Firearm News
Gun Laws and Ownership in Italy
23 March 2018
Local (Italy)
Italians do not have a fundamental right to bear arms, and there are tough laws regulating both ownership and use of guns in the country.
Before buying a gun, you first need to get a gun purchasing licence ( Licenza di porto d'armi o Nulla osta) -- this is also necessary if you inherit or are given a weapon. To be eligible, you must be over 18, have a certificate from a shooting range to prove you can safely use the firearm, have a clean criminal record, and state that... (GunPolicy.org)
BiH Destroys 2,315 pieces of SALW
3 May 2017
SEESAC Newsletter May 2017, Newsletter
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina destroyed 2,315 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and 3,344 of their parts and components on Saturday 29 April 2017, at Jelisingrad smelter in Banja Luka. More precisely, this activity funded by the European Union and supported by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP BiH, enabled the destruction of 996 long and 1319 short barrels.
The destroyed firearms and their components have been confiscated by police agencies of Bosnia and... (GunPolicy.org)
29 December 2016
Deutsche Welle
"What do you mean, 'Where did I get the gun?'" Mladen can't really understand why I would ask that question. He is almost 30 and the pistol has been among the household effects of his Belgrade apartment since he can remember. It is an old Yugoslavian version of the famous Soviet Tokarev TT- 33, with a communist star engraved in the grip. "The pistol is from the front. My old man was in the army and got it as a present. He didn't have a gun permit, but who had something... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Plans More Control Over Disabled Firearms [ES]
24 November 2016
Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: After establishing that firearms used in terrorist attacks came from the black market, Spain's Congressional Defence Commission will enforce tighter controls so firearms cannot be modified for use in terrorist attacks. In collaboration with EU states, Spain will standardise techniques to permanently disable guns.]
La Comisión de Defensa del Congreso ha aprobado una iniciativa del grupo popular por la que, previa trasposición de una directiva... (GunPolicy.org)
One Firearm for Every 16 Inhabitants in Spain [ES]
24 November 2016
Mundiario (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Spain ranks 18th in the global ranking of civilian firearm possession, with one firearm for every 16 inhabitants. To legally own a firearm, applicants must certify that they are going to use it for sport or hunting, they must pass an exam and a background check and present a medical certificate. To own a firearm for self defence, applicants must justify a risk or a threat.]
España, con una de las legislaciones más restrictivas del mundo en el uso... (GunPolicy.org)
Balkan Gun Trafficking Fears Grow Amid Major Security Alerts
20 November 2016
Irish Times (Dublin)
Serbia is urgently checking state arms depots after scores of guns were found to be missing from a military warehouse, fuelling concern over Balkan weapons smuggling amid a series of major security scares around the region.
Serbia's defence ministry said military intelligence, military police and other agencies were investigating the disappearance of weaponry including 70 semi-automatic pistols, five automatic rifles and two cases of ammunition.
Last week Serbia... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Asks Citizens to Report Those Who Own Illegal Guns
16 November 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Belgrade – "Before it's too late" campaign was launched today, by the Coordination Body of the Government of Republic of Serbia, European Union and UNDP SEESAC to raise the awareness on the dangers of misuse of firearms, especially in the context of domestic and intimate partner violence.
Funded by the European Union and implemented by the Coordination Body for Gender Equality of the Government of Republic of Serbia, together with UNDP SEESAC, the campaign is taking... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbian Police Seize Biggest Illegal Gun Cache in 15 Years [ES]
16 November 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Serbian Police seized an arms arsenal that included hand grenades, explosives, rocket launchers, antitank grenades, assault rifles, a machine gun, semi-automatic rifles and ammunition; the greatest stash in 15 years. Police worry about Serbian firearms ending up in terrorist attacks in European capitals.]
La Policía serbia se ha incautado de un arsenal de armas que incluye más de 100 granadas de mano y 30 kilos de explosivos, según ha informado... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Makes its Biggest Gun Seizure in 16 Years
16 November 2016
BBC News
Ten people have been arrested in Serbia for arms-trafficking, police say, after the country's largest weapons haul in 16 years.
Rocket launchers, anti-tank mines and automatic guns were among the weapons seized in northern Serbia, close to the Croatian border.
A police video shows officers arresting suspects amid piles of weapons.
Hand grenades, rifles, pistols, bullets, night-vision equipment and various explosives were also seized.
Interior Minister Nebojsa... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Seizure in Serbia, Source of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
16 November 2016
Le Parisien (France)
[Translated summary: Serbian police seized a record quantity of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Among the firearms were automatic and semi-automatic rifles, a machine gun, pistols and carbines. The Interior Minister expressed his concern at illegal firearms entering European capitals. Firearms from the Balkans are often found in the hands of Jihadist terrorists.]
C'est la plus importante saisie d'armes depuis le début du XXIe siècle en Serbie. La police locale a... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Serbia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
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)
More Than 60% of Albanians Are Opposed to Gun Possession
15 November 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Tirana -- "Don't Shoot but Love – Stop the Illicit use of Weapons before is too Late" campaign was launched today, to assist Albanian government in raising awareness on the danger of illegal possession and illegal use of firearms.
The campaign is taking place from15 November until mid-December 2016, with funding from the European Union and is implemented by the Ministry of Interior of Albania in partnership with UNDP SEESAC (South Eastern and Eastern Europe... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Eight Inhabitants in Ourense, Spain [ES]
14 November 2016
Faro de Vigo (España)
[Translated Summary: There are almost 3 million firearms circulating in Spain. In the city of Ourense there are over 37,000 firearms registered, an average of one gun for every eight inhabitants. Most of them, over 31,000, are shotguns and rifles for hunting. There are 26,000 licences on issue, but 10,000 more registered firearms.]
España no es, ni de lejos, Estados Unidos, cuya Segunda Enmienda de la Constitución brinda el derecho a portar armas y donde un lobby... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Serbia,Western Europe
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)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Serbia,Western Europe
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)
United States,Saudi Arabia,South Korea,United Kingdom,Germany,Algeria,Switzerland,Netherlands,United Arab Emirates,Turkey,France
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)
Spain Licences 8,000 Civilians to Carry Hidden Handguns
25 October 2016
El País (Colombia)
Sitting on a terrace having breakfast, Fernando glances around, and then opens his jacket to reveal a small pistol in a brown leather holster. It is a Glock 9mm and he carries it for protection. A jeweler by trade, he was the target of a number of violent attacks several years ago, and was subsequently declared "at risk" and issued a B license by Spanish police – a license that allows him to carry a firearm for self-defense.
Fernando is not particularly pleased to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Afghanistan,Russia,Central Asia,Pakistan,China,Turkey,Brazil
UN Rule of Thumb Suggests 600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia
21 October 2016
Age (Melbourne)
As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty.
Chris Dawson,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Australian Gun Ban Hits Rapid-fire Shotgun - NY Times
19 October 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Australia's tough gun controls will be further tightened to restrict access to new rapid-fire shotguns, the prime minister said Wednesday.
But a pro-gun independent senator warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the move will add to the government's difficulty in getting legislation through the Senate.
Turnbull was commenting on the fate of the Adler A110 shotgun, a Turkish-manufactured lever-action weapon that was banned from importation last year as an... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,Russia,Moldova,Libya,Ukraine
Jihadi Tomb Raiders, Italian Mafia Sell Antiquities for ISIS Guns
18 October 2016
Daily Beast (USA)
A fuzzy photo shows the decapitated marble head of an ancient Roman statue; the grainy image is standing in for the gilded sales bills usually displayed in the world's finest auction houses. There are no certificates of authenticity or patrimony for these artifacts either, just maps with red markings.
This is no ordinary art show.
The maps in question show ancient Roman and Greek tombs that have been pillaged in Libya. These artifacts have been put on the market by... (GunPolicy.org)