Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Switzerland Now Has National Online Firearm Registration [FR]
24 November 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Swiss Police are now able to search firearm registers online, which allows them to obtain in one place the information about all private guns owned or transferred. Before, they had to contact every cantonal office individually. Police can also use the new system before making an intervention, to learn about the firearms owned by the people involved.]
Depuis début octobre, la police peut effectuer une recherche en ligne dans les registres d'armes... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Registration Up 100% to 747,888 Guns in Belgium [FR]
22 November 2016
Derniere Heure (Brussels)
[Translated summary: In five years, applications for firearm possession in Belgium increased by 100%. The Walloon region is the most armed with 347,113 firearms, followed by Flanders with 324,580. Brussells has 76,205 registered firearms. According to the authorities, the main reason given by new applicants is sport shooting.]
Il y a plus d'armes en Wallonie qu'en Flandre.
Phénomène de société, crainte inspirée par le terrorisme, réaction à une législation... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Stash Seized from Anti-State Extremists in Germany
18 November 2016
Local (Germany)
Police in Wuppertal on Thursday showed off the massive arsenal of two so-called Reichsbürger - people who don't recognize the legitimacy of the German state.
The pair's stash included 12 rifles - some of which had magnifying scopes - nine pistols, three air-pressure guns and one semi-automatic firearm. Police also discovered more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition.
The two Reichsbürger, aged 40 and 57, had weapons permits as marksmen, but authorities had decided to... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Serbia,France
Balkan Countries Struggle to Control Gun Trafficking, Smugglers
16 November 2016
World Bulletin (Turkey)
A year after rebel fighters used weapons manufactured in Serbia to gun down victims in Paris, Balkan countries are struggling to end the scourge of illegal arms trafficking.
The killers who opened fire at the Bataclan theatre, cafes and restaurants in the French capital last November used Yugoslav-era assault rifles produced by Serbia's Zastava Arms.
Months earlier the Kouachi brothers, behind the deadly assault on the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices, carried a rocket... (GunPolicy.org)
Should Carrying Hidden Handguns Be Legal in France? [FR]
15 November 2016
Femme Actuelle (France)
[Translated summary: In France, the use of a firearm for self-defence is strictly prohibited. Some advocate for the legalisation of firearms carry for civilians, claiming that a significant number of armed citizens in public spaces could prevent a terrorist attack. Others believe that legal carry is a false solution that could lead to a situation similar to that of the US, where 30,000 die every year victims of firearms.]
En France, l'usage d'une arme à feu pour se... (GunPolicy.org)
French Groups Advocate for a Right to Possess Guns [FR]
15 November 2016
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: Following the attacks targeting France after Charlie Hebdo, several groups are advocating for the right of civilians to arm themselves. Membership of shooting clubs also continues to increase. Currently it is forbidden for a civilian to own a firearm without a hunting permit or a licence from the French Shooting Federation.]
Avec la longue liste d'attaques ayant visé la France depuis Charlie Hebdo, des voix se font entendre pour permettre aux... (GunPolicy.org)
180 Firearms Surrendered in Gun Amnesty in Swiss Town [FR]
12 November 2016
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: 180 firearms were surrendered to the authorities in the Swiss municipality of Hinwil during a gun amnesty. Among the firearms were rifles, assault weapons, pistols, revolvers and 60 kilos of ammunition.]
Une action contre la circulation des armes à feu et des munitions a eu lieu samedi matin à Hinwil (ZH). Chacun pouvait remettre les pièces en sa possession à la police zurichoise. Au total, 180 armes à feu ont été transmises aux autorités.... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Europe,Serbia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia, Serbia Try to Curb Illegal Flow of Guns to Europe [ES]
10 November 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Bosnia and Serbia want to stop the illegal flow of Balkan firearms to Europe. In the 2015 Paris attacks the terrorists used Balkan firearms. It is estimated that there are between 3.6 to 6.2 million firearms in the Balkans, 900,000 in Serbia alone. Serbian organised crime has been linked to a third of all investigations into illegal arms trafficking conducted in France.]
Las armas procedentes de los Balcanes equipan desde hace tiempo a los... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Europe,Serbia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia, Serbia Try to Curb Flow of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
10 November 2016
Libe (Montenegro)
[Translated summary: Bosnia and Serbia expressed concern about the flow of Balkan firearms to Western Europe. The jihadist terrorists involved in the Paris attacks of 2015 used firearms trafficked from the Balkans. It is estimated that there are between 3.6 and 6.2 million firearms among the 25 million citizens of the Balkan countries.]
Les armes des Balkans équipent depuis longtemps les voyous d'Europe mais les jihadistes qui ont semé la mort à Paris en 2015 en... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting Clubs Show 38% Membership Growth in France [FR]
4 November 2016
BFMTV (France)
[Translated summary: Amid fear of terrorist attacks in France, membership of shooting clubs jumped from 145,365 to 201,450 between 2011 and 2016, an increase of 38%. Firearm seizures also increased: there were 5,000 in 2014, 6,000 in 2015 and 5,000 so far this year. Nowadays, France has 4.4 million declared guns, and, depending on the source, between 1 and 8 million illegal firearms.]
D'après une enquête de L'Obs, de plus en plus de Français se dotent d'armes à... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gun Exports Explode: €4 Billion Arms Sold in 2016 [FR]
27 October 2016
Enjeux (France)
[Translated summary: Germany set a new record in firearm and ammunition exportation, mainly to Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Turkey. Total arms sales have gone from €3.5 billion in the first six months of 2015 to €4 billion in the same period of 2016, while total ammunition exports have risen from €27 million to €283.8 million. The government has been accused of hypocrisy for benefiting from armed conflicts.]
L'Allemagne vient d'établir un nouveau record dans... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Yemen,Saudi Arabia,Algeria,France,Germany
Germany's Arms Exports Rise to 4.03 Billion Euros [FR]
26 October 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: Germany's arms exports rose to 4.03 billion euros in the first six months of 2016, an increase of 15% in relation to the same period last year. Germany sells to Algeria and Saudi Arabia, a country that is in a controversial war with Yemen, but the Ministry of Economy explains that they have particularly restrictive rules.]
Les crises internationales profitent aux industriels allemands de l'armement. Selon les chiffres publiés mercredi par le... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Turkey,United Arab Emirates,Netherlands,Switzerland,Algeria,Germany,United Kingdom,South Korea,Saudi Arabia,United States
Germany Defends Its Sudden Leap in Gun, Ammo Exports [ES]
26 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
[Translated summary: Between January and June 2016, Germany exported firearms and military equipment amounting to €4 billion; an increase of 500 million in relation to the same period in 2015. The government defended its firearm export policy, saying that it's restrictive and transparent and assuring that they give a "special relevance" to the respect of human rights.]
Entre enero y junio de 2016 Alemania concedió permisos de exportación de armas y equipamiento... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Poland,France,Switzerland,Japan,New Zealand,Australia,Germany
German Ammo Sales Up Tenfold, €4 Billion Arms Sales in 2016
25 October 2016
Mo4ch (US)
Germany's small arms ammunition sales have increased by 10 times in the first 6 months of 2016, while total arms sales have reached €4 billion over the same period and have set a new record, Deutsche-Presse Agentur (DPA) says, citing a government report.
The total value of the small arms ammo export contracts has risen from €27 million ($29.3 million) in the first half of 2015 to €283.8 million ($308 million) in the first six months of 2016, the reports says,... (GunPolicy.org)
Shipment of War Weapons to Luxembourg Was "Normal" [FR]
21 October 2016
L'essentiel (Luxembourg)
[Translated summary: A shipment of 200 weapons of war (pistols and Kalashnikovs) heading to Luxembourg was detained in the Germany-Austria border. However, after 14 hours, authorities concluded that the shipment was perfectly legal. Gun dealers explain that several collectors and sport shooters are interest in semi-auto rifles.]
LUXEMBOURG -- La police et les vendeurs d'armes l'assurent: intercepter un camion transportant plus de 200 armes de guerre potentiellement... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Maker to Release Second Smart Gun in US
20 October 2016
Computer World (Singapore)
German firearms manufacturer Armatix LLC is planning to release its second smart gun in the U.S. next year after sales of its first model -- the .22 caliber iP1 -- were quashed by pressure from some gun owners and gun rights advocates who saw it as a threat to Second Amendment freedoms.
Unlike the iP1, which used RFID technology, the new iP9 9mm semi-automatic pistol will have a fingerprint reader. The iP9 will be available in mid-2017, according to Wolfgang Tweraser,... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,France,Turkey,Italy,Greece,United States,Spain
Europol Dismantles Spain/Syria/Libya Gun Trafficking Network
11 October 2016
EFE News Agency
A huge haul of arms and drugs was seized from a trafficking network run by Syrian nationals, Spain's police said Tuesday.
A total of 109 people were arrested and 100 tons of hashish, 11,400 firearms, over a million ammunition rounds and 10 tons of explosives were seized in an international operation against a trafficking network that sold drugs to arm jihadist groups in countries like Libya.
The joint operation was carried out by security forces from Spain, Italy,... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle Worth 150 Euros in Serbia, 2000 in Scandinavia
6 October 2016
Balkan Insight (Sarajevo)
Serbia and France on Thursday will sign a protocol empowering the two countries to launch joint investigation teams to combat illicit arms trading.
Mladen Nenadic, Serbia's Prosecutor for Organised Crime, told a conference on Wednesday that over 20 years on from the Balkan wars of the 1990s, the region is still full of arms that are being smuggled to Western countries.
"Terrorist attacks on Western countries show the need to address the issue of the illegal arms trade... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Seize Record 2,000 Weapons from Neo-Nazis [DE]
30 September 2016
Zeit Online (Germany)
[Translated summary: In Germany, the Federal Criminal Police confiscated almost 2,000 weapons from Neo-nazis in 2015, the highest number since the start of statistics in 2008. Particularly concerning was the number of explosive devices found, as explosives were used in attacks on refugee shelters.]
Fast 2.000 Waffen beschlagnahmten Polizisten laut "Focus" bei Neonazis, ein Höchstwert in der Statistik. Besonders besorgniserregend: die vielen... (GunPolicy.org)
No Training Required to Own Some Guns in France [FR]
30 September 2016
La Nouvelle Republique (France)
[Translated summary: In France, firearms are divided into 4 categories. Category A includes all military firearms, that are absolutely prohibited. Category B includes firearms that can be owned, but they require a special authorisation. However, guns that belong to the C and D category don't require the owner to know how to handle them, they only need to have a shooting club membership.]
La réglementation sur les armes est très stricte en France. Mais il reste facile... (GunPolicy.org)
US Police Kill 100 Times More People Than German Police
22 September 2016
Local (Germany)
According to the Washington Post's database of fatal police shootings, 990 people were killed in 2015. In Germany, ten people were killed by police last year, according to a report on Thursday by publishing group Funke Mediengruppe, citing figures from the German Police University.
That means that while the population of the US is roughly four times that of Germany, the number of fatal police shootings there is about 100 times greater.
So far this year, 706 people... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia,Belgium,Oman
Belgium Enjoys Record Year of Arms, Gun Sales to Saudi Arabia
20 September 2016
Brussells Times
Saudi Arabia bought 60% of Walloon weapons sold in 2015.
This is per the report of the "Weapons" sub-commission of the Wallonia parliament on export licences granted or refused during the last year. Le Soir is reporting this today (Tuesday).
Wallonia has never exported so many arms to Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia has only accounted for 34 export licences of the 1,369 delivered from 68 countries across the whole of the year.
However, these contracts represent a total of... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia Main Importer of Guns Made in Belgium [FR]
20 September 2016
RT-TV Novosti (Russia)
[Translated summary: According to a report by the firearms commission of the Walloon parliament, in 2015 Ryad was the main importer of arms manufactured in the Belgian region. Saudia Arabia has purchased a total of 575.8 million EUR in weapons, including firearms, cannons, mortars, ammunition, rockets and armoured vehicles.]
Selon un rapport de la commission sur les armes du parlement wallon, Ryad a été, en 2015, le premier importateur d'armes produites dans la... (GunPolicy.org)
800,000 Guns, Mostly Illegal, Circulate in Honduras [ES]
20 September 2016
SwissInfo, Reuters
[Translated Summary: The International Committee for Human Rights estimates that between 800,000 and one million firearms circulate in Honduras, while about 282,000 are properly registered. Many of these are used by 60,000 security guards in private companies, while others are illegal or non-registered.]
Honduras, con más de 4 000 homicidios por año, es uno de los países más violentos del mundo y los derechos humanos, sector en el que la cooperación helvética... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Amnesty Operation Launched in French Réunion [FR]
19 September 2016
France TV Info
[Translated summary: An amnesty operation has begun in the French Indian Ocean territory of Réunion. Citizens are invited to surrender their firearms, without any sanction until December 15. In past operations, 820 firearms and 31,053 rounds of ammunition were collected in Martinique, and 86 firearms and 3,800 rounds of ammunition in French Polynesia.]
Le but est de réduire le nombre d'armes en circulation de façon illégale à La Réunion. Les particuliers sont... (GunPolicy.org)
Pen Guns on Secretive Internet Site Aimed at Buyers in France
15 September 2016
The Register (United Kingdom)
French hackers are selling concealed weapons including so-called pen guns that fire .22 Long Rifle bullets on highly secretive crime forums, threat researcher Cedric Pernet says.
Videos of the home-made pen guns scattered around the internet show the weapons in working use.
The guns are being sold for €150 (US$169, £127, A$226) alongside other concealed weapons like knuckle dusters and knives, and more expensive conventional large firearms.
Trend Micro's Pernet... (GunPolicy.org)
More Towns, Cities in France Want to Arm their Police [FR]
9 September 2016
La Gazette (France)
[Translated summary: After the attacks, more mayors in France want to arm their municipal police because they think the officers face the same challenges as the national police. In some districts, police will be allowed to carry firearms when they finish their training at the end of the year.]
Les maires estiment que le policier municipal est devenu une cible et que ses missions ont changé, étant de plus en plus proche de celles de la police nationale.
Depuis les... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Swiss Army Officers Take Guns Home, Suicides Fall [FR]
9 September 2016
Le Temps (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: According to a study from a psychiatric hospital in Bern, a decrease in the number of officers in the Swiss Army in 2003 prevented the suicide of 30 men. Removing guns from homes is the cause. In Switzerland, soldiers must store their firearms in their homes when they are on leave.]
Une étude d'un psychiatre bernois prouve que la diminution des effectifs de l'armée suisse en 2003 a diminué le nombre de suicides dans la population. La possession... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland: Gun Suicides Fall as Soldiers Leave Guns at Work
7 September 2016
The Trace (USA)
Thomas Reisch, a psychiatrist and researcher in Switzerland, was reviewing the rates of suicide in his country when he noticed something unusual. Right around 2004, the number of gun suicides substantially declined. Reisch, who serves as the medical director of a psychiatric hospital just outside of Bern, wondered why.
Switzerland, a peaceful country of about eight million people, is typically regarded for its pristine ski resorts, economic prosperity, and... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,Turkmenistan,Oman,Belgium,Bahrain,Israel,Yemen,Saudi Arabia,United Kingdom,Ukraine,France,Russia,China
UK, Second Largest Gun Exporter, Arms the Middle East [FR]
5 September 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: The United Kingdom is the second largest exporter of arms. Between 2010 and 2015, the UK has sold weapons worth 10 million pounds to Oman, Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates, countries that are classified as "Non-free" by the Freedom House NGO. Other countries that buy from the UK are Saudi Arabia and Israel.]
Le Royaume-Uni est le deuxième plus grand exportateur d'armes du monde sur les 10 dernières années et devant des pays comme la... (GunPolicy.org)
Train Marshals to Carry Hidden Handguns in France [FR]
5 September 2016
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: A new decree will allow security agents to carry firearms while wearing civilian clothes in the trains of France. The State Council will finish reviewing the decree in October, but it's going to take more time to equip the agents and train them in the handling of these weapons. The agents are already allowed to perform identity checks and search the baggage of travellers.]
A la suite de l'attentat du Thalys, la SNCF avait prévu que les agents de... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Switzerland
Arms Trade Treaty Conference Focused Only on Bureaucracy
31 August 2016
Stimson Center (USA)
In a meeting that symbolized a stark contrast between the humanitarian crises occurring around the world and the comfortable and scenic gathering of governments committed to stopping irresponsible arms transfers, more than 500 people representing Arms Trade Treaty States Parties, signatories, industry, and civil society representatives met in Geneva from August 22-26 for the Second Conference of States Parties (CSP2) to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT is the first... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Protest Against EU's Plan to Tighten Gun Control
31 August 2016
Business Insider, Reuters
ZURICH -- Friction between Switzerland and the European Union over the bloc's plans to tighten gun control following a rise in militant attacks could turn into another serious snag in ties already tested by Swiss efforts to curb immigration.
The proposed directive, which applies to non-EU member Switzerland only because it is part of Europe's Schengen open border system, has raised hackles among the Swiss, who resent intervention from Brussels.
Christoph Blocher, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Switzerland,Austria,Czech Republic
Europeans Buy More Guns in Fear of Jihadist Attacks [ES]
27 August 2016
Actualidad RT
[Translated Summary: In the Czech Republic, the number of firearm owners reached 300,000 in the first five months of 2016. Gun dealers in Switzerland and Austria say they've also seen a surge in interest towards firearms following jihadist shootings in Europe. Germans are choosing self-defence devices, like sprays and blank guns.]
El número de europeos que compra armas de fuego y dispositivos de autodefensa aumenta con cada día que pasa, informa Reuters. Las... (GunPolicy.org)
Jordan,Lebanon,Kuwait,Qatar,United Arab Emirates,Bahrain,Yemen,Saudi Arabia,Egypt,European Union,Switzerland,United States
Arms Trade Treaty Member Nations Flout Gun Trade Rules [FR]
26 August 2016
SwissInfo
[Translated summary: Many countries that have signed the Arms Trade Treaty continue to ignore the rules. Only Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden have been completely transparent about their trade. US, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France and Italy continue to sell arms to Egypt which translates into the torture and death of hundreds of people.]
Disposer d'un traité sur le commerce des armes, c'est bien. Encore faut-il qu'il soit respecté. Pour Amnesty International, trop... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Calls for New Arms Control Deal With Russia
25 August 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Germany's foreign minister has called for a new arms control deal with Moscow to avoid an escalation of tensions in Europe, where intensified military exercises by Russia and NATO have raised concerns that a war could inadvertently be triggered.
In an apparent reference to Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine, Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Russia had violated basic, non-negotiable principles of peace, breaking delicate bonds of trust built up over... (GunPolicy.org)
EU Wants Switzerland to Tighten Gun Laws, Disarm Many [FR]
24 August 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland is going to toughen its firearm legislation, introducing psychological and medical tests for the owners. The goal is to prove that owners are not a danger for society and that they have to be supervised. Anyone that is not on active service or a member of a shooting club will not have the right to own a firearm.]
Suisse -- Bruxelles va durcir sa législation sur les armes à feu, introduisant notamment des tests psychologiques et... (GunPolicy.org)
South Sudan,United States,Ukraine,United Kingdom,Yemen,Libya,Iran,Czech Republic,Syria,Italy,Bulgaria,Afghanistan,Saudi Arabia,France
World Powers Accused of Violating Arms Trade Treaty [ES]
23 August 2016
IPS Noticias
[Translated summary: Human Rights organisations and military analysts accuse the United States, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France and Italy of violating the Arms Trade Treaty by selling to countries in conflict. Experts say that effectively implementing the treaty could save millions of lives.]
NACIONES UNIDAS - Los grandes proveedores de armamento violan el tratado que regula su comercio y que se propone frenar el flujo de armas pequeñas y ligeras hacia las zonas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Can Improve Gun Trade Transparency - Experts [FR]
23 August 2016
Le Nouvelliste (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: After signing the Arms Trade Treaty, Switzerland provided the first annual report. Experts think it can be improved, for example, by using more exact descriptions of the exported items, which would make them easier to trace. Switzerland softened its control of arms exports in 2014 and is now selling guns to Saudi Arabia].
Suite à la signature du Traité international sur le commerce des armes (TCA), la Suisse doit fournir un rapport annuel sur les... (GunPolicy.org)
France,United States,United Kingdom,Czech Republic,Austria,Switzerland,Germany
In Fear of Terror, Europeans Buy More Guns, Scare Devices
23 August 2016
Reuters
Europeans in a number of countries are seeking to arm themselves with guns and self-defence devices in growing numbers following a series of attacks by militants and the mentally ill. Here are some figures.
- In Germany, permits for scare devices including blank guns and those that fire pepper spray rose 49 percent to 402,301 in the year to June, federal statistics show.
However, the number of certificates to possess firearms dipped marginally to 1,894,283 from... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,United Kingdom,France,Saudi Arabia,United States
France, UK, US Urged to Halt Gun Sales to Saudi Arabia
23 August 2016
France 24
As a UN conference on the arms trade kicked off in Geneva on Monday, France, Britain and the United States came under fire from NGOs for selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is waging a controversial campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Swiss city is hosting the second conference on the UN-backed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which came into force in 2014 to lay out new rules governing the international arms trade. Advocacy groups are urging signatories to keep... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Kingdom,Slovakia,Moldova,Ukraine,Egypt,Italy,France,Czech Republic,Bulgaria,United States,South Sudan,Syria,Yemen
UN: No Tolerance for States Who Flout Arms Trade Treaty
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
- States Parties [countries] still engaging in unscrupulous arms transfers, putting lives and human rights at risk
- More than a quarter of States Parties are yet to meet the treaty's reporting obligations
- Some States Parties opting to reject public scrutiny of their arms transfers
States must ensure the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) lives up to its promise to save lives and protect human rights from the devastating effects of the international arms trade by taking... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,South Sudan,South Korea,Singapore,Turkey,Australia,Pakistan,United Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia,India,Israel,Italy,Spain,Russia,France,United Kingdom,Germany,China,United States
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
German Right-Wing Group Calls for Mass Gun Ownership
20 August 2016
Express (UK)
The AFD has won growing support partly due to the European migrant crisis, which has seen more than one million arrive in the country over the past year.
The chairwoman for the party, Frauke Petry, said: "Many people are increasingly feeling unsafe. Every law-abiding citizen should be in a position to defend themselves, their family and their friends.
"We all know how long it takes until the police can get to the scene, especially in sparsely populated... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Belgium Can Now Carry Guns On and Off Duty [FR]
17 August 2016
Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (Belgium)
[Translated summary: A Royal Decree in Belgium will authorize police officers to carry arms in their off-duty hours. This measure will be temporary and in the context of self-defence. Also, in the future, unarmed police officers will not patrol alone.]
Les représentants des ministres de la Justice et de l'Intérieur, des polices locales et fédérales ainsi que les quatre organisations syndicales se sont réunis toute la journée. Sur la table de négociations : le... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Resumes Gun, Weapon Deliveries to Kurds in Iraq
17 August 2016
New York Times
The German military on Wednesday said it had resumed deliveries of weapons to Kurdistan after the government of the northern Iraqi region vowed to ensure the arms did not end up on the black market.
A defense ministry spokesman said Germany had delivered 70 tonnes of weapons, including 1,500 rifles, 100 shoulder-fired rockets and three armored vehicles, to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil on Tuesday.
Germany halted weapons deliveries in January after media... (GunPolicy.org)
Germans Arrest Suspected Supplier of Mass Shooter's Gun
16 August 2016
New York Times
BERLIN — The police have arrested a 31-year-old German man suspected of selling a gun and bullets to a teenager who killed nine people in a rampage last month in Munich, which sent the city into a panicky lockdown amid fears of a terrorist attack.
The man was detained on Tuesday in the central German city of Marburg after being lured into a weapons deal with investigators and boasting that he had supplied the gun and ammunition in the Munich rampage, the authorities... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,Germany,Turkey,Saudi Arabia,Jordan,Syria,Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe and the Lucrative Middle East Arms Trade
9 August 2016
Deutsche Welle
War-torn Syria is full of arms: thousands of AK47 assault rifles, machine guns, mortar shells, rocket launchers and anti-tank weapons, aging T-55 and T-72 tanks. Most are believed to come from the following countries: Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Montenegro, Serbia and Romania. They reach Syria via a circuitous route. First, they are sent by air or sea to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates or Turkey – then on from there to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,Western Europe,Romania
Romania Is a Central Point for Gun Trafficking from Ukraine [FR]
7 August 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: The illicit traffic of firearms coming from Ukraine passes through Romania to reach the countries of Western Europe, but also the Middle East. One Romanian traffic network offers pistols, sniper rifles, shotguns, hunting rifles and semi-automatics.]
Les ventes d'armes illégales en provenance d'Ukraine et à destination de l'Europe de l'Ouest commencent à faire parler d'elles.
Le trafic illicite d'armes en provenance d'Ukraine passe par la... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Germany,Europe,Czech Republic
Czech President Touts New Law to Keep Guns for Self Defence
3 August 2016
New American (USA)
Reflecting a startling change of heart, Czech Republic President Miloš Zeman (shown), once opposed to private civilian ownership of firearms for self-defense, told local Czech newspaper Blesk: "Earlier I spoke often about limiting the ability [of citizens] to have large quantities of weapons. But after the terrorist attacks [in France], I have changed the idea." He is now pushing the Czech parliament to adopt a new law that would allow citizens to purchase, keep, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Will France Issue Guns to Its Municipal Police Officers? [FR]
1 August 2016
Sputnik News (France)
[Translated summary: Most municipal police officers in France don't carry firearms, but now the terrorist threat suggests it's necessary to arm them. In order to do so, each officer needs to pass theory and practical tests. The Mayor must then request authorisation.]
La menace accroît et la majorité des polices municipales n'ont toujours pas d'armes. Quel avenir pour les policiers municipaux? Eclairage dans une interview du policier Alain Dal accordée à... (GunPolicy.org)
Pistols, Automatic Rifle Stolen from US Army Base in Germany
30 July 2016
International Business Times (UK)
A US investigation unit has revealed that a collection of firearms were stolen from the Panzer Kaserne Army base near Stuttgart in Germany. Special agents from the US Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) expressed concern that the weapons could find their way into the wrong hands or could be sold on the black market.
Weapons often tend to get misplaced on the base and though the Army did not confirm when the arms went missing, it indicated the theft occurred a few... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Germany,Spain,Western Europe,Poland
Spain, Europol Dismantle Multinational Gun Trafficking Network
26 July 2016
Europol
Europol has supported a Spanish National Police – led operation which resulted in the dismantlement of an organised crime group headed by a Polish national suspected of firearms trafficking.
Numerous house searches were carried out in several locations in the municipality of Ibiza in the last couple of weeks. Simultaneously, Europol coordinated searches in some firms located in Germany and Switzerland.
As a result, several members of the crime network were... (GunPolicy.org)
Terror Fears Trigger Swiss Run on Guns, 17% More Licences
25 July 2016
Local (Switzerland)
There has been a marked increase in applications for gun licences in Switzerland, a development police attribute to growing insecurity.
The SonntagsBlick newspaper reported new statistics showing the number of applications increased by 17 percent last year over the previous year.
The statistics from all 26 cantons showed that there were 29,146 applications for gun ownership made in 2015.
All cantons with the exception of Jura in the northwest reported an increase. In... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Calls for EU-Wide Gun Control After Munich Shootings
24 July 2016
Telegraph (UK)
The German government has called for EU-wide gun controls in the wake of the Munich shootings, as it emerged the teenage attacker bought a gun on the "dark web".
One of the mysteries of the attack has been how Ali Sonboly managed to get hold of a Glock handgun and the 300 rounds of ammunition police found in his backpack.
Police now believe he bought the gun on the so-called "dark web", an area of the internet not accessible without special software, used by criminals... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany's Stringent Gun Ownership Rules - Reuters
23 July 2016
Reuters
BERLIN/FRANKFURT - An 18-year-old German-Iranian believed to have acted alone killed nine people in a shooting spree with a pistol at a busy shopping centre in Munich on Friday evening.
Here are some facts about acquiring and owning a gun in Germany.
1. Germany has some of the "most stringent" rules around gun control in Europe, according to the U.S. Library of Congress. (https://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearms-control/germany.php#t1)
2. To own a gun in Germany, it is... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany's Stringent Gun Ownership Rules
23 July 2016
Daily Mail (UK)
BERLIN/FRANKFURT - An 18-year-old German-Iranian believed to have acted alone killed nine people in a shooting spree with a pistol at a busy shopping centre in Munich on Friday evening.
Here are some facts about acquiring and owning a gun in Germany.
1. Germany has some of the "most stringent" rules around gun control in Europe, according to the U.S. Library of Congress. (https://www.loc.gov/law/help/firearms-control/germany.php#t1)
2. To own a gun in Germany, it is... (GunPolicy.org)
French President Declares Nice Truck Attack a 'Terrorist Act'
15 July 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Hollande said it cannot be denied that it was a terrorist attack that left 77 people dead in Nice.
He said the truck attack in Nice was of a "terrorist character" and extended the national state of emergency by three months.
"France has been struck on the day of her national holiday – the 14th of July, Bastille Day – the symbol of liberty, because human rights are denied by fanatics and France is clearly their target," he said.
"There's no denying the terrorist... (GunPolicy.org)
Gang Smuggling Guns from Switzerland to France Dismantled
11 July 2016
SwissInfo
An investigation by the French police has led to the arrest of two Swiss residents involved in smuggling arms to the French cities of Toulouse and Marseilles. Around 300 to 400 weapons of different calibers, including a Kalashnikov and M16 were seized.
Information on the trafficking operation was obtained after investigations in France and Switzerland in June and July, said the Marseilles public prosecutor Brice Robin at a press conference in the city on Monday.
Two... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Exports Almost Doubled in 2015
5 July 2016
New York Times, Reuters
BERLIN — German arms exports almost doubled last year to their highest level since the beginning of this century, a German newspaper said on Sunday, citing a report from the Economy Ministry that is due to be presented to the cabinet on Wednesday.
Newspaper Welt am Sonntag said the value of individual approvals granted for exporting arms was 7.86 billion euros ($8.75 billion) last year compared with 3.97 billion euros worth of arms exports in 2014.
It said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Gun Homicides in Toulouse, France in 16 Days [FR]
5 July 2016
La Depeche (France)
[Translated summary: In 16 recent days there were three gun homicides in Toulouse. Gangs use hunting rifles, 9 mm handguns and pistols in fights for territory. Police say that an increase in the number of policemen and a video-protection program increases security in the city.]
Les armes à feu ont déjà tué trois personnes en 16 jours à Toulouse. Dans un tout autre contexte, leur utilisation devient régulière dans les cités où l'on assiste à des épisodes... (GunPolicy.org)
M16, 53 Handguns Seized from Sport Shooters in France [FR]
1 July 2016
Liberté Bonhomme (France)
[Translated summary: Caen police seized four ancient war weapons, one M16 rifle, 53 handguns and more than 120 kg. of ammunition. Eight people are involved, but they don't belong to the criminal community, they practice sport shooting. The guns were seized because they were not declared. The owners could face 5 years in prison. All the arms and ammunition seized were destroyed.]
Les gendarmes de la section de recherches ont procédé à une saisie record d'armes et de... (GunPolicy.org)
Large Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in France [FR]
29 June 2016
20 Minutes (France)
[Translated summary: Montpellier police dismantled a large gun trafficking network. They seized assault rifles, pistols and revolvers and arrested ten people. The firearms were sold to criminals and corrupt gun collectors.]
Une dizaine de personnes a été arrêtée dans le cadre de ce trafic d'armes qui arrosait un grand sud-est de la France. Des dizaines d'armes ont été saisies…
La police judiciaire de Montpellier a démantelé un vaste trafic d'armes de... (GunPolicy.org)
French Police Lifeguards Can Now Carry Guns on Beach Patrol
28 June 2016
Local (France)
Authorities in France have given specialist police lifeguards the right to carry arms when they patrol French beaches this summer. It marks a first in France.
The move is a direct consequence of the terror threat facing French police that brutally revealed itself in the double murder of a policeman and his partner at their home in Magnanville near Paris earlier this month.
As a result CRS lifeguards who monitor some of the busier beaches in France will have the right... (GunPolicy.org)
France Must Meet Obligations Under Arms Trade Treaty [FR]
24 June 2016
Armer Desarmer (France), Blog
[Translated summary: Countries involved in conflict and where crimes against humanity are committed, currently receive guns originating in France. Under the Arms Trade Treaty, if one country member estimates that the firearms could be used to commit a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law, the exportation will not be authorized.]
Depuis le 24 décembre 2014, la France est engagée juridiquement dans l'application du traité sur le commerce des armes (TCA)... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Wants to Strengthen Gun Registry to Fight Terror
21 June 2016
Local (Germany)
State interior ministers have submitted a proposal to federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière regarding the trade and background of weapons, according to publishing group Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
"Terrorism and criminality are not stopped by national borders," said Mecklenburg-Vorpommern interior minister, Lorenz Caffier.
"Considering the attacks on Paris and Brussels, this data exchange is overdue and important for saving lives."
In Germany there... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Switzerland,Qatar,Italy,United Arab Emirates,Spain,Germany,Kuwait,Israel,Croatia,Saudi Arabia,Egypt,Oman,Jordan,Iraq,Lebanon
World's Small Arms Trade Reached US$5.8 Billion in 2013
17 June 2016
Israel Homeland Security
The Small Arms Survey (SAS) released its annual Transfers and Transparency trade update for 2016, which reveals that the world's top and the largest of the smaller arms exporters conducted trade to the tune of $5.8bn in 2013. This represents an increase of 17 percent in small arms trade on 2012, which came in at $5bn flat.
The United States alone, the world's largest arms manufacturer and exporter, exported a record breaking $1.1bn worth of small arms in 2013. In a... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Has 'Some of the Strictest Gun Laws in Europe'
16 June 2016
Local (Germany)
1. Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe
The US Library of Congress defines the German gun control system as "one of the most stringent in Europe".
And professor Christian Pfeiffer of Criminology Research Institute of Lower Saxony also told The Local that Germany's laws were some of the toughest worldwide.
Germans do not have fundamental rights to bear arms, unlike Americans do under the Second Amendment, and the country's violent past including the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Germany,United Kingdom,United States
How Worldwide Firearm Policies Change After a Mass Shooting
16 June 2016
Washington Post
In the wake of the massacre in Orlando, which killed 49 people, Americans are feeling frustrated about the prevalence of gun violence in the United States and are wondering what must be done to stop it. This has renewed the debate about whether stricter gun control laws could prevent mass shootings.
Perhaps there's something to be learned from countries such as Australia, Britain and Germany. After enacting stricter gun control legislation, those countries have seen a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in France Given Permission to Carry Guns While Off Duty
15 June 2016
Local (France)
Under the ongoing state of emergency French police officers are already permitted to bear their arms while off duty.
The measure was brought in as a response to the November terrorist attacks in Paris.
But it is due to end once the state of emergency in France is over, which should be the end of July, although the government could yet extend it again.
But after a police officer and his wife were stabbed at their home in a town to the west of Paris on Monday, in what... (GunPolicy.org)
German Mass Shootings Tightened Gun Law, Gun Deaths Fell
15 June 2016
Los Angeles Times
Tough gun control laws in Germany that were rigorously tightened after two ghastly school shootings in 2002 and 2009 have helped cut the number of firearm killings in half to about 50 a year, according to experts.
Germans are known to admire America and its freedoms, but they were horrified by the arrival of distinctly American-style school shootings in their backyard in Erfurt in 2002 and Winnenden in 2009. They have been equally as shocked by the shooting deaths by a... (GunPolicy.org)
Preschoolers Handling Army Guns Cause Uproar in Germany
14 June 2016
Europe Online Magazine
Germany's armed forces will no longer allow visitors to handle weapons at open houses, following a scandal in which preschoolers were photographed playing with unloaded weapons, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday.
The children got their hands on the guns while visiting a barracks in the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg on Saturday.
"To prevent something like this from happening again, I have decided that no weapons should be handled in future open... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Wins EU Exemption to Keep Army Guns at Home
10 June 2016
SwissInfo
European Union countries agreed on Friday on new measures to tighten gun controls in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris last year. Switzerland has gained a special clause to allow its militia army soldiers to keep their guns at home.
Although not an EU-member, the Swiss are obliged to follow the move as they have signed up to the cross-border Schengen agreement. This allows for passport-free travel within its 26 signatories, and thus potentially for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,North Korea,Iran,South Africa,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Germany,Italy,United States,United Arab Emirates
Gun Trade Still Growing at Expense of Development - Study
8 June 2016
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS - A report released by The Small Arms Survey here Monday shows the alarming rate at which the trade of small arms and light weapons has been increasing.
Under Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN last September, UN member states have agreed to significantly reduce illicit arms trade flows by 2030.
"The Sustainable Development Agenda puts a clear emphasis on arms as one of the elements that will need to be taken into account for... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,North Korea,Iran,United States,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Germany,Italy,Saudi Arabia
Global Gun Trade Leapt 17 Percent in Aftermath of Arab Spring
7 June 2016
Deutsche Welle
Global trade in small arms hit $6 billion (5.3 billion euros) in 2013, a jump of 17 percent over the previous year, according to a non-profit arms-tracking organization, which released its results at a UN conference in New York on Monday.
The report, which was produced by the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey, again found that the United States was, by far, both the largest exporter and importer of small arms and light weapons, exporting a record $1.1 billion worth of... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,United States,United Arab Emirates,Saudi Arabia,Germany,Switzerland,United Kingdom,Iran,North Korea
Switzerland Loses Top Slot in Gun Trade Transparency Ranking
7 June 2016
SwissInfo
For the first time since 2007, Switzerland gave up the top spot in the Small Arms Survey's latest evaluation of the most transparent small arms exporters.
"Its lower score in comparison with previous years reflects less complete reporting to United Nations Comtrade [UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database] and a lack of information on licence denials," the authors said in the 2016 bulletin published on Monday.
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab... (GunPolicy.org)
Machine Guns, Arsenal Seized for Euro 2016 Attacks in France
6 June 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
A Frenchman with an arsenal of weapons and a grudge against his government's immigration policies was detained as he tried to leave Ukraine and launch an assault on the European Championship, Ukrainian officials said Monday, describing it as a thwarted plot for a "series of 15 terrorist attacks."
The announcement came as France promised unprecedented security for the soccer tournament's crowds and stadiums, which includes the French national stadium that was attacked... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,Germany,El Salvador
El Salvador Accuses Its Own Ambassador of Gun Trafficking
6 June 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Prosecutors in El Salvador have asked Congress to strip the country's ambassador to Germany and former Defense minister of immunity so they can pursue charges against him related to an alleged arms trafficking ring.
The Attorney General's Office is accusing Gen. Jose Atilio Benítez of fraud, illegal possession of weapons, and illegal arms trafficking, La Prensa Grafica reported. The prosecutors alleged that Benítez ordered subordinates to fraudulently register... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Links Firearm Registries to Check Gun Owners [FR]
3 June 2016
Federal Council (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: From 1 July, the exchange of information about guns will be improved in Switzerland. The firearm registries in each canton will be linked to each other, making it simpler for authorities to detect gun owners who could represent a danger to themselves or to others.]
L'échange d'informations entre les autorités sur les détenteurs d'armes qui pourraient représenter un danger pour eux-mêmes ou pour autrui sera amélioré. Le Conseil fédéral a... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland to Link Gun Registries in a National Database [FR]
3 June 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland will have interconnected gun registries from 1 July. Authorities will be able to better exchange information about firearm owners, movement and transfer of private guns and authorisation denials.]
Conseil fédéral: Les autorités pourront mieux échanger leurs informations concernant les détenteurs d'armes à feu dès le 1er juillet.
Le Conseil fédéral a fixé vendredi la date d'entrée en vigueur d'une révision qui ne va pas... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Gun Ownership Rises Each Year in Belgium [FR]
24 May 2016
Derniere Heure (Brussels)
[Translated summary: Despite strict laws, the number legally owned firearms increases from 1 to 2% every year in Belgium. Applicants must have a clean criminal record, pass a background check and also have a genuine reason to own a gun. Possible reasons are: hunting, sport, personal defence only for people with a specific risk, putting together a historical collection or participating in historical or folkloric activities.]
Malgré une législation stricte, le nombre... (GunPolicy.org)
Neo-Nazi Gunman Kills 2, Injures 11 at Austrian Rock Concert
24 May 2016
Local (Austria), Central European News
The gunman who opened fire with a Kalashnikov at a rock concert leaving three people including the attacker dead and 11 hospitalised was a skinhead member of extremist neo-Nazi group "Blood and Honour".
The far-right have been gaining in popularity in Austria after mass immigration and the country almost voted in a far-right president Norbert Hofer who was only narrowly defeated in yesterday's election.
Police have released further details yesterday of the killings... (GunPolicy.org)
Buried Machine Gun Arsenal Seized from House In France [FR]
20 May 2016
MCETV
[Translated summary: Customs have seized assault weapons, machine guns, rifles, two bazookas, one rocket launcher and forty handguns from a house in the Picardy region. These were stored close to ammunition, shells, grenades and detonators. Two men were arrested.]
La douane a mis la main sur une quantité incroyable d'armes à feu dans une maison picarde… Une découverte qui fait froid dans le dos.
Ce sont des armes de guerre qui feraient frissonner n'importe quel... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Issued 2,959 Licences for Gun Possession in 2015 [FR]
20 May 2016
Le Soir (Belgium)
[Translated summary: At 31 December 2015, 769,120 guns were registered and legally held in Belgium. This number rises about 1% or 2% every year. 2,959 licences were issued in 2015 in Brabant, 67% more than in 2013. Most of them were requested by sport shooters.]
Le nombre d'armes à feu augmente de 1 ou 2 % chaque année. En Brabant, 2.959 autorisations de détention ont été délivrées en 2015. Soit 34 % de plus qu'en 2014. Par rapport à 2013, l'augmentation est... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Main EU Exporter of Guns to Middle East [FR]
6 May 2016
Sud Info (Belgium)
[Translated summary: A report from the EU on firearm exports indicates that Belgium was, in 2014, the largest European exporter of firearms and the second largest exporter of ammunition to the Middle East, specially Saudi Arabia. The country exported 259,9 million Euros worth of firearms and 187,9 million Euros in ammunition during 2014.]
Ce classement ressort du rapport annuel de l'Union européenne sur les exportations d'armes. Officiellement, la Belgique se situe... (GunPolicy.org)
German Gun Owners Feel Misunderstood, Some Envy USA
4 May 2016
CNN
It's been more than seven years since a 17-year-old dressed in military gear killed 15 people in a shooting spree in Winnenden, Germany, a picturesque little town just outside of Stuttgart.
Since then, a rare shooting tragedy in Germany, the country has implemented a national firearms registry, requiring the owners of 5.5 million legally owned guns to register them with the government.
The scale of gun ownership took photographers Miguel Hahn and Jan-Christophe... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,Israel,Switzerland,Japan,Australia,United Kingdom,Sweden,United States
Americans Face Extreme Difficulty Exporting Their Guns
27 April 2016
Wall Street Journal, Blog
When American Tom Heberlein tried to import his firearms to Sweden, he got as far as his transfer in the U.K. before it started to become complicated. There, despite having the correct paperwork, a U.K. customs official said: "You can't have these guns."
And thus began Mr. Heberlein's global gun education.
Although Mr. Heberlein did, after a lot of negotiation, finally get his guns through U.K. customs and in to Sweden, the entire experience created a hassle he hadn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Customs Confiscate More and More Guns in Switzerland [FR]
20 April 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland reports growing possession of illegal weapons among its citizens. Although most of them are knives, sprays and airguns, customs seized 76 firearms in 2015. Police explained that in most cases, people ignore that they are illegal in Switzerland.]
Si les hommes jeunes représentent encore la majorité des cas, le nombre de femmes en possession d'armes illégales explose.
Les procédures pour infraction à la loi sur les armes affichent... (GunPolicy.org)
743 Guns Seized in France after the Paris Attacks [FR]
20 April 2016
Le Parisien (France)
[Translated summary: Since the beginning of the state of emergency in France, after the Paris attacks, authorities have seized 743 guns, 75 of which were weapons of war.]
Alors que l'état d'urgence, décidé après les attentats de novembre à Paris, doit être prolongé au-delà du 26 mai, nous avons voulu dresser un bilan chiffré de ce régime d'exception.
Premier enseignement: selon nos informations, depuis la dernière prorogation de l'état d'urgence le 26... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Iraq,West Asia,Serbia,Syria,Saudi Arabia,Albania,France,Bulgaria,Croatia,Eastern Europe,Europe,Slovakia,Sudan
Balkan Gun Trade Fuels Crime, Terrorism in Europe, Asia
16 April 2016
Economist
The arsenal discovered in the apartment of Reda Kriket, a suspected terrorist arrested on March 24th near Paris, included explosives, Kalashnikov AK-47 rifles and a machine pistol from Croatia. The terrorists who staged the attacks last November in Paris employed AK-47s made by Zastava, a Serbian manufacturer. The Kouachi brothers, who attacked the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo the previous January, used Kalashnikov ammunition made in Bosnia. Whatever else these... (GunPolicy.org)
How Belgium Legislates for Gun Control [FR]
10 April 2016
RTBF (Belgium)
[Translated summary: In 2006, Belgium tightened its legislation on firearm possession by creating three categories of firearms: A for 'prohibited firearms', B for 'firearms available over the counter', C for 'firearms subject to authorisation'. In 2013, the government prohibited the over-the-counter selling of antique, folk and decorative firearms.]
Ce week-end, aux États-Unis, le "National Rifle Association", l'association qui a pour but de promouvoir les armes à... (GunPolicy.org)
Smart Guns Will Not be Available Soon in France [FR]
5 April 2016
ObjetConnecte.net (France)
[Translated summary: There is a new market of smart guns developing. In France, these guns would belong to the A category, meaning that the only ones allowed to carry them would be police or customs officials. Therefore, smart guns are not going to be available for the general public any time soon.]
L'internet des objets fait partie intégrante de notre présent. Les objets connectés sont de plus en plus nombreux et suscitent par leur intérêt et leur efficacité, un... (GunPolicy.org)
Some Security Agents Will be Armed in French Trains [FR]
5 April 2016
France Soir
[Translated summary: As a consequence of the recent terrorists attacks, the president of the SNCF (National Society of French Railways) has declared that, because of the Savary Law, security agents dressed in civilian clothes will carry guns as a security measure.]
Le président de la SNCF Guillaume Pepy a déclaré dimanche que des agents en civil armés seront bientôt déployés dans les trains par mesure de sécurité. Il a également assuré que les portiques de... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Gun Permits on the Rise in Switzerland
1 April 2016
SwissInfo
In Switzerland, anyone wanting a gun applies to their cantonal police for a permit. A survey by swissinfo.ch shows permit applications were up almost everywhere in 2015.
The small canton of Obwalden – a mountainous tourist area with around 36,000 residents - reported the biggest spike in gun permits granted, 149 compared with 100 in 2014.
Canton Aargau - one of the most densely populated regions of Switzerland – processed the most: 478 permits more than in... (GunPolicy.org)
Terrorists Attacks in France: Which Guns Were Used? [FR]
24 March 2016
France TV Info
[Translated summary: In Europe, it is very easy to get a firearm. In the recent terrorists attacks, Mohammed Merah had a Colt that was not precisely illegal and the Kouachi brothers used Yugoslavian rifles that came from arms trafficking. There would be 2,763,000 registered firearms in France and 10 million in circulation.]
L'Europe veut se saisir du sujet de la circulation des armes à feu. En Europe, il est très facile de se procurer des armes. C'est le cas... (GunPolicy.org)
Off Duty Police May Soon Carry Hidden Handguns in Austria
23 March 2016
Local (Austria), Central European News
Austrian Interior Ministry officials are considering a plan to allow all police officers to carry handguns when off duty.
The announcement follows the news that gun sales in Austria have been booming, particularly of shotguns which can be sold without a licence. Breakdown of statistics revealed that most of the new buyers of guns were either women or police officers.
The revelation that men and women who are on the frontline fighting crime are buying guns is regarded... (GunPolicy.org)
Lax Gun Tracing and Registration in Belgium - Experts [FR]
20 March 2016
Le Soir (Belgique)
[Translated summary: According to a retired Commissioner, Belgium lacks transparency in terms of gun numbers; Police reports are outdated; the Firearms Act is unreadable; Police and Customs are under-funded and under-equipped to fight arms trafficking.]
1. La Belgique n'a pas de vision, pas de chiffres
Personne n'est capable d'estimer aujourd'hui combien d'armes illégales circulent en Belgique. « On a bien une vue sur la détention légale, on n'a absolument aucune... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Eastern Europe,Germany,Slovakia,France
East Europe's Shadow Gun Market Fuels Terrorism in West
18 March 2016
Black Sea, Der Spiegel, Le Soir
The trafficking of Communist-era weapons leads from a Slovakian website to last year's ISIS terror attack in Paris and new regulations have failed to stop the sale of deadly weapons to criminals, we can reveal.
7 January 2015. Chérif Kouachi and his brother Said leave a bloodbath in the newsroom of magazine Charlie Hebdo. Two days later, Kouachi's close contact, Amedy Coulibaly, assaults the kosher supermarket Hyper Cacher in Paris.
When Coulibaly takes the... (GunPolicy.org)
Eastern Europe,Caribbean,France
40% Increase in Smuggled, Seized Firearms in France [FR]
17 March 2016
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: In France, results in the fight against arms trafficking increased strongly, with a 40% increase in the number of firearms seized (1,158 against 828 in 2014). Strong measures against arms trafficking have been implemented. France deplores 1,800 deaths by firearm every year.]
Tabac et articles de contrefaçon, drogues ou encore armes… 2015 est un cru plutôt faste pour les douanes qui ont multiplié les saisies. En matière de la lutte contre les... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg Central to Europe's Gun Trafficking Routes [FR]
9 March 2016
Le Quotidien (Luxembourg)
[Translated summary: Luxembourg finds itself in the middle of Europe's gun trafficking routes. Luxembourg police seize thousands of guns, and in 2012 86,427 firearms owned by 15,670 people were legally registered.]
Les ministres de la Sécurité intérieure et de la Justice affirment que le Luxembourg ne joue pas de rôle dans le trafic international d'armes de guerre. C'est faux. Un réseau en partie implanté au Grand-Duché et démantelé en février 2015 alimentait... (GunPolicy.org)
German Neo-nazis Allowed to Keep Gun License
8 March 2016
Deutsche Welle
Germany's regional intelligence agencies the Verfassungsschutz have admitted that some 400 neo-Nazis had legal access to firearms in 2014, even though gun laws state that anyone who has actively supported far-right extremism in the past five years should have their licenses withdrawn.
As part of a documentary entitled "Terror from the right - the new threat," state broadcaster SWR focused on the story of Thomas B, a neo-Nazi arrested by police in 2009 who was found to... (GunPolicy.org)
Still 117,000 Unregistered Firearms in Belgium [FR]
7 March 2016
RTBF (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Ten years after the introduction of the Firearms Act, 647,388 firearms have been registered in the Central Firearms Register. Before the entry into force of the Act, 889,937 firearms had been registered. An Amnesty allowed to collect and destroy 125,000 firearms. 117,000 firearms would thus still be in circulation.]
Dix ans après l'introduction de la loi sur les armes, 647 388 d'entre elles ont été enregistrées au registre central des armes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Gun Regulations Eased by Politicians in France [FR]
3 March 2016
Le Point (France), Agence France Presse
[Translated summary: Following terrorist attacks in France, the National Assembly voted in favour of easing regulations on the use of firearms by law enforcement, .]
Empêtré dans la loi travail, le gouvernement a un motif de satisfaction : l'Assemblée nationale a voté mercredi soir l'assouplissement des règles d'usage des armes par les forces de l'ordre, dans le cadre du projet post-attentats de réforme pénale examiné en première lecture.
À côté des cas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Interest in Sport Shooting Up Since France Gun Attacks [FR]
2 March 2016
Zoomdici (France)
[Translated summary: Since the dramatic attacks of 2015 in France, there has been a rising interest in sport shooting, according to clubs, and not only due to the passion for the sports practice.]
Depuis les dramatiques événements de 2015 en France et la mise en place de l'état d'urgence, le sujet est tellement tabou que toutes les personnes interrogées ont préféré garder l'anonymat. Selon des membres de la direction de clubs, l'intérêt croissant pour le tir... (GunPolicy.org)
German MPs Query Germany-Mexico Gun Trafficking [ES]
1 March 2016
El Universal (Mexico)
[Translated summary: German Members of Parliament ask the Mexican government to clarify Heckler & Koch gun trafficking from Germany to Mexico, with possible links to a mass shooting of 43 students.]
Diputados alemanes pidieron al gobierno mexicano que aclare el probable tráfico de armas germanas que se han usado en conflictos dentro del país, como fue el caso de la agresión y desaparición forzada de los 43 normalistas de Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, en septiembre de 2014,... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Spain,United States,Brazil,Venezuela,Mexico
Mexico Weapons Imports Increased 331% since 2011
23 February 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Mexico's arms imports grew by 331 percent over the last five years, compared to 2006-2010, raising more concerns over the government's reluctance to scale back the militarization of the drug war.
The report (pdf), compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), notes that arms imports to the Americas decreased by 6 percent from 2011-2015 versus 2006-2010. Despite this, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil all saw a rise in imports.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Soldiers Forget Assault Rifles, Leave Them on Trains
1 February 2016
Local (Switzerland)
Safety concerns have been raised after a report revealed that Swiss soldiers left behind 18 firearms on trains in the first nine months of 2015.
The soldiers of Switzerland's conscript army apparently forgot them in different carriages of Swiss Federal Railway (SBB) trains, according to an article in ASMZ, a review for Swiss army officers.
The finding was acknowledged by Christophe Schalbetter, interim commander of the military police in his annual report.
Soldiers... (GunPolicy.org)
France Has Most Guns in Europe: How Easy to Buy? [FR]
17 January 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: There are 1,800 firearm deaths in France every year. The country has more guns per capita than most of Europe, primarily for hunting. A permit is required to purchase a gun, and the buyer must not appear in a national register of prohibited people.]
Chaque année, on dénombre 1.800 décès par arme à feu en France. Un chiffre qui comprend les suicides. Les homicides oscillent eux entre 400 et 600 par an.
La vidéo a fait le tour du monde :... (GunPolicy.org)
European Gun Restrictions 'Could Criminalize Collectors'
11 January 2016
Local (Austria)
Austria's gun lobby is up in arms against plans for tougher new EU restrictions on firearms, which are set to be approved next month and would come into effect in July.
The terror attacks in Paris in January and November last year have given new urgency to the debate on tougher gun laws, with EU leaders saying in December they would "rapidly examine" the proposals, with the aim of approving them at a summit in February.
European officials say gun laws passed in 2008... (GunPolicy.org)
German Shooting Clubs Lobby Against EU Gun Control
21 December 2015
Deutsche Welle
German gun club lobbyists were invited to the German Interior Ministry (BMI) last week to discuss something that has been bothering them for a while - the European Commission's proposed plans to tighten Europe's gun laws, which were suddenly revived from legislative stagnation in the wake of the "Islamic State" attacks in Paris in November.
By all accounts, the visit was a success. "The proposal contains things that the BMI said would be difficult for them, and where... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Montenegro,Macedonia,Kosovo,Croatia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,France
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
17 November 2015
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
Full details of the arms used in the 13 November massacres will emerge in time. This post provides some information on illicit automatic weapons, such as the Kalashnikov, in France, and how they reach illicit markets.
Overall, it appears that there is a pool of several thousand illicit military style firearms in France and relatively small numbers are trafficked in from abroad. Such quantities mean that terrorists... (GunPolicy.org)
Figures to Know About Gun Trafficking in France [FR]
13 November 2015
Huffington Post (France)
[Translated summary: An estimated 10 million firearms could be in circulation in France, of which only 4 million are legally held (official data). According to official source, 5,871 firearms were seized in 2014.]
Un plan "ferme et résolu". Annoncées mi-septembre après une énième fusillade à Marseille, les mesures pour lutter contre le trafic d'armes sont dévoilées vendredi 13 novembre par le ministère de l'Intérieur Bernard Cazeneuve. Il s'agit notamment de... (GunPolicy.org)
France Unveils Plan Against Firearms Trafficking
13 November 2015
Radio France Internationale
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve unveiled on Friday a plan to fight proliferation and arms trafficking in France.
Cazeneuve announced the plan in an interview with the daily newspaper Le Parisien.
Cazeneuve told Le Parisien, "arms trafficking feeds and supports various form of criminality such as score-settling and narcotics smuggling," adding that arms trafficking also interconnects with terrorism.
Among the measures, Cazeneuve announced targeted controls... (GunPolicy.org)
Netherlands Police Seize 24,000 Guns, Ammunition Since 2013
5 October 2015
NL Times
Police have seized nearly 24,000 illegal guns, fake guns, starter pistols and ammunition over the past two and half years, with an increase in the number of heavy weapons. Police told NOS that they find this very disconcerting.
On average, 741 illegal firearms are seized monthly, with rifles, pistols and revolvers making up almost 50 percent of this total. Since 2013 seizure of imitation firearms is approximated to be around 4,300.
Hans Vissers from the National... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Germany,Finland,Norway,Israel,United States,South Africa,China,Russia,United Kingdom,Australia,Mexico,Canada,Argentina
Three European Countries Lead US in Mass Shootings: WSJ
3 October 2015
Wall Street Journal
The latest U.S. shooting that ended in the deaths of 10 people at an Oregon college last week is reigniting calls for tighter gun laws and prompting comparisons to gun violence in other countries.
President Barack Obama asked why Americans can't follow the example of the U.K. and Australia. They crafted laws that "almost eliminate mass shootings," he said. "We know there are ways to prevent it."
Adam Lankford, an associate professor at the University of Alabama... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Finland,Switzerland,Yemen,United States
US Has 5% of World's Population, 31% of Mass Shootings
23 August 2015
EurekAlert! The Global Source for the Science News (USA) - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Chicago - Despite having only about 5 percent of the world's population, the United States was the attack site for a disproportionate 31 percent of public mass shooters globally from 1966-2012, according to new research that will be presented at the 110th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).
"The United States, Yemen, Switzerland, Finland, and Serbia are ranked as the Top 5 countries in firearms owned per capita, according to the 2007 Small... (GunPolicy.org)
French Municipal Police Officers and the Carrying of Firearms [FR]
5 May 2015
L'Humanité (France)
[Translated summary: The French government just authorised, by Decree, mayors to endow municipal police with 357 Magnums, but not all police officers are allowed to carry firearms within the scope of their duties. It depends on the place and nature of the mission. Here are listed the requirements for the carrying of firearms by municipal police officers (for example: need of a genuine reason, training, etc).]
Le gouvernement vient d'autoriser, par décret (*), les... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Republic,Spain,Belgium,Denmark,Slovakia,France
Charlie Hebdo Killers Bought Their Guns Legally in Europe
18 February 2015
Euronews (France)
The automatic rifles used in the terrorist attacks in Paris last month may have been decommissioned weapons legally bought in Slovakia and reconverted to fire live ammunition, Euronews can reveal.
French police are exploring whether weapons used in the deadly assaults on the Charlie Hebdo offices and at a Kosher supermarket were purchased in a shop inside the European Union, according to a joint investigation with the Slovakian Nový čas newspaper.
The weapons are... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain,Italy,Venezuela,Israel,Germany,Czech Republic,Brazil,Colombia,Belgium,Austria,Russia,United States,El Salvador,Turkey,Guatemala,Honduras,Mexico,Cuba,Dominican Republic,Haiti,Peru,Nicaragua
16 January 2015
Los Angeles Times, Opinion
During the 1980s, El Salvador was the single largest recipient of U.S. military hardware and weaponry in the Western Hemisphere. Although the Central American country's civil war ended in 1992, the guns, grenades and bullets linger, as do their murderous effects. In September, a U.S. official from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimated that half the weapons available on El Salvador's vibrant black market were made in the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Why French Municipal Police Officers Are Not Routinely Armed? [FR]
16 January 2015
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: Only 45% of municipal police officers carry a firearm in France. The authorisation to carry firearms is subject to a very strict procedure. Only mayors may request it to the Prefect. The request must be motivated by the framework of the mission given to police officers.]
Le meurtre d'une agent de la circulation par Amedy Coulibaly relance le débat sur l'équipement des policiers municipaux. Mais une généralisation du port d'arme se heurte à... (GunPolicy.org)
Ecuador,Panama,Paraguay,Chile,Argentina,Brazil,Venezuela,Mexico,Colombia,Spain,South Africa,Italy,Germany,Czech Republic,Belgium,Europe,Honduras,El Salvador,Israel,Nicaragua,Russia,United States,Cuba,Caribbean,Central America,South America
Small Arms Trade a 'Dramatic Threat' to Latin America
13 October 2014
NACLA
Small arms and gun violence present the most dramatic threat to public safety in Latin America and the Caribbean. After decades of uncontrolled proliferation, at least 45 million to 80 million small arms and light weapons—that is, weapons operated by an individual or small group, including handguns, assault rifles, grenades, grenade launchers, and even man portable surface to air missiles—are circulating throughout the region.(1) Gunshots kill between 73,000 and... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapons Stash Found in Lower Austria
27 June 2014
Local (Austria)
A weapons stash has been found in Stockerau (Lower Austria) after police arrested a couple for stealing petrol.
A 31-year-old Austrian man and a 30-year-old Ukrainian woman were stopped by a police patrol on the S1 motorway in connection with three thefts from petrol stations in Korneuburg between May 25th and June 17th.
The suspects had been driving a conspicuous yellow car, that had no number plates, and turned out to have been stolen in Vienna. The woman had filled... (GunPolicy.org)
French Pensioner Shoots Son Mistaking Him for Bird
23 June 2014
Local (France)
A Frenchman shot his son three times after mistaking him for a blackbird raiding the family cherry tree. The story is just the latest in a long line of tragic and freak shooting accidents in France.
A Frenchman aged in his 70s noticed some rustling in his cherry tree tree on Saturday night in north-western France and, assuming it was hungry blackbirds pillaging his fruit, he pulled out his shotgun and opened fire.
But the movement in the tree was not in fact... (GunPolicy.org)
Austria to Create Central Gun Registry to Meet EU Requirements [DE]
19 June 2014
Die Press
[Translated summary: From the end of June, all legal firearms will have to be centrally registered with Austrian authorities to meet European Union requirements. 226,264 Austrian citizens have permits for weapons requiring approval however the number of legally held weapons in Austria is much higher. Austria has one of the most liberal gun laws in Europe but Austria's gun lobby calls the changes an attack on civil liberties. There is a booming internet trade in firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Austrian Poacher's Assault Rifle Found, Months After Shooting Police
26 May 2014
Local (Austria)
Eight months after poacher Alois Huber's deadly shooting spree in the Lower Austrian town of Annaberg, a semi-automatic assault rifle has been discovered in nearby Lassingbach stream.
Regional police spokesman, Johann Baumschlager, confirmed to Kronen Zeitung that police "are almost absolutely certain" the weapon found was that used by Huber, who shot and killed two policemen, a paramedic, and a member of Austria's counter terrorism special operations unit, known as... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Dead After Shooting at Jewish Museum in Belgium
24 May 2014
BBC News
A gunman has shot dead two men and a woman at the Jewish Museum in the Belgian capital Brussels.
A fourth person was seriously wounded, emergency services said.
The attacker arrived by car, got out, fired on people at the museum entrance, and returned to the vehicle which then sped away, Belgian media report.
One person has been arrested and police are hunting a second, officials say. Security has been tightened at Jewish sites across Belgium.
Prime Minister Elio Di... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,United States,Luxembourg
Ten Things the Gun Industry Won't Tell You – Wall St Journal
20 May 2014
Wall Street Journal
1. "Owning our product may be hazardous to your health."
In the U.S., there are now somewhere between 270 million and 310 million guns, according to the Pew Research Center — that's almost one gun for every person in the nation. Judges and legislators across the political spectrum recognize the constitutional right to bear arms. And gun and ammunition sales to private citizens are a significant part of a nearly $15 billion industry that's seeing plenty of growth: On... (GunPolicy.org)
146 Killed in Domestic Violence in France in 2013, Many With Guns [FR]
7 May 2014
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: A new study shows 146 people, including 13 children, were killed in France in 2013 as a result of domestic violence. In more than 75% of cases, a firearm or other weapon was used. In 2012, 174 people were victims of domestic violence.]
En baisse en 2013 par rapport à l'année précédente, la violence conjugale a tué 121 femmes et 25 hommes en France. Les victimes de la violence conjugale ont représenté près de 20% des homicides de toute... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Dutch Shop Owners Want Self Defence Weapon Law Relaxed
7 May 2014
Netherlands Times
More than 60 percent of store owners are pleading for a widening of the Weapons Law to allow for them to keep weapons in their shops in defense against the threat of robbers. One in five store owners questioned already has a weapon under the counter.
This comes out of research from EenVandaag, who questioned 1000 shop keepers. In most cases, owners want to have less-lethal weapons such as baseball bats, but more elaborate items such as iron bars and chair legs with... (GunPolicy.org)
Outcry in Germany: Montana Gun Owner Waited, Shot Student to Death
7 May 2014
New York Times
MISSOULA, Montana — Teenagers call it garage hopping. The goal was to sneak into an open garage, steal some beer or other items and slip away into the night. It was dumb and clearly illegal. It was not supposed to be deadly.
Around midnight on April 27, a 17-year-old exchange student from Germany named Diren Dede left the host home where he played Xbox and drained cans of Sprite to set off with a friend through his dark hillside neighborhood. They passed a home whose... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,Guatemala,Austria
EU, Austria Classify Guatemala High Risk, Refuse to Export Glocks [ES]
5 May 2014
El Periódico (Guatemala), Editorial
[Translated summary: Austria and the European Union see a high risk of corruption and human rights abuse in Guatemala, and so refuse to export Glock pistols for local police.]
¿Armas europeas para cometer hechos criminales?, de ninguna manera dice Austria
A la Fábrica Glock Ges. m.b.H, con sede en Deutsch-Wagram, Austria, se le complicó cumplir con un pedido del Ministerio del Interior, luego que el Gobierno austriaco le negara la petición de exportar al país 3... (GunPolicy.org)
Uproar as Guatemalan Police Import Glock, Beretta Pistols [ES]
3 May 2014
El Periódico (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: Amid allegations of police corruption in Guatemala, a leaked Austrian document denies an export permit for 3000 Glock pistols. The Italian government approved the export of 14,142 Berettas.]
Gobierno deberá responder por informe presentado por Austria
Dicha nación denegó en marzo pasado la licencia de exportación de armas destinadas a la PNC, por considerar que el uso de estas podría desviarse para fines criminales.
Las armas adquiridas... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway,Canada,United States,Italy,Kazakhstan,Thailand,Germany,Russia,United Kingdom
Kalashnikov Small Arms Production in Russia More Than Doubles in 2014
28 April 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – The Kalashnikov Concern produced 230 percent more small arms weapons in the first quarter of this year than in the year-ago period, the company's press service told RIA Novosti Monday.
"In the first three months of the year we had a record-high volume production of small arms in the amount of 31,000 items, which makes 41 percent of the total output of similar products for 2013," the company said.
"The current results are 230 percent higher than those in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Gun Licences Being Issued in Netherlands
17 April 2014
Netherlands Times
Police have been issuing fewer gun licenses in recent years and many are being revoked.
In 2013 75,000 licenses were issued; this figure includes new licenses and extensions of sports and game firearm owners. It has dropped by 2,000 over 2011. Police say many applications are being denied - 109 in 2013, 75 in 2011 - and even more are being withdrawn - 230 in 2013, 346 in 2012 and 226 in 2011.
The declining gun license figures are linked to a more restrictive policy... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Italy,United Kingdom,Japan,South Korea,Bahrain,Germany
Local Gun Control Laws Make Overseas US Military Bases 'Safer'
9 April 2014
Stars and Stripes (USA)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Strict gun laws in foreign countries mean many in America's overseas military communities feel safer than they would at home, although they're divided over whether tougher rules would reduce gun violence in the U.S.
"For the most part, I feel safer over here because we're not allowed to bring guns," Sgt. Roseann Baena, a 26-year-old soldier assigned to Europe Regional Dental Command in Sembach, Germany, said Tuesday.
Her comment was typical... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Seizures Fail to Stop Shootings in Germany
7 April 2014
Local (Germany)
Gothenburg police efforts to clean up guns in the western city have not seen a direct effect on the number of gang-related shootings.
Sveriges Radio (SR) reported on Monday that eight people have been shot so far this year in the greater Gothenburg metropolitan area. The police have not been able to bring anyone to justice for the attacks.
Local police remained hopeful that their gang-focused Operation Trygg (Safe) would have a positive effect in the longer term.
"I... (GunPolicy.org)
Slovenia,Malta,El Salvador,Denmark,Croatia,Hungary,Finland,Estonia,France,Spain,Italy,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Germany,Slovakia,Ireland,Latvia,Romania
Methodists Welcome 18 Countries Ratifying Arms Trade Treaty Including UK
3 April 2014
Christian Today
The Methodist Church has praised the government's ratification of the UN's Arms Trade Treaty.
The President of the Methodist Conference, the Reverend Ruth Gee, hailed it as a "legal milestone that should help to protect those who are abused and oppressed".
Countries that ratify the treaty will be required to establish national arms regulators to control the exporting of conventional weapons and weapons components, and to properly regulate arms brokers. Domestic weapon... (GunPolicy.org)
New Caledonia Authorities Opposed to Tighter Gun Laws
3 April 2014
Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
The New Caledonian government says it's opposed to tighter gun laws as France suggested a limit of four hunting rifles per person.
Paris vowed last year to restrict gun ownership by March but the government of Harold Martin says such a step will only cause more political problems.
After the law change was signalled last year, the French high commissioner Jean-Jacques Brot said sales had doubled while the local press said weapon sales had grown tenfold.
There are... (GunPolicy.org)
Latvia,European Union,Slovenia,Ireland,Hungary,Finland,Estonia,El Salvador,Denmark,Malta,Croatia,Bulgaria,Spain,France,Romania,Germany,Slovakia,United Kingdom,Italy
18 Countries Ratify UN Arms Trade Treaty
2 April 2014
Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS — Eighteen countries, including five of the world's leading arms exporters, ratified a landmark treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar global arms trade on Wednesday, giving a significant boost to the campaign for the treaty's entry into force.
The ambassadors of the 18 countries handed over the documents at a U.N. ceremony on the first anniversary of the General Assembly's adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty, which is aimed at stemming the global... (GunPolicy.org)
French Official Gunned Down in Corsica After Vote
24 March 2014
Local (France)
Violence returned to the island of Corsica on Sunday when a regional official was gunned down after supporting his daughter's candidature at the local elections. Last year there were 17 murders in Corsica, known as the "Island of Beauty", and 14 attempted ones.
A regional official on France's Mediterranean island of Corsica was shot dead Sunday after supporting his daughter's bid for election to a municipal post, law enforcement sources said.
Jean Leccia, a... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Germany,Austria,Europe,Israel
84 Arrested in France Over Suspected Arms Trafficking
18 March 2014
Radio France Internationale
Eighty four people were taken into custody on Tuesday morning, suspected of illegally buying arms via internet.
1,600 illegal online transactions were registered by police investigators.
According to an initial report, more than 330 handguns, 50 shotguns, dozens of spare parts and thousands of cartridges were seized.
The arms mostly came from Central Europe, Austria and Germany.
The investigation started in 2012 when French customs authorities intercepted a package,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Parliament Weakens Weapons Export Requirements [FR]
7 March 2014
RTS (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Following approval in the Council of States, the Swiss National Assembly voted 94-93 to weaken export requirements for weapons. Proponents of the measure argued that not approving it would "not bring peace to the world" but would cost Swiss jobs and know-how. Opponents noted ethical issues with arms exports and highlighting the use of Swiss ammunition on Kiev's Maidan Square.]
L'ordonnance sur le matériel de guerre sera assouplie. Le National a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Move to Curb Swiss Assault Rifle, Canada Grants Instant Amnesty
3 March 2014
CBC News (Canada)
The federal government has granted a five-year amnesty to owners of Swiss Arms Classic Green semi-automatic rifles, who will be able to continue to possess their guns "without threat of criminal charges," according to a statement from the public safety minister's office.
Although the guns have been sold in Canada for a dozen years, the RCMP had been investigating a small group of rifles similar to the Classic Greens that were brought into Canada from the small arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Russia,Georgia,Libya,United States,Colombia,Germany
Banned German Firearms Being Sold in Colombia
1 March 2014
Deutsche Welle
German law prohibits the export of weapons to crisis or conflict regions. But guns sporting the label "Made in Germany" are being sold in war-torn Colombia. Manufacturers have denied any involvement in illegal exports.
A person who wants to buy a gun legally in Colombia must be at least 25 years old, provide proof of income and a gun license and possess no criminal record. The arms trade in the South American country is a state monopoly run by the weapons manufacturer... (GunPolicy.org)
Rumoured Ban of Swiss Assault Rifle Reignites Gun Debate in Canada
27 February 2014
CBC News (Canada), Video
The gun debate may be flaring up again over what appears to be the imminent ban of a semi-automatic military-style weapon that has been legal in Canada for a dozen years.
Gun enthusiasts got word of the ban Wednesday evening, although the RCMP has made no official announcement.
According to Solomon Friedman, a lawyer for the National Firearms Association, the PE-90 rifle, made by SAN Swiss Arms AG, a Switzerland-based small arms manufacturer, is about to be... (GunPolicy.org)
After Decades With Few Guns, Almost Every Libyan Household Has One
25 February 2014
PolicyMic
In a country where civilian gun ownership was rare for decades, a sudden inundation of small arms means plenty of people will likely get shot.
One recent afternoon, Ahmed, 26, was driving around Tripoli with his brother Bashir, 24. Without warning, the driver in the car in front of them slammed his brakes. Ahmed, who nearly rear-ended the offending vehicle, honked his horn. The other driver got out of his car. A shouting match became physical and the man went back to... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Asia,Europe,Americas,Africa,Germany
Oberndorf: The Tiny German Town that Armed the World
25 February 2014
Guardian (UK)
The town of Oberndorf should look a lot nicer. Nature offered plenty of blessings. Its 14,000 inhabitants live sheltered in the green and rocky Neckar valley, where the narrow, sparkling river Neckar grooves its way through the Black Forest in one of Germany's most picturesque corners. This is the heart of Baden-Württemberg: tranquil and prosperous, the sunniest and warmest part of Germany. Yet Oberndorf's town centre doesn't include the cobbled square lined with... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany: Bavarian company Invented World's First 'Smart Gun'
24 February 2014
Local (Germany)
A Bavarian company has created the world's first James-Bond style "smart gun" which can only be fired by the owner. Supporters say it is safer than a regular pistol, while others claim it is too complicated.
The iP1 is controlled by a chip in the wearer's watch. The watch and the gun must be at close range with each other for the gun to work and means that only the wearer of the watch can fire the gun.
It echoes the latest James Bond film Skyfall where the agent's gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Tunisia,European Union,Chad,Niger,South America,Caribbean,Algeria,China,Belarus,Russia,United Kingdom,United States,France,Italy,North Africa,Mali,Syria,Egypt,West Asia,Libya
Post-Uprising Gun Proliferation is Destabilising the Middle East
20 February 2014
Fair Observer
In recent years, as order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) eroded between uprisings and armed conflicts, the desire for arms amongst a wide range of actors became one more destabilizing factor in the complexities of each situation.
However, arms proliferation is nothing new to the MENA region. Whether it was through state actors or black market trading, weapons have circulated throughout the Middle East and North Africa for many years.
Today, arms... (GunPolicy.org)
French Alps Killing Suspect Had 40 Guns, Suspected of Trafficking
20 February 2014
Herald (Scotland)
A former police officer arrested in connection with the killing of a British engineer and his family in the French Alps is suspected of arms trafficking, investigators have said.
Saad al-Hilli and wife Ikbal, from Claygate, Surrey, and her mother Suhaila al-Allaf, who lived in Sweden, were all shot dead on a remote forest road in Chevaline, near Annecy, on September 5, 2012. Local cyclist Sylvain Mollier was also murdered.
French police arrested a 48-year-old,... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Canada,Sweden,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Austria,Moldova,Germany
Experts Help Moldova Authorities Curb Gun Theft, Smuggling [DE]
17 February 2014
Österreich Journal
[Translated summary: Austria has sent experts to Moldova to advise on small arms and ammunition storage and management under the OSCE framework. Sweden, Canada, Germany and Switzerland will participate in the programme by 2017, which aims to prevent smuggling of stolen ammunition.]
WIEN (bmlvs) - Insgesamt zehn Experten des Bundesheeres unterstützen ab dem 05.03. die OSZE-Mission in der Republik Moldau. Dort werden vorerst vier Angehörige der Heereslogistikschule und... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone,Saudi Arabia,South Africa,Germany
German Arms Go Into Child Soldiers' Hands
15 February 2014
Turkish Weekly / Deutsche Welle / Voice of Russia (Moscow)
With Germany being one of the largest arms exporters, many of the resources are going to the countries where children are used as exploiters in the military.
Michael D, one of the former soldiers, who is currently living in Berlin states: "We were mostly deployed for attacks. We were often the first to be sent into combat and had to dodge the flurry of bullets."
Since he was a young boy, he was forced to become a soldier in his native country, Sierra Leone, where he... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Turkish Weekly / Deutsche Welle / Voice of Russia (Moscow)
Swiss Gun Maker 'Fighting for Survival': Money, Corruption [DE]
3 February 2014
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: Swiss gun maker SAN Swiss Arms, supplier of the standard Swiss military assault rifle, faces money woes, staff layoffs and allegations of corruption. SAN's German parent company SIG-Sauer has been raided by police over unauthorised gun deliveries to Kazakhstan, possibly routed via the US to avoid sanctions.]
Die SAN Swiss Arms aus Neuhausen SH produziert als Nachfolgerin der SIG das Sturmgewehr 90 der Schweizer Armee und hat derzeit Probleme an... (GunPolicy.org)
Saudi Arabia,Libya,France,Egypt,Spain,Italy,European Union,Israel,Myanmar,United Kingdom,Germany,Congo (DRC),China
European Arms Sales to Middle East Reach Record Level, NGOs Concerned
1 February 2014
Ekklesia (UK)
European Union countries licensed arms exports in 2012 valued at €39.9 billion, according to newly released figures. This included a record €9.7 billion in sales to the Middle East – a 22 percent increase on sales in the previous year.
The statistics are revealed in the Fifteenth Annual Report on Control of Exports of Military Technology and Equipment.
The European Network Against the Arms Trade (ENAA) says that the figures show little change in arms export... (GunPolicy.org)
German Minister Wants Stricter Arms Export Rules
30 January 2014
Shanghai Daily (China) / Xinhua
BERLIN - Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Germany will strengthen the control of arms exports, as he said in a interview with German Stern Magazine on Wednesday.
"It's a shame that Germany is amongst the world's largest arms exporters," said Gabriel, "In particular, small arms simply become weapons of the civil war. So something has to change. Therefore, I'm supportive of a restrictive policy regarding arms exports."
While he understands the argument that stricter... (GunPolicy.org)
French Police Find 32 Guns, 500kg of Ammo at Man's Home [FR]
9 January 2014
Paris-Normandie
[Translated summary: French authorities found 32 firearms and 500kg of ammunition in the canton of Beaumont-le-Roger, after a man was injured in a shooting incident. The man did not have a licence for the weapons.]
Les gendarmes de la compagnie de Bernay ont découvert un véritable arsenal chez deux collectionneurs demeurant dans le canton de Beaumont-le-Roger. Ils ont, notamment, saisi 32 armes à feu et 500 kg de munitions assemblées.
Admis aux urgences
Tout... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium,China,South Korea,El Salvador,Honduras,United States,Italy,Russia,Guatemala
Majority of Legal Guns in El Salvador Traced Back to US [PT]
6 January 2014
Vermelho / El Pais
[Translated summary: Around 60% of legal guns traced in El Salvador originate in the US according to ATF data. The US has a similar tracing system in place with Honduras and Guatemala. 70% of El Salvador's homicides are committed with firearms. Many of these guns are bought legally in America and trafficked to El Salvador.]
Cerca de 60% das armas legais rastreadas em El Salvador têm sua origem nos Estados Unidos. O dado, obtido graças a um programa de colaboração... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Jam Thwarts Latest in String of Dutch Assassinations
31 December 2013
NL Times (Amsterdam)
Gwenette M., a major criminal from Amsterdam, escaped death Friday. An unknown man pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger several times, in Amsterdam-Zuid. The gun failed. M.'s attorney, Nico Meijering, confirmed the incident. The 39-year-old M. is a key figure in a major investigation into a series of relatively recent assassinations in the Amsterdam criminal environment. One of which is a double murder, with a lot of gun violence, in the Staatsliedenbuurt, a year... (GunPolicy.org)
New Caledonia Gun Sales Spike After Tougher Gun Laws Announced
26 December 2013
Fiji Times / Radio New Zealand
The French high commissioner in New Caledonia has expressed concern at the spike in firearms sales after last month's announcement that Paris would tighten gun laws before the end of the year.
Jean-Jacques Brot says sales have doubled while the local press says weapon sales have grown tenfold.
His comment comes only weeks after he warned that weapons should no longer be sold as if the territory was a haven of eternal peace.
There are suggestions that now more than... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk French Man Shot, Killed Friend 'In Row Over Christmas Decorations'
23 December 2013
Local (France)
Christmas got off to a tragic start in a picturesque village in the south of France on Sunday, as an elderly man allegedly shot and killed his friend and neighbour, reportedly after an alcohol-fuelled argument over, of all things, Christmas decorations.
The festive season, as well as bringing joy and good cheer, is well known to be a time of heightened stress and tension in homes across the world.
Such was the case in one French household on Sunday, as an elderly man... (GunPolicy.org)
Bahamas,Germany,Syria,Turkey,Vietnam,Yemen,Egypt,Georgia,India,Libya,Saudi Arabia
Questions Asked Over Germany's Arms Exports
16 December 2013
Deutsche Welle
For a long time, arms exports to regions in conflict were taboo for the German government. However, the growing number of arms deals with Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia or Qatar, or with Asian countries like India and Indonesia suggests that these could soon become a pillar of German foreign and security policy.
This, at least, is the warning expressed in this year's weapons exports report published in Berlin on Monday (16.12.2013) by the Joint Church and... (GunPolicy.org)
Teen Hunter Accidentally Shoots Father Dead, Kills Self in France
16 December 2013
National Post (Toronto)
France is in shock after a 14-year-old boy mistakenly shot his father dead while out hunting then turned the gun on himself in despair and committed suicide.
The father and son had been out hunting on Saturday afternoon in Sourribes in the Alpes-de-Haute Provence when the boy slipped on leaves, accidentally pulling the trigger, police said. The bullet struck his 42-year-old father in the legs.
The distraught teenager then called contacted a family member who alerted... (GunPolicy.org)
Campaign Aims to Make Gunmakers More Accountable
13 December 2013
Deutsche Welle
The father of Joel Mosbacher, a rabbi from New Jersey, was shot dead in a petty robbery in 1999. The anger stayed with his son, but he decided to use it wisely and got involved in the citizens' organizing network Metro IAF.
This year, he and other clergy from New Jersey started the "Do not stand idly by" initiative to reduce gun violence. A key demand is to get gunmakers to accept responsibility, and act accordingly.
The top manufacturers fueling US gun culture are... (GunPolicy.org)
Netherlands,Spain,United Kingdom,Italy,United States,Belgium,Iraq,Algeria,Bahrain,Egypt,Mexico,Pakistan,Canada
Canada Increases Gun Exports to Countries with 'Dubious' Human Rights
8 December 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Bahrain, Algeria and Iraq, countries with dubious human rights records or a history of violent internal conflict, have recently become new buyers of Canadian-made guns and ammunition, an analysis of federal data shows.
The analysis by The Canadian Press found that Canadian exports to those countries swelled by 100 per cent from 2011 to 2012, the most recent figures publicly available.
During the same time period, exports of Canadian weapons also increased... (GunPolicy.org)
Southern Europe,Eastern Europe,Slovakia,France
45 Arrested in France After Arms Trafficking Operation Busted
2 December 2013
Local (France)
France arrested 45 people on Monday in a large-scale operation against international arms traffickers, suspected of importing hundreds of military-grade weapons from the Balkans since 2009.
In a statement, police said some 300 officers had been involved in the vast sweep of arrests, which focused on hundreds of military-grade arms, pieces of ammunition and weapons parts trafficked from the Balkans and Slovakia since 2009.
The arrests were carried out across France and... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia,Germany,Sri Lanka,Iran,Côte d'Ivoire,Afghanistan,United States,Canada,Togo,Ireland,India,Israel,Syria,Iraq
Growing Number of Personalised Firearms to Boost Safety Available
30 November 2013
Economist
To help push Soviet forces out of Afghanistan in the 1980s, America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gave Afghan fighters shoulder-launched Stinger anti-aircraft missiles (pictured). Accurate and easy-to-use, the Stingers caused grievous losses. But after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the CIA wanted to discourage the use of the leftover missiles. It got hold of some of those circulating on the black market and booby-trapped them, so that anyone who tried to fire one... (GunPolicy.org)
Traveller Arrested With Gun at Tunis Airport [FR]
25 November 2013
Business News (Tunis)
[Translated summary: A traveller from France was arrested at the Tunis-Carthage airport for possession of a firearm.]
Un voyageur en provenance de Paris vient d'être arrêté aujourd'hui, lundi 25 novembre 2013, à l'aéroport Tunis-Carthage pour possession d'armes, qu'il transporte dans une valise voyageant sur un autre vol.
Les autorités tunisiennes ont été informées par leurs homologues français de l'existence de cette valise, arrivée à Tunis sans son... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Proliferation Worries New Caledonia, Plans to Tighten Gun Laws
14 November 2013
Radio New Zealand International (Shortwave)
There is growing concern in New Caledonia over the proliferation of firearms amid suggestions that more than 100,000 rifles are now in circulation.
The French high commissioner, Jean-Jacques Brot, says weapons should no longer be sold as if the territory was a haven of eternal peace.
France says it will tighten the gun law by next month as there are now officially more than 54,000 rifles registered, a figure which insiders say hides the real numbers.
An online... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Find 200 Guns, Grenades in Pensioner's Home
12 November 2013
Local (Germany)
German arms experts unveiled one of the biggest private weapons hauls ever found on Monday. Examining the 200 firearms, which were found in a pensioners home and included grenades, a bazooka and machine gun, took hours.
Spread over four huge tables at the Hannover State Office of Criminal Investigations were 142 pistols, 29 automatic pistols, 28 revolvers, 11 hand grenades, two machine guns, two land mines, an Uzi, a Skorpion submachine gun, a Kalashnikov, a bazooka... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Firearms Destined for Australian Crime Gangs Slip Past Customs
26 October 2013
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Police suspect 25 major shipments of illegal firearms destined for outlaw bikie gangs and Middle Eastern organised crime groups slipped past customs checks in the past two years.
An 88kg shipment of ice, heroin and opium is also believed to have been missed by Melbourne customs officers despite the pallet they were hidden on being X-rayed, a Herald Sun investigation has discovered.
The shipments by air and sea are revealed in "missed detection" reports obtained from... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Sweden,Germany,United States,Australia
US Man Charged Over Internet Gun Sales to Australians
18 October 2013
Australian (Sydney) / AAP
A Kentucky man accused of selling an assault rifle and a 9mm pistol to buyers in Australia via an encrypted "deep web" website has been indicted by a grand jury in the US.
Adam Joseph Bunger, 33, will be arraigned on October 30 in the District Court in Bowling Green, Kentucky, after the jury was presented with evidence collected by Australian Federal Police and US authorities.
Bunger is accused of using the German-based website Black Market Reloaded to find buyers in... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,Finland,Netherlands,Switzerland,Germany,Europe,United States,France,Israel,Spain,Austria,England & Wales,European Union
Authorities Worry 3-D Printers May Undermine Europe's Gun Laws
17 October 2013
New York Times
PARIS — The gun fired four shots into a gelatin block. Each nine-millimeter bullet punched deep into the substance, which was meant to mimic the density of a human body.
For the experts at the Austrian Interior Ministry performing the test, it was a clear sign: This was a deadly weapon.
But it was no ordinary gun. The officials had downloaded the gun's digital blueprints from the Internet and "printed" the weapon on a type of 3-D printer that any person could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
New Regulations Causing Controversy for German Sport Shooting
16 October 2013
NPR Berlin
Sonya Pfeilschifter marches onto the shooting range with her head down and a focused stride.
You wouldn't know it, but her heart is racing. She's about to compete in the German National championships for air rifle shooting in Munich.
In this sport, a fast pulse can be a problem. She's in fourth place, and if she's going to win, she has to have an absolutely steady hand.
She focuses on the target ten meters ahead. The eight women raise their guns. Pfeilschifter... (GunPolicy.org)
In Germany, Owning a Gun is a Privilege
9 October 2013
NPR Berlin, Series
Hardy Schober stops by the cemetery near his home in Winnenenden almost every day to visit the grave of his fifteen-year-old daughter. Jana was killed by a classmate four years ago in one of the most tragic school shootings in Germany's history.
"We don't live very far from the cemetery, and I stop there and talk with her," says Schober.
He visits Jana's grave to tell her about his day, or about what's going on with the rest of their family. When he talks about her,... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Dead, One Injured After Swiss Farm Family Shooting
7 October 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A 60-year-old Swiss farmer suspected of shooting a 44-year-old woman dead and injuring his brother with a revolver in the canton of Lucerne died on Monday after apparently turning the firearm on himself.
The shootings occurred on Sunday at 6pm on the man's farm in the rural village of Luthern, west of the city of Lucerne, cantonal police said.
The man opened fire on the woman and his brother in a shed, where they were milking cows, before pulling the trigger on... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Dead in a Week of Hunting Accidents in France
4 October 2013
Local (France)
A 61-year-old French hunter accidentally killed his own son in a tragic hunting accident this week after mistaking him for a wild boar. With a six-year-old boy also being killed in a separate hunt this week, there will be increased pressure for tougher safety measures to be introduced.
France witnessed two more fatal hunting accidents this week that will no doubt lead to renewed calls for more stringent safety measures to be introduced during the hunting season.
On... (GunPolicy.org)
Austrian Shot, Killed Himself and Four Others, Over 100 Weapons Found
19 September 2013
Yahoo! 7 News (Australia) / Agence France Presse, Video
VIENNA - An Austrian poacher who killed three policemen and a paramedic most likely died after shooting himself in the head, public prosecutors said Wednesday.
"We believe it was suicide," said chief public prosecutor Michaela Schnell.
What is assumed to be the charred corpse of Alois Huber was found by police late on Tuesday after armed police raided his farmhouse, but the cause of death had not been confirmed.
An autopsy was still being carried out to confirm... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Netherlands,Switzerland,Finland,South Africa,England & Wales,Japan,United States
Around the World, Gun Ownership and Firearms Deaths Go Together
18 September 2013
National Public Radio (USA), Blog
A study on guns, violence and mental health, long scheduled to be published this week, finds that gun ownership is a bigger factor than mental illness when it comes to firearms deaths. But the data suggest that both play roles.
Earlier research has found that places with high rates of gun ownership have more firearms deaths, but critics of those findings say that it could be that people living in dangerous places are apt to buy firearms to protect themselves.
And the... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany Supports Marking, Registration of Guns in Sudan
18 September 2013
Sudan Vision Daily
KHARTOUM - German Embassy in Khartoum and the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) celebrated, here yesterday, receiving of support from the German Embassy that including equipment and technical systems to assist in the registration of arms in Darfur.
German Ambassador to Khartoum said that his country supports the efforts to achieve peace and security in Sudan. He praised the efforts of the DDR in supporting programmes of peace and stability, pointing... (GunPolicy.org)
Qatar,France,United States,England & Wales,Libya
Guns Openly Available For Sale in Libya on Facebook
17 September 2013
Independent (UK)
TRIPOLI - On a late July day in downtown Tripoli, a young man steps into a car idling next to the Libyan capital's iconic Martyrs' Square. From the back seat, he hands to the driver what Libyans refer to as a "Turkish pistol" and some bullets. In return, the driver hands him a thick stack of 10-dinar notes. The exchange had been arranged using one of the numerous Facebook "groups" created in recent months to link gun-sellers to gun-buyers through the social... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Swiss Cop Convicted for Selling Illegal Machine Guns
16 September 2013
Local (Switzerland) / 20 Minutes (Geneva)
A former Basel police detective received a ten-month suspended jail sentence on Monday for using his position to acquire and re-sell illegal machine guns, firearms, hand grenades and other accessories.
The 51-year-old, who worked for the cantonal police force for 20 years, was authorized to order guns and other weapons, according to an online report from 20 Minutes newspaper.
However, he took advantage of his position to order firearms, which he paid for with his own... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,United States,Sweden,England & Wales,Germany
US Man Charged With Shipping Guns Internationally, Including Australia
12 September 2013
Courier-Journal (Kentucky) / Associated Press
In a secretive corner of the Internet, buyers and sellers can meet up in a marketplace where virtually anything is available.
That's where federal investigators say that 33-year-old Adam Joseph Bunger used various aliases to sell weapons to buyers overseas — including to people in countries with strict firearm purchasing and ownership laws.
Bunger is charged in federal court in Kentucky with shipping a firearm in foreign commerce, delivering a firearm to an... (GunPolicy.org)
Elderly French Hunter Shoots, Injures Two Walkers Mistaken for Bird
6 September 2013
Local (France)
Albert, an 82-year-old hunter, shot two walkers after mistaking them for pheasants, a court in France heard this week. It has been held up as another example by anti-hunting groups, who are calling for a crackdown on the sport to cut the number of accidents.
The 82-year-old man, called Albert, accidentally shot the two walkers when he was out hunting in woods near Bertric-Buréé in the Dordogne department of southern France.
According to regional newspaper Sud-Ouest,... (GunPolicy.org)
Continuing Gun Violence in France Claims Son of Football Director
5 September 2013
Local (France)
The son of the sporting director of the French football club Olympique de Marseille has become the latest victim of gun violence in the Mediterranean city, according to French media reports on Thursday.
Adrien Anigo, the son of Marseille's sporting director José Anigo was murdered as he was driving his car in the 13th arrondissement of the city, according to police sources quoted in the French press.
Anigo becomes the fifteenth victim of gun violence in the crime... (GunPolicy.org)
Secretive Gun Maker Defies US Courtroom Financial Exposure by Ex-Wife
4 September 2013
Daily Report (Atlanta)
Gun mogul Gaston Glock Sr.'s North American operations in Georgia are ignoring subpoenas authorized by a federal magistrate judge to turn over reams of corporate financial data to the gunmaker's ex-wife, according to court papers.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Walker in June gave Helga Glock's lawyers permission to issue sweeping subpoenas to three Georgia-based Glock firms in a hunt for marital assets Helga Glock claims her ex-husband hid from her. Now that her... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg,United States,Belgium
Belgian Policeman Suspected of Corruption in New Gun Deal
3 September 2013
Flanders News
Brussels examining magistrate Jean-Claude Van Espen has named a federal police commissioner as a suspect in a case of fraud and corruption. The police officer stands accused of influencing the purchase of 20,000 Smith & Wesson guns for the federal police the dailies De Morgen, De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad report.
The officer forms part of the commission that had the job of deciding which arms could be used as regular firearms by Belgium's federal police. Detectives... (GunPolicy.org)
60 Guns Disappear From Police College in Belgium [NL]
28 August 2013
Standaard (Belgium)
[Translated summary: Antwerp police recently discovered that 60 police weapons intended for destruction may have disappeared instead, after one was found during a criminal investigation.]
Uit het hoofdcommissariaat van de Antwerpse politiezone Minos (Mortsel, Wijnegem, Wommelgem, Boechout en Borsbeek) in Mortsel zijn ongeveer 60 wapens verdwenen. De verdwijning van de wapens werd aanvankelijk niet eens opgemerkt, zo schrijft Gazet van Antwerpen woensdag.
Het... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Dead, Five Injured in German Sports Club Shooting
21 August 2013
Xinhua
BERLIN - At lease three people died in a shooting incident at a sports club near the southern German city of Heidelberg on Tuesday evening.
Police in Heidelberg said a man opened fire at the club in the village of Dossenheim to the north of Heidelberg, leading to the death of two people and injuries of at least five others.
One of the wounded was in critical condition.
The man then shot himself to death.
A police spokesman told local media that the case was still... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Dies, Injures Wife in Swiss Toy Store Shooting
20 August 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A domestic dispute in a Toys'R'Us store in the canton of Zurich turned deadly on Tuesday when a 28-year-old man used a handgun to shoot his 24-year-old wife before pulling the trigger on himself.
The incident occurred around 1pm in an underground parking area at the store in Dietlikon, a municipality northeast of the city of Zurich, cantonal police said.
The woman, a Swiss citizen, was taken to by ambulance hospital with serious gunshot wounds.
Her husband, an ethnic... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Hunt Man Suspected of Shooting Wife and Daughter
15 August 2013
Local (Germany)
Police launched a nationwide man hunt on Wednesday night for a fugitive who is suspected of killing his daughter and shooting his wife.
The father-of-three is wanted for shooting his 19-year-old daughter and leaving his wife with life-threatening injuries in the attack in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.
A police spokesman told The Local that the man had been known to officers for years. He added that they had been called out to his house to reports of domestic... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots, Kills Brother Over Inheritance
14 August 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A 48-year-old Swiss man admits to shooting and killing his brother during a property dispute on Tuesday at the family's estate in the canton of Solothurn.
The incident occurred at around 8pm at a home in Büsserach, a town of about 2,000 people, after a dispute that led to the attacker pulling out a hunting rifle to shoot his 55-year-old brother, cantonal police said.
The victim was seriously wounded in the incident that involved a dispute between the two men and... (GunPolicy.org)
French Road Rage Shooting Victim Dies
8 August 2013
Local (France)
A 19-year-old French youth who was shot in the head after a banal road dispute over right-of-way was pronounced dead in hospital on Wednesday. A suspect has now been charged with his murder.
The 19-year-old youth was left fighting for his life after being gunned down on Sunday night near the town of Giffaumont in north-eastern France.
Doctors at the hospital he was being treated in had already declared he was brain dead, but on Wednesday he was officially pronounced... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania Authorities Fighting Against Illegal Crime Guns
3 August 2013
Tanzania Daily News
A high percentage of firearms in the country are currently in the hands of wrong people and President Jakaya Kikwete has issued a directive for culprits to surrender weapons immediately or face the full force of the law.
Addressing residents in Biharamulo District, Mr Kikwete issued a two week ultimatum for culprits to comply, warning that a major operation is underway to recover these weapons.
"We cannot allow Tanzanians to be terrorised by a few criminals," warned... (GunPolicy.org)
'Enduring Decrease' in Swiss Suicide Rate After Army Reduced Gun Access
30 July 2013
American Journal of Psychiatry
Objective - Firearms are the most common method of suicide among young men in Switzerland. From March 2003 through February 2004, the number of Swiss soldiers was halved as a result of an army reform (Army XXI), leading to a decrease in the availability of guns nationwide. The authors investigated the patterns of the overall suicide rate and the firearm suicide rate before and after the reform.
Method - Using a naturalistic study design, the authors compared suicide... (GunPolicy.org)
Rifle-Wielding German Soldiers Develop Breasts
29 July 2013
Guardian (UK)
The rhythmic impact of a rifle wielded by a military man can puff up his chest. This sometimes leads to worry, or worse. Though soldiers might appreciate a good pair of breasts, what would happen if they themselves grew a pair? Or if they grew just one?
Some men do experience this affront. A study called Gynecomastia in German Soldiers: Etiology and Pathology, published last year in the journal GMS Interdisciplinary Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, analysed the... (GunPolicy.org)
Singapore,Estonia,Brazil,Italy,United States,Germany,Malaysia
Brazil Named Fourth Top Arms Exporter in the World [PT]
8 July 2013
Tribuna Hoje (Brazil)
[Translated summary - A new Small Arms Survey report shows Brazil is ranked the fourth biggest arms exporter in the world. In 2010, Brazil exported $326 million (£736 million) in arms and ammunition, behind the United States of America, Germany, and Italy. Most of the exported weapons go to the United States, Malaysia, Germany, Estonia and Singapore.]
O Brasil ocupa a 4ª posição no ranking de maiores exportadores de armamentos do mundo, segundo documento divulgado... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Arrest Man Linked to Over 700 Shootings on Autobahn
24 June 2013
Local (Germany)
A mystery gunman who terrorised drivers on German motorways for five years by firing from his vehicles at hundreds of people driving the other way has been arrested, it was reported on Monday. One woman was hit in the throat.
The suspect has admitted to regularly shooting at vehicles travelling in the opposite direction and has shown police his weapons arsenal, according to a report by regional broadcasters Bayerische Rundfunk and SWRinfo.
The lorry driver was... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Dealers Altering Guns a Growing Trend in France [FR]
21 June 2013
Le Monde (France)
[Translated summary: Done with Lord of War arms dealers and welcome to Family Guy arms dealers. These new merchants of death have been taking over the French market for the past 3-4 years. They operate in the Paris region, but also the east of France and especially the countryside where they find good customers in hunters. They won't make tons of money, but will instead live a normal life while fuelling the black market as a side job. How? By adapting hunting shotguns... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Syria,Germany,Libya,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
Is Anyone Counting the Guns in Syria?
18 June 2013
Pacific Standard (USA)
Last night, in a televised interview with Charlie Rose, President Obama made the case for arming anti-Assad forces in Syria. In part, Obama was responding to critics who claim the U.S. weapons, once released, will be hard to control.
Is that true? Scholars who study small arms proliferation have looked at the 2011 war in Libya as a guide and found evidence of illegal arms transfers and poor tracking of weapons. More than a year after the war ended, no overall... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Suspect Gang Links in French Restaurant Shooting Death
11 June 2013
Local (France)
A 38-year-old man has been shot dead while eating dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Paris, it was reported on Tuesday. Some 20 fellow diners were left shocked by the killing.
The victim was sitting down to dinner at the 'Cheval d'Or' on rue des Panoyeaux on Monday night when an armed assailant burst into the Chinese restaurant at around 10.30pm French time.
To the horror of 20 or so fellow diners, the gunman opened fire, shooting his target three times as he ate,... (GunPolicy.org)