzerland Have Stringent Gun Control, Fewer Guns Than US
19 December 2012
Foreign Policy (America)
Following the tragic shooting last week in Newtown, Conn., two stories leapt out at me. The first was the astonishing tale of a teacher, Victoria Soto, who hid her first-graders in closets and took a bullet rather than risking the children's lives by hiding with them. The second featured a photograph of an Israeli woman with a military-style long gun slung across her back, herding children protectively. The contrast between the powerful Israeli woman and the unarmed... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Norway,Switzerland,Canada,Germany,Spain,Finland,United States,United Kingdom,Australia
Homicides Down after Tougher Gun Laws Adopted Abroad
19 December 2012
Los Angeles Times
Twelve days after the worst mass murder in Australian history, when 35 people were shot to death at Tasmania state's Port Arthur tourist mecca in 1996, the government issued sweeping reforms of the country's gun laws. There hasn't been a mass shooting since, and suicides, deaths by firearms and robberies at gunpoint have plummeted.
The results of toughened gun rules in Britain after the massacre in the Scottish town of Dunblane that same year weren't so immediate or... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway,Switzerland,Finland,Germany,Canada,Australia,United Kingdom,United States
Around the World, Gun Massacres Spurred Gun Control, Public Safety
18 December 2012
ABC News (USA) / AP
If there's anywhere that understands the pain of Newtown, it's Dunblane, the town whose grief became a catalyst for changes to Britain's gun laws.
In March 1996, a 43-year-old man named Thomas Hamilton walked into a primary school in this central Scotland town of 8,000 people and shot to death 16 kindergarten-age children and their teacher with four legally held handguns. In the weeks that followed, people in the town formed the Snowdrop campaign — named for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,Japan,Switzerland,Germany,Spain,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Denmark,European Union,France
Firearms Worldwide: Really Different Laws Across Countries [Francais]
18 December 2012
JOL Press (Paris)
[Translated summary: France: follows European policies - Denmark and Netherlands: total ban - United Kingdom: almost all firearms are prohibited - Switzerland: a more liberal legislation - the Japanese model: no firearm at all - Canada: the stormy debate on the right to carry firearms]
La récente tuerie de Newton a relancé une fois de plus le débat sur le port d'armes aux États-Unis. Mais quelle est la réglementation dans d'autres pays du monde ? Petit tour... (GunPolicy.org)
Israel,India,Czech Republic,Switzerland,United States,Italy
Indian Factory to Make 1 Million Rifles for Army Upgrade
16 December 2012
Sunday Standard / New Indian Express (Chennai)
NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has half a million rifles and carbines it doesn't want, and now plans to junk them all over the next five years. The dark lining is that these infantry weapons were developed and manufactured in India to equip four lakh soldiers at an expenditure of Rs 25,000 crore over two decades. So far, so bad. Now add another Rs 50,000 crore that will have to be spent over the next decade to re-equip our soldiers with the four kinds of weapons that are... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Toughens Laws to Mark All Imported Guns [Français]
22 November 2012
La Côte (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Switzerland has passed a law to ensure all imported guns are marked from July 2013 and create a new database. Unmarked guns will be confiscated and those who alter the markings will be subject to punishment.]
Dès janvier 2013, les armes à feu importées en Suisse devront être marquées.
Les armuriers auront jusqu'au 1er juillet pour se conformer à la nouvelle législation sur le marquable d'arme.
Le marquage permettra d'identifier l'armurier... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Youths Arrested over Illegal Airgun Shooting
2 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Police have issued a warning about the illegal use of replica guns after a teenager used one to shoot plastic bullets at members of the Liberal party in the canton of Valais.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Sierre when a youth in a car driven by a friend used an "airsoft" gun to fire on party members assembled outside a restaurant for a meeting, Valais cantonal police said.
Four people were injured by the plastic bullets, some in the face and one in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Kosovar Man Admits Shooting Brother-in-Law, Authorities Seize Gun
1 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Cooperation between Vaud and Neuchâtel cantonal police forces led to the arrest on Thursday of a Kosovar man suspected of murdering his brother-in-law in a Lausanne suburb earlier this week.
The 27-year-old-man was arrested in La Chaux-de-Fonds at 1.30am following an investigation by the two forces, Vaud police said.
The dead body of a 29-year-old Swiss man of Kosovar origin was found on Monday with bullet wounds in a garage in Chavannes-près-Renens, west of... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Sells Sports Weapons to North Korea [Francais]
26 October 2012
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary - Swiss Ministry clarifies that $170,000 in weapons allegedly sold to North Korea were sports firearms intended for Olympic athletes.]
Dans la première moitié de l'année 2012, la Corée du Nord a importé des armes à feu de la Suisse pour une valeur totale de 170'000 dollars. Les livraisons étaient composées de fusils à air comprimé, de revolvers et de pièces détachées», pouvait-on lire vendredi sur le site de la radio sud-coréenne, KBS... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Rail Police Officer Accidentally Shoots Own Foot
17 October 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) police only started carrying guns three months ago but already an officer has hurt himself with a firearm.
The SBB said one of its security officers accidentally shot himself in the foot with a handgun early on Wednesday while at the transport police service premises in Bern.
The bullet pierced the man's left heel, the state-owned rail company said in a news release.
The officer was taken to hospital, where his condition was "good under... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,United States,Europe
Switzerland to Block Gun Access to Some Army Recruits After Deaths
5 October 2012
Reuters
The Swiss government said on Wednesday it wants civil and military authorities to share information to try to cut gun crimes by violent recruits with access to army-issued weapons.
Control over the issue of military weapons is a growing area of concern in Switzerland, where everyone who undergoes military training has access to a firearm.
Public prosecutors and judges will alert the relevant military authorities if they believe recruits with criminal charges against... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots Dead Estranged Wife, Injures Self in Attempted Suicide
29 September 2012
Local (Switzerland)
A 40-year-old woman was shot dead at a hairdressers in the canton of Aargau on Wednesday by a man believed to be her husband, who then turned the gun on himself.
The incident occurred around 10.30am in a hair salon in Wettingen, a town of 20,000 people.
Cantonal police said the man, aged 51, entered the salon and shot several bullets at the woman who died on the spot.
The attacker was seriously wounded by self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
He was transported by... (GunPolicy.org)
Teen in Juvenile Court in Switzerland Over Toy Gun [Francais]
26 September 2012
Le Nouvelliste (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: A 15-year-old boy was arrested and went to juvenile court after police mistook his cheap toy gun for a real weapon.]
L'usage des pistolets qui ressemblent aux vrais et qui tirent des petites billes jaunes est prohibé sur le territoire public. Un jeune de la région de Sion en a fait l'amère expérience.
La fascination de certains jeunes pour les armes à feu n'est plus à prouver. Ils aiment jouer aux gendarmes et aux voleurs souvent dès le... (GunPolicy.org)
German Man Fined for Crossing Switzerland Border with Potato Gun
21 September 2012
Local (Switzerland)
A 29-year-old German cook was fined €300 and had his potato cannon confiscated after customs officers searched his car as he crossed the border from Switzerland.
In a routine check, German customs officials in Lottstetten seized the weapon, citing its owner's lack of a gun licence, newspaper Südkurier reports.
The main customs office in Singen noted that such rudimentary weapons, usually homemade, are often fashioned from metal or plastic tubes, with gas used to... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army 'Loses Track' of 10,000 Firearms
19 June 2012
Local (Switzerland)
The Swiss department of defence says it no longer knows the whereabouts of up to 10,000 military firearms issued to Swiss soldiers who have completed their service.
Over the past 12 months the department said it had retrieved 6,500 guns issued to former servicemen after checking 309,000 files.
But thousands of soldiers have failed to return information about the equipment issued to them as required after their period of service ends.
The army said this week it was... (GunPolicy.org)
According to Switzerland Firearms Act: to Be Armed Is a Right [Francais]
15 June 2012
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: The shooter of Montbenon case and the homicide of a prostitue in Payerne revive gun debate in Switzerland. The ease with which one can buy a handgun and ammunition worries.]
L'affaire du tireur de Montbenon, puis le meurtre, mercredi à Payerne, d'une prostituée ravivent la polémique
«C'est manifestement un domaine dans lequel le législateur peut faire des progrès.» Le procureur général Eric Cottier a fustigé, lors du procès du tireur de... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Love Under Fire - Experts Call for National Firearm Registry
5 January 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Almost two centuries have passed since Switzerland last fought in a war, yet the country's gun ownership rate remains the highest in Europe. After a series of gun-related killings at the end of last year, The Local's Meritxell Mir looks at what's being done to get fingers off triggers.
Every year, more than 300 people die in Switzerland in gun-related incidents. In many ways, the figure is quite low, when one considers the country has about 2.5 million weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Finland,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Norway,Europe
Gun Attacks in Europe and Their Effect on Gun Control Laws
14 December 2011
BBC News
As more details emerge of the shooting spree and grenade attack in Belgium in which five people died, the BBC News website takes a look at other recent incidents in Europe - and the effect they have had on each country's laws.
Norway
Seventy-seven people were killed in twin attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted that he planted a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in the capital Oslo, killing eight people. He then drove... (GunPolicy.org)
About 240,000 Guns Untraceable in Switzerland [Francais]
5 December 2011
Le Dauphiné Libéré (France)
[Translated Summary: 240,000 of the two million guns in circulation in Switzerland are untraceable, says the Ministry of Defence. The National regulations would be a cause: in terms of Defence, Switzerland has a people's army - reservists are allowed to store their weapons at home, to carry them unloaded, and private gun sales are permitted.]
La Suisse évoque bien plus l'image de paix et de concorde civile que celle des armes à feu. Pourtant, le pays est l'un de... (GunPolicy.org)
About 116,000 Guns Registered, 20,000 Untraceable in Geneva [Francais]
30 November 2011
Tribune de Genève
[Translated Summary: Following a recent shooting in Switzerland, Bernard Bersier, Chief of the Firearms Service, analyses the situation in Geneva. Last year, 115,684 firearms were registered in Geneva, one firearm per four inhabitants. Behind this official number hides a grey market that constitutes the real danger, explains Mr Bersier.]
Suite à la mort par balle d'un homme aux Cygnes, Bernard Bersier, chef du Service des armes, analyse la situation genevoise.
A... (GunPolicy.org)
Household Shootings Prompt Swiss to Rethink Army Guns Kept at Home
23 November 2011
Local (Stockholm)
Several killings in the last few weeks have led Switzerland's Security Policy Committee to take steps to remove weapons from the hands of people with a history of violence.
The parliamentary committee said confiscating firearms was a matter of urgency for individuals known to have made threats or perpetrated acts of violence.
To help avoid further tragedies, a unanimous committee called on the National Assembly to pass a motion requiring the Federal Council to combat... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting in Geneva: Airguns Turned into Lethal Weapons [Francais]
14 November 2011
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: The gun homicide at Geneva's mall highlights new practices: turning airguns into lethal weapons that are available on the 'Grey Market'.]
Le meurtre du centre commercial des Cygnes, au coeur de Genève, met en exergue de nouvelles pratiques chez certains marginaux du canton.
«Pour 1000 francs, on trouve facilement un 9 mm. Moi j'ai mon 22 (n.d.l.r.: long rifle). Et maintenant, les Albanais ont une nouvelle spécialité, ils transforment des... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army-issue Guns Involved in 300 Civilian Deaths a Year
14 November 2011
SwissInfo
Another deadly incident involving an army-issue gun has been reported only ten days after a man shot his girlfriend with his army assault rifle.
Police in canton Neuchâtel say the latest case occurred in someone's home at the weekend when three people were handling guns.
An investigation is underway to establish the course of events and the origin of the ammunition.
Last February, Swiss voters rejected a proposal by an alliance of NGOs and centre-left political... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reopen Debate on Keeping Army Assault Weapons, Pistols in Homes
13 November 2011
SwissInfo
The army says it wants to work more closely with the cantonal authorities to prevent shootings with army-issue guns.
A spokesman told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper that army chief, André Blattmann, wants the cantonal justice departments to inform the army of any criminal investigations involving men still on active service.
Due to the set-up of Switzerland's militia army, men on active service are allowed to keep their army-issue firearms at home.
Currently, Swiss... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Soldier Kills Girlfriend with Army Rifle, Restarts Guns-at-home Debate
9 November 2011
Local (Switzerland)
Politicians, criminologists and police have called for army-issue weapons to be kept out of the hands of lawbreakers after a young man with a criminal record shot and killed his girlfriend last Friday.
The alleged murderer, a 23-year-old-man had several previous convictions for threatening behaviour and property damage before he shot his girlfriend in the head with his army assault rifle.
A heated debate has raged for years in Switzerland about firearm control and... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Boy Shoots, Kills Friend with Father's Police Pistol in Switzerland [Francais]
19 September 2011
Le Matin (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A teenager accidentally shot dead his friend with his father's handgun. The father, who is an experienced police officer, did not store his handgun in a secured cabinet. According to Thurgovia law, police officers do not have to comply with the Federal Law on Firearms in terms of safe storage of guns kept at home.]
Trois écoliers thurgoviens jouaient avec le pistolet de service du père de l'un d'eux, un policier. Celui-ci a été mis sous... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than a Quarter of Swiss Households Have Access to a Gun - Study
12 September 2011
Local (Switzerland)
More than a quarter of Swiss households have access to a gun, according to a study carried out by the Institute of Criminology at the University of Zurich.
In a victim study carried out on behalf of the conference of cantonal police chiefs, Martin Killias at the Institute of Criminology found that around 27 percent of Swiss homes have access to a firearm.
Furthermore, the number of gun licences has increased sharply in many cantons since 2008, the SonntagsZeitung... (GunPolicy.org)
New Firearms Database Available to Cantonal Police in Switzerland
24 May 2011
24 Heures (Switzerland) / AP
BERNE - Suite à la campagne sur l'initiative «pour la protection face à la violence des armes», une plate-forme électronique d'information sur les armes accessible aux polices cantonales vient d'être créée.
Les polices cantonales peuvent désormais accéder à une plate-forme électronique d'information sur les armes de l'Office fédéral de la police (fedpol). Une promesse faite pendant la campagne sur l'initiative «pour la protection face à la violence des... (GunPolicy.org)
The Truth About Switzerland - Gun Laws Americans Would Call 'Tyrannical'
28 March 2011
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (USA), Web page
In Switzerland — a nation in which a "well regulated Militia" still plays a leading role in national defense — guns are a hot issue. A February referendum on new gun policy proposals quickly turned into a national debate on Switzerland's gun culture and citizen/soldier tradition. The resulting dialogue in this landlocked nation of mountains and lakes has been fascinating and shed light on some long-perpetuated myths about Switzerland's gun laws.
Responding to... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote to Keep 'a Gun in Every Closet,' Reject Calls for Gun Control
15 February 2011
Time (USA)
Perhaps the great paradox of peaceful and safety-conscious Switzerland, which hasn't been under military threat since World War II, is its cherished tradition of a gun in every closet. And, as the defeat of a Feb. 13 initiative seeking to tighten the nation's liberal gun law proves, the Swiss are not willing to bid a farewell to arms anytime soon.
Early polls in the midst of what was a heated and contentious campaign predicted victory for the anti-gun lobby, but on... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Voters Firmly Reject Push to Remove Assault Weapons from Homes
14 February 2011
Wall Street Journal
ZURICH — Following an emotional debate over gun control, Swiss voters firmly rejected a referendum that would have forced soldiers to end the longstanding practice of keeping army-issue firearms at home and tightened restrictions over civilian gun ownership.
According to exit polls, 57% of voters rejected the initiative. The referendum sparked a heated debate over the right to bear arms in a country that has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Media, Lobby Groups Follow Swiss Vote to Keep Army Guns in Homes
14 February 2011
SwissInfo
The controversial initiative on restricting access to firearms – which was rejected by Swiss voters on Sunday – has been followed closely in the United States.
The US, which also has a gun-bearing tradition, is currently dealing with the fallout from a fatal gun attack in Arizona. However, gun control has not been made a political priority.
Just over 56 per cent of Swiss voters threw out a proposal to ban army-issue firearms from the home and set up a central arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Peaceful, Neutral Switzerland Cherishes Its Armed Tradition, Votes Pro-gun
13 February 2011
Canadian Press
GENEVA — Neutral Switzerland is among the best-armed nations in the world, with more guns per capita than almost any other country except the U.S., Finland and Yemen.
At least 2.3 million weapons lie stashed in basements, cupboards and lofts in this country of less than 8 million people, according to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.
On Sunday, Swiss voters made sure it stays that way, rejecting a proposal to tighten the peaceful Alpine nation's relaxed firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Rejects Tighter Gun Control, Keeps Army Guns in 1 in 4 Homes
13 February 2011
BBC News
Swiss voters have rejected proposed tighter controls on gun ownership, final results show.
Twenty of the 26 cantons and 56.3% of voters rejected the plan, meaning the current system allowing army-issue weapons to be kept at home will remain.
Supporters of the tighter curbs wanted to have weapons kept in armouries and were demanding stricter checks on gun owners.
Opponents said the move would have undermined trust in the army.
For the proposal to succeed, it required... (GunPolicy.org)
Emotional, Polarising Swiss Gun Safety Referendum Faces Voters' Verdict
12 February 2011
SwissInfo
Following an emotional campaign the Swiss on Sunday have the final say on a proposal to restrict access to firearms, including a ban on keeping army-issue guns at home.
The nationwide ballot pits urban citizens against the more traditional voters in rural Switzerland; the centre-left challenges the centre-right and rightwing majority, while women could tip the balance.
The initiative, launched four years ago, seeks to introduce stricter rules for gun possession,... (GunPolicy.org)
Cherished Tradition of Swiss Army Guns at Home Now Faces Referendum
12 February 2011
Wall Street Journal
ZURICH — Switzerland is in the midst of an emotional debate over a proposal to limit weapons in a country that cherishes its right to bear arms, echoing the U.S. reflection on the issue in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Arizona last month.
Gun ownership has long enjoyed strong support in Switzerland, both for national defense and cultural reasons, and the country has one of the highest arms rates in the world.
That is because of a longstanding tradition for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Culture, Assault Weapons at Home Under Fire in Referendum
9 February 2011
Associated Press
BUEREN AN DER AARE, Switzerland — The neutral Swiss do love their guns and their frequent, citizen-inspired referendums. Those two deeply cherished rights collide this weekend as Swiss voters decide whether to impose far-reaching restrictions on firearms.
The nationwide vote Sunday pits critics of Switzerland's high rate of firearms suicides against those who fear tighter rules may hurt the country's beloved village shooting clubs or cripple its citizen... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote Pre-poll Leans Toward Banning Military Guns in the Home
19 January 2011
Miller-McCune (California)
While the assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona revived a predictable and unchanging round of gun control debate in the U.S., a referendum in Switzerland — Europe's best-armed nation — is showing a shift of opinion away from private gun ownership.
Every third household in Switzerland has a firearm, normally government-issued, because every male citizen under about 50 is also a reserve soldier. Instead of a standing professional army, the government... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
To Save Lives, Swiss Doctors Back Ban on Army Machine Guns at Home
9 January 2011
SwissInfo
Swiss doctors consider it their professional duty to back an initiative aimed at restricting access to firearms to be voted on in a nationwide ballot on February 13.
The Swiss Medical Association, which represents the overwhelming majority of practising doctors, considers the initiative an important part of suicide prevention.
"It is about public health and suicide prevention. This is our core business, to save lives," said the association's president, Jacques de... (GunPolicy.org)
To Reduce Domestic Killings, Swiss Vote Would Ban Army Guns in Homes
22 December 2010
SwissInfo
Supporters and opponents of a proposal aimed at limiting access to guns have launched their campaigns ahead of a nationwide vote in February.
Switzerland has the highest number of arms per capita, with estimates varying between 1.2 million and 2.3 million. But exact data are not available as there is no central arms register.
Shaken by a number of high-profile killings over the past decade a broad alliance of human rights groups, churches, women's organisations, trade... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Pakistan,Japan,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Finland,Yemen,United States
Civilians Own 74% Of All Guns Globally, Firearm Laws Differ Greatly
15 December 2010
Times of India
The 'Gun Debate' has engaged many parts of the world for decades and both public opinion and lawmakers in different countries differ considerably on this question. Interestingly, 74% of all firearms globally are owned by civilians.
The right to own a firearm is a major issue in US politics and many Americans consider the possession of firearms a time-honoured custom. Strong gun-supporting lobbies like the National Rifle Association spend millions of dollars to fight... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Guns Kill 300 a Year, Govt Rejects Ban on Small Arms at Home
6 December 2010
SwissInfo
The Swiss government has come out against an initiative to ban Swiss men from keeping their military-issue guns at home.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said on Monday that the current gun law was sufficient to protect against misuse and that the initiative would be difficult to put into practice.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party – Sommaruga's own party – as well as pacifist and doctors' organisations, will be put... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Parliament Rejects Tougher Gun Laws, Ban on Army Guns at Home
18 July 2010
SwissInfo
The House of Representatives, like the cabinet, is urging Swiss voters to reject a people's initiative that aims to ban military weapons from households.
The initiative will now go to the Senate, ahead of a national vote in February 2011. New figures show that Switzerland's militia soldiers seem to prefer to keep their military guns at home rather than deposit them free at local army bases.
Launched in February 2009 by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a... (GunPolicy.org)
Machine Gun-toting Gang of Robbers Raids Swiss Casino, Escapes
29 March 2010
Associated Press
BASEL, Switzerland - An armed gang of masked men raided a casino packed with about 600 guests early Sunday and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Swiss prosecutors.
In a statement, prosecutors in Basel described a scene like an action-film heist: About 10 men dressed in black arrived in two cars at the Grand Casino near Basel shortly after 4 a.m.
One smashed the front door with a sledgehammer, and the others ran inside with machine guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
Army-issue Guns at the Heart of Family Violence in Switzerland [Francais]
9 February 2010
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: 76% of the homicide-suicide cases in Switzerland involve firearms, very often a gun kept at home by Swiss army reservists, according to a new university study.]
Une étude criminologique le démontre: en Suisse, les auteurs de drames familiaux recourent trois fois sur quatre aux armes à feu et, très souvent, il s'agit d'une arme de service. Voilà qui apporte de l'eau au moulin des adversaires de l'arme détenue à la maison.
En avril 2006,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Service Firearms Often Used in Murder/Suicide [Francais]
8 February 2010
Journal (Geneva)
Translated summary: Swiss army military guns are often used in family violence, particularly in murder-suicide cases where a male shooter kills a female partner.]
Les auteurs de drames familiaux ont le plus fréquemment recours à une arme à feu. Quant aux armes de service, elles tuent dans un quart des cas, selon une étude de l'hôpital universitaire de Lausanne (CHUV) publiée en janvier.
L'étude publiée en janvier et dont le résumé est paru dans la revue... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reconsider Keeping Army Guns at Home, Cite Frequent Shootings
27 November 2009
SwissInfo
Swiss soldiers who do not want to keep their military-issue guns at home are to be allowed to store them for free at an army logistics centre.
The new rule, which comes into force on January 1, was adopted by the Swiss government on Friday as part of its amendments to the regulations on firearms.
The cabinet also called for earlier detection of soldiers who represent a potential threat.
Under another amendment, men who wish to keep their gun after completing their... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Accused of Careless Gun Exports, Cabinet Aims for Clearer Law
24 November 2009
SwissInfo
Questions are being raised in Switzerland over exports of weapons and war material — and not only by the pacifists behind the nationwide vote on November 29.
The government in its official information brochure for voters describes its policy of trading war material as restrictive, transparent, tough and not open to frequent abuses.
Throughout its campaign the pacifist group for a Switzerland without an Army has tried to undermine the clean Swiss image. It has... (GunPolicy.org)
Central Armouries Store Swiss Army Guns in 'Hot' Crime Areas [Francais]
21 September 2009
20 Minutes (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Almost one-third of military weapons stored centrally in the Geneva canton come from neighbourhoods with high break-in rates. The Mayor of Vernier calls for all firearms to be centrally stored.]
Près d'un tiers des armes de service déposées à l'arsenal viennent des quartiers sensibles du Lignon, des Libellules et des Avanchets.
«Entre 180 et 200 armes sont actuellement en dépôt volontaire à l'arsenal», a détaillé lundi Guy Reyfer,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Soldiers to Carry Unloaded Guns, Avoid Shootings [Francais]
31 August 2009
Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports, Media release
[Translated summary: To avoid unintentional shootings, Swiss army soldiers on guard duty will carry unloaded firearms.] Dès le 1er septembre 2009, le service de garde s'effectuera en cas normal et sur base réglementaire avec une arme non chargée au sein de l'Armée suisse. Le service de garde avec une arme chargée constituera une exception. L'armée applique ainsi définitivement les compléments au service de garde décidés au mois d'octobre 2008.
Les directives... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports
Swiss Soldiers on Guard Duty Must Now Carry Unloaded Weapons
31 August 2009
Geneva Lunch (Switzerland)
GENEVA — Swiss guards will carry unloaded firearms starting 1 September thanks to a new measure covering Swiss army soldiers on guard duty.
This does not mean the soldiers will carry arms without bullets: the new ruling allows the magazine to be fully loaded but it may not be put in action mode. The commanding officer may, given the circumstances, order exceptions to this rule.
The measure was approved in October last year after several incidents where guns were... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Germany,Portugal,Belgium,Finland,Switzerland
European Countries Tighten Gun Laws But More Needed, Say Experts
12 March 2009
Associated Press
School shootings and other gun crimes have spurred European governments to tighten their gun laws but the measures have been uneven across the continent, experts said Thursday.
Dramatic incidents, such as Wednesday's rampage by a 17-year-old gunman who killed 15 people at his former school in Germany, often jolt authorities into action.
Finland announced plans Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on firearms, including raising the minimum age for handgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Europe,Finland,Belgium,Switzerland,Portugal,Denmark
Europe Hurries to Tighten Gun Laws After Mass Shooting Attacks
11 March 2009
Associated Press
HELSINKI — Several European countries have restricted gun laws in the wake of school massacres, gang violence and other gun-related crimes:
- Finland announced plans Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on firearms, including raising the minimum age for handgun ownership from 15 to 20. The proposal was prompted by two school massacres within a year in which lone gunmen opened fire on classmates and teachers.
- Germany, where a gunman killed at least 11 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Geneva Family of Four Found Shot Dead in Swiss 'Domestic Incident'
7 March 2009
Associated Press
A family of four were found shot dead in their home near Geneva on Friday in what Swiss police suspect was a domestic incident.
Officers discovered a 52-year-old man and his 47-year-old wife along with their sons, ages 16 and 19, in an apartment in the suburb of Carouge. Neighbors had alerted the authorities after becoming concerned about the family's whereabouts.
A handgun was found inside the apartment, police said. Police declined to provide further information on... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote to Remove Guns from Homes, Ban Some Firearms, Register All
24 February 2009
Associated Press
GENEVA — Switzerland's part-time soldiers traditionally store their guns in the attic, in a cupboard or under the bed. They see it as their honor and duty to keep their weapons close at hand.
But critics say the proliferation of firearms has led to both suicides and homicides throughout the neutral nation, and they are seeking tighter firearms controls.
Campaigners said Monday they have collected around 120,000 signatures to force a nationwide referendum on whether... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Force Referendum to Prevent 1.5 Million Guns Being Stored in Homes
24 February 2009
CNN
Switzerland's part-time soldiers could lose the right to store their weapons at home.
A coalition led by the country's Social Democrat party and the Greens has collected nearly 120,000 signatures to force a national referendum on whether the weapons should be stored at military bases.
The coalition of 74 groups says the weapons are involved in too many suicides and murders in the country and tighter controls are needed.
Switzerland's armed forces consist of just a... (GunPolicy.org)
Suicide, Domestic Killings Bring Vote to Ban Million Guns from Swiss Homes
23 February 2009
SwissInfo
Anti-gun supporters have collected enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on banning more than one million military weapons from Swiss households.
Guns are stored in homes under Switzerland's militia system, but opponents say the practice is too dangerous, pointing to deaths and domestic violence cases involving army weapons.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a number of pacifist organisations, was handed in to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Referendum Gathers Pace to Ban Army Guns Being Stored in Swiss Homes
23 February 2009
SwissInfo
Anti-gun supporters have collected enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on banning more than one million military weapons from Swiss households.
Guns are stored in homes under Switzerland's militia system, but opponents say the practice is too dangerous, pointing to deaths and domestic violence cases involving army weapons.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a number of pacifist organisations, was handed in to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Referendum to Remove Military Guns from Private Homes [Francais]
23 February 2009
24 Heures/ATS (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A 107,000-name petition calling for a referendum on possession and secure storage of military fireams has been presented to the Swiss government. The initiative also calls for a national firearm registry and the prohibition of automatic firearms and pump action shotguns. Of the 2.3 million firearms in Switzerland, 1.7 million are military firearms].
LAUSANNE — Le peuple suisse se rendra sans doute aux urnes pour dire s'il souhaite bannir l'arme... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland,Yemen,Switzerland,United States,United Nations
Global Gun Ownership: Finland, Yemen, Switzerland, USA - Keith Krause
23 October 2008
Chicago Public Radio, Audio
Last month, a 22-year-old student walked into his trade school in Finland and opened fire. He killed 10 people before shooting himself. The school massacre was the second Finland experienced in less than a year.
Keith Krause is the Program Director of the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Switzerland.
The Small Arms Survey puts out an annual study on the production,... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations,Finland,New Zealand,United States,Australia,Canada,France,Belgium,Sweden,Switzerland,South Africa,Austria,Israel,Brazil,Germany
Comparison of Key Handgun Restrictions in 14 Industrialised Countries
25 September 2008
Economist
Finland's government is introducing tougher regulations on handguns following a mass shooting at a school on Tuesday September 23rd, the second in under a year.
The country had been among the most lenient in the world, allowing 15-year-olds to keep a handgun under parental supervision, requiring no medical or psychological tests and no minimum wait for those buying weapons.
The gun-death rate (whether murder, accident or suicide) in rich countries is highest where... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reject Old Habit of Keeping Army Guns, Ammo at Home [Francais]
29 August 2008
La Liberté (Fribourg), Poll
[Translated summary: A Swiss Federal Institute of Technology poll finds that support for keeping military weapons at home has dropped to 34%, with opinion led by women and young people].
Le sentiment de sécurité des Suisses culmine de nouveau à un niveau record avec un taux de 90%, selon un sondage de l'Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich (EPFZ). Près de 80% des sondés affichent en outre leur confiance dans l'avenir du pays.
Par contre, la tradition pour... (GunPolicy.org)
Poll Shows 76% of Swiss Want to Rid Homes of Army Guns [Francais]
29 August 2008
SwissInfo, Poll
[Translated Summary: Poll shows only 34% of Swiss support storing military guns at home, down from 57% in 1989. Link to poll results in German, English, French and Italian].
Avec un taux de 90%, le sentiment de sécurité des Suisses culmine de nouveau à un niveau record, selon le sondage 2008 mené par l'Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich (EPFZ). Et près de 80% des sondés ont en outre confiance dans l'avenir du pays.
La hausse est particulièrement marquée... (GunPolicy.org)
Only 1 in 3 Swiss Want to Continue Storing Army Guns, Ammo at Home
29 August 2008
SwissInfo, Poll
The long-standing tradition of keeping army weapons at home is increasingly losing support among the population, security experts say.
An overwhelming majority of Swiss feel secure and trust the army, police and justice authorities, according to the 2008 Security Study of the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
Thirty-four per cent of respondents said they were in favour of maintaining the tradition of keeping the standard issue military weapon at... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Access to Guns Gives Highest Gun Suicide Rate to Swiss Youth
3 August 2008
SwissInfo
The percentage of young people who use a gun to kill themselves is higher in Switzerland than any other European country, according to an international survey.
This is directly connected to liberal Swiss gun laws and the easy availability of weapons, said researchers from the European Alliance Against Depression, whose study is published in the current edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Almost half (43.6 per cent) of suicides in Switzerland committed by... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Named As One of the Most Transparent Exporters of Guns
16 July 2008
SwissInfo
The diversion of small arms and light weapons is a major source of firearms for criminals and insurgents around the world, says an international report.
However, Switzerland was named one of the most transparent small arms exporters in the latest Small Arms Survey, published annually by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS).
"The score for Switzerland on transparency has improved dramatically, partly because there's been a strong effort... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Switzerland,Italy,United Kingdom,Australia,South Africa
Gun Laws in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, UK, Australia, South Africa
26 June 2008
Associated Press
GERMANY:
Requires license to obtain and use firearms and stipulates a check on the "reliability and suitability" of holders at least once every three years. Under-25s must undergo psychological screening. Buyers must justify why they need a gun.
Would-be buyers of recreational firearms must produce proof of regular membership in shooting club for at least one year. Legal age for owning recreational firearms is 21. That was raised from 18 in 2002, the year an alienated... (GunPolicy.org)
New Recruit Gets Swiss Army Assault Rifle, Shoots 16yr-old Girl at Bus Stop
27 November 2007
SwissInfo
A soldier has confessed to the killing of a 16-year-old girl last Friday in Zurich in what appeared to be a random shooting.
The incident comes amid a heated debate over Switzerland's gun laws. Army issue weapons are involved in the death of more than 300 people a year in the country.
The Zurich prosecutor's office said on Tuesday that the 21-year-old soldier, who was arrested two days after the shooting, admitted to committing the crime.
The authorities have not... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Iraq
Swiss Gun Dealer Investigated for Trafficking Weapons from Bosnia to Iraq
18 November 2007
SonntagsZeitung (Switzerland)
ZURICH — Swiss business man Marius Joray may have illegally moved thousands of small arms and huge quantities of ammunition from Bosnia to Iraq. The Swiss State Prosecutor has become involved. The Prosecutors spokesman Peter Lehmann says . "We have requested the Federal Police to enquiries."
The research of the SonntagsZeitung shows that goods that were acquired through the Swiss business man were transferred with the help of Serbian arms smuggler Tomislav... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Islamic Centre Shooter Used Army Assault Weapon Kept in His Home
13 November 2007
SwissInfo
A lone gunman has used his military assault rifle to fire on a dozen fellow worshippers at an Islamic centre in western Switzerland, seriously injuring one.
The latest in a series of incidents involving army weapons — which all enlisted Swiss men have to keep at home with ammunition — will add fuel to the heated political debate over reforming the country's gun laws.
A 23-year-old local man, described by police as a practising Swiss Muslim, was detained on Monday... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Gun Victims Push for Ban on Military Firearms at Home
28 September 2007
Bloomberg (USA)
Tanja Vollenweider and her family had just built a house near Zurich when her husband lost his job at an insurance company. Two weeks later, the militia officer took his army-issued pistol into the forest and killed himself.
"It was Friday, we had had guests at home," Vollenweider, 35, said at her home in Daellikon. "My daughter saw him leaving with the weapon. She woke me up. We heard the shots."
Four and a half years later, Vollenweider and other gun control... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Criticised for Poor Data On Gun Ownership, Weapon Exports
28 August 2007
SwissInfo
Civilians in Switzerland own an estimated 3.4 million guns — putting the country in fourth place for weapons possession per capita, according to a report.
The latest Small Arms Survey, published by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS), criticises Switzerland's lack of transparency over reliable statistics on firearms.
Switzerland ranks behind the United States, Yemen and Finland, but ahead of Iraq in the per capita count, and in... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Mull Gun Control to Curb High Rates of Gun Suicide, Family Shootings
29 July 2007
Deutsche Welle
Switzerland's the only country that requires its soldiers to keep guns at home. But concerns over high suicide rates and killings within families have caused some to ask whether having them there is simply too dangerous.
All Swiss men must do military service — they all learn to shoot — and when they go home, they take their assault rifles and 50 rounds of ammunition with them.
"For me it's just routine," said Philippe Schaub, heading home after his latest stint... (GunPolicy.org)
Historic Decision Bans Ammunition for Swiss Army Guns Kept in Homes
21 June 2007
Tribune de Geneve (Geneva)
Federal lawmakers approve historic new regulations requiring army ammunition to be kept in arsenals, while stopping short of a ban on firearms in Swiss residences.
The Swiss government is tightening regulations for weapons while the senate has approved a general ban on the storing of army ammunition at home. The measures fall short of a ban on keeping military guns in private residences, although left-wing campaigners are planning to launch an initiative to achieve... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Weapons in Homes Kill 300 a Year, Senate 'No' to Law Change
20 June 2007
SwissInfo
The Swiss Senate has approved a revised law on weapons which forbids the carrying of dangerous objects and the anonymous purchase of arms over the internet.
The chamber, which represents Switzerland's cantons, followed the example of the House of Representatives. A ban on keeping military weapons at home was rejected.
Anonymous sales of guns over the internet or by advertisement are to be banned, but there are exceptions for hunters and members of Switzerland's... (GunPolicy.org)
Pressure Grows to Abandon Swiss Tradition of Keeping Army Guns at Home
20 June 2007
Neue Zürcher Zeitung / SwissInfo, Poll
Switzerland is preparing for a lively debate this summer over its long-standing tradition of keeping army guns and ammunition at home.
Opposition to its guns-at-home culture seems to have gained momentum and critics are launching a people's initiative on the issue. On Wednesday parliament will discuss a compromise proposal — a ban on storing army ammunition at home.
Attitudes towards firearms may be changing in Switzerland, which is well known for its militia army,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Enthusiasts Fight Trend to Remove Weapons from Homes
11 June 2007
SwissInfo
Guns have long been a fixture of life in Switzerland, with its militia army, strong traditions and liberal laws. Up to 20 million are kept in cellars and attics.
As the national gun debate hots up, swissinfo tests the temperature of opinion among gun fans with a visit to a gun dealer and stop-off at the "world's biggest shooting festival".
It's 10am and the tiny premises of Poyet gun shop in the middle of the capital Bern are a hive of activity.
A... (GunPolicy.org)
