Gun Policy News
Firearm exports and the international gun trade
Ukraine,United States
What Weapons Will Us Give Ukraine - And How Much Will They Help?
19 March 2022
BBC
The burnt-up wreckage of a Russian tank lies in the dirt, while in an accompanying photo next to it, a Ukrainian soldier carries the armaments said to have caused the destruction.
The images posted to Twitter by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are labelled with a triumphant caption, declaring that this was the result of "hits from Javelins on [Russian] military equipment".
The Javelin, a shoulder-held anti-tank weapon that shoots heat-seeking rockets hurtling towards... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC
40613
Morocco
Morocco Approves Draft Law to Regulate Firearms
12 March 2022
Hespress
The Government Council, chaired by Aziz Akhannouch Head of Government, approved, in its session of Thursday on March 10, the draft law No. 86.21 on firearms, their parts, components, accessories, and ammunition, put forth by the Minister of the Interior Abdelouafi Laftit.
The project aims to fortify the kingdom's legislation with international conventions against all forms of illicit firearms trafficking.
At a press conference after the meeting of the Government... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Hespress
40717
Nigeria
Nigeria's Buhari Transmits Bills on Gun Control,
15 September 2021
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted to the senate two bills that seek to control the proliferation of arms and regulate the importation and exportation of explosives in the country.
They are: the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill 2021; and Explosives Bill 2021.
Buhari transmitted the bill in two separate letters dated the 26th and 27th August 2021 and read during the commencement of plenary by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday.
Buhari, in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Nigeria)
40577
North Africa,Slovakia,Czech Republic,France,Serbia,Burkina Faso,Mali
Sahel: Serbian Weapons Used by Brutal Armed Groups
24 August 2021
Amnesty International
Amnesty International's arms experts have identified Serbian-manufactured weapons in videos posted by armed groups operating in the Sahel, including an Islamic State affiliate which has claimed responsibility for hundreds of civilian deaths. The new rifles, some the latest available models, match trade records of Serbia's sales to Burkina Faso, suggesting the weapons were recently sold to the government before falling into the hands of armed groups.
Amnesty... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International
40629
Liberia
Training on Arms Control for Liberian Border Security Officers
10 August 2021
Analyst (Liberia)
State Security Officers assigned at the Ganta-Guinea and Loguotou-Ivory Coast Borders, Nimbia County and Toe-Town (B'hai)-Ivory Coast Border, Grand Gedeh County are expected to benefit from specialized Training on Small Arms and Light Weapons control, Arms trade, Transfer and Trafficking as well as Gender in Arms Control.
According to a release signed by Thomas Mulbah, Communication and Outreach Officer, following the specialized training at the targeted border sites,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Analyst (Liberia)
40527
United States,Mexico
Mexico Sues US Gunmakers to Stop Weapons Crossing Border
4 August 2021
Guardian
The Mexican government has launched legal action against US gunmakers in an unprecedented attempt to halt the flow of guns across the border, where US-made weapons are routinely used in cartel gun-battles, terror attacks on civilians – and increasingly to challenge the state itself.
The Mexican government is suing six gunmakers in a Massachusetts court, alleging negligence in their failure to control their distributors and that the illegal market in Mexico "has been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian
40505
Liberia
Liberia Amends Domestic Firearms Control Legislations
12 July 2021
All Africa (Liberia)
The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) continues to make significant gains to ensure the domestication of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Liberia.
Of recent, and having attracted funding and technical assistance from Expertise France, the leadership of the Small Arms Commission has been meeting, in constructive sessions with influential government institutions, mainly relevant Committees of the national legislature, civil society stakeholders and the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: All Africa (Liberia)
40517
Liberia
Liberia to Amend the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015
31 March 2021
Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
Liberia is leading the reform efforts within in West Africa to conform to provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) by ensuring the validation to amend the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015 and the Act creating the National Small Arms Commission of Liberia.
The new Arms Commission Act when enacted by the National Legislature will expand its mandate to regulate all categories of conventional arms including small arms, light weapons their ammunition and related... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
40507
Nigeria
Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity with Cargo Tracking Note
26 March 2021
This Day (Nigeria)
Over the years Nigeria has been bedeviled by insecurity and the problem has become worse in the last five years.
The situation seems to have defied all effort by the federal government to check the menace. Apart from banditry and kidnapping for ransom, piracy in the nation's waters is at an all-time high.
Also, the country has been besieged by the outbreak of violence and conflicts, which have claimed thousands of lives and property.
For instance, Boko Haram has, in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: This Day (Nigeria)
40522
Azerbaijan,Armenia,Russia,Israel,Turkey,United States,United Kingdom
Arms Supplies to Armenia and Azerbaijan
17 February 2021
EVN
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been embroiled in an intense and violent ethnic conflict over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) for over three decades. The conflict is at the very core of the modern statehoods of both countries. It has resulted in two full-scale wars in 1992-94 and 2020 and regular skirmishes, with the most significant one being the 2016 Four Day April War. The conflict has led to both countries becoming among the most militarized countries in the world. A 2019... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: EVN
40621
Faeroe Islands
Faeroese Police Gain Easier Access to Gun Information
18 January 2021
Kringvarp Føroya (Faeroe Islands)
It will now be easier for the police to find information about firearms.
A new directive on registration of firearms grants the police direct remote access to the weapons register for preventive, investigative and prosecutorial purposes in connection with gun-related crimes.
The directive on overseas transportation of firearms and how these should be stored has also been amended.
A so-called firearms passport will now be required for imports and exports of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Kringvarp Føroya (Faeroe Islands)
40734
Europe
Online Database to Increase Transparency on EU Arms Exports
26 October 2020
European Union
Today the European External Action Service has launched an online database on its website that will allow everyone to consult and analyse the data on Member States' arms exports in a user-friendly manner.
The database contains information on the value, destination and type of arms export licenses and actual exports from Member States, covering the years 2013-2019. The database will be updated on an annual basis.
All data in the annual reports and in the database is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: European Union
40694
Laos,Myanmar,China
Chinese Arms Smuggled to Myanmar Armed Groups Via Laos
28 January 2020
Asia Times
In recent months, Asian intelligence officials and well-placed ethnic sources have confirmed to Asia Times that much of the Chinese weaponry purchased by the UWSA [United Wa State Army] since 2011 has been channeled through neighboring Laos.
Official end-user certificates (EUCs) issued to cover exports by state-run manufacturers such as North China Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO) and China National Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (responsible for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asia Times
40432
Togo,France
Illicit Arms Sales: Togo Receives Help From France to Combat Illicit Trafficking
7 January 2020
TogoWeb (Togo)
[Translated content]
Togo, through the National Commission for the Fight against the Proliferation, Circulation and Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons, has been receiving technical support from France in the area of controlling the illicit arms trade since Monday 6 January 2020. At the end of the meeting, the participants will formulate recommendations to strengthen Togo's legal arsenal in terms of controlling the international arms trade.
"This... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: TogoWeb (Togo)
40569
United States
Trump ATT Decision Was Built On an NRA Lie
29 April 2019
Washington Post, Opinion
President Trump announced on Friday — during a speech that pandered to special-interest groups and was symbolic of his administration's disdain for multilateral agreements — that the United States would "unsign" the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a landmark agreement that regulates the international trade in conventional arms.
It took more than five years of negotiations to develop the ATT, and I spent those years as a consultant in the treaty process, working with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
40397
Liberia
Liberia Tackles Trafficking of Illicit Small Arms
17 February 2019
New Republic (Liberia)
In the midst of rumors, claims and counter claims regarding assassination plot of President George Weah, the chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINCSA), Marvin Sarkor has assured Liberians that the country's borders will not be used for trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons.
According to Sarkor, the people of Liberia have no reason to fear as the commission, he noted, is working tirelessly with her international partners to include... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Republic (Liberia)
40523
Australia,Oceania
Australia Ranked Among World's Major Gun Importers, Exporters
21 September 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
Australia is now ranked as one of the world's major gun importers, coming sixth in the United Nations-sponsored annual global Small Arms Survey, high enough to see it categorised in the top tier of gun importers.
Australia was also revealed to be the 13th-largest exporter in the world and ranked 25th in the transparency of its arms trade, scoring 12 out of a possible 25 in the survey's transparency barometer.
As an importer Australia came in behind the United States,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sydney Morning Herald
40282
Malaysia
Malaysia Shuts Down North Korean Arms Trafficking Firms
28 February 2017
Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's authorities were aware that two North Korea-linked companies operated an arms business in the country and both were being struck from the Company Registry, the police chief said on Tuesday.
Reuters reported on Monday that North Korean intelligence ran an arms operation out of Malaysia called Glocom, and two companies linked to the trade were International Global System and International Golden Services.
Confirming details of the story,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
40313
United States,Jamaica
US Halts Gun Exports to Jamaica as Irregularities Emerge
10 November 2016
Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON — The United States Embassy says that in light of recent events concerning Jamaica's Firearms Licensing Authority (FLA) they will be reviewing the firearm export licensing approval process.
In a release this afternoon, the embassy said that during this review, there will be a temporary pause on firearm exports as they request further guidance from Washington on the long-term status of export licenses for firearms from the US destined for Jamaica.
Earlier... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jamaica Observer
40163
Yemen,Turkmenistan,Finland,Uzbekistan,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates
Finland Under Scrutiny for Rising Arms Exports to Conflict Zones
1 November 2016
Modern Tokyo Times
As the global economy continues its slow recovery from the 2008–2009 worldwide recession, armament sales appear to have been one of the few recession-proof export sectors. The greater Middle East has been main emporium for such purchases. While the United States and Russia remain the world's two leading armaments exporters, other countries have also rushed in to fill niche markets, such as small arms, training aircraft and light artillery. Notably, Finland has been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Modern Tokyo Times
40106
Argentina
Over 1.5 Million Legal, 4 Million Illicit Guns in Argentina [ES]
31 October 2016
Noticias y Protagonistas (Argentina)
[Translated summary: There are 1,541,497 registered firearms and 979,508 licensed gun owners in Argentina. The country has four gun factories that manufactured 74,983 firearms between January and August 2016. 13,940 firearms were imported and 45,836 exported in the same period. It is estimated that there are between 1.5 million and 4 million illicit firearms. Between 1997 and 2013 there were 38,002 gun homicides and 13,672 suicides. In 2013, 71.1% of homicides were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Noticias y Protagonistas (Argentina)
40115
Germany
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)
Read More: Enjeux (France)
40079
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)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
40083
Germany,Australia,New Zealand,Japan,Switzerland,France,Poland,Iraq
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)
Read More: Mo4ch (US)
40062
United States,Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia Biggest Weapon Buyer in US Proxy War [ES]
18 October 2016
Hispan TV (España)
[Translated Summary: Since 2010, Saudi Arabia has acquired arms worth US$1 billion to be used in the US Middle East proxy war. In 2014, Saudi Arabia became the biggest arms importer by buying military equipment, mainly from the US, with a total value of US$6.4 billion.]
Un alto cargo militar iraní dice que la venta de armas a Arabia Saudí se produce en el marco de la guerra subsidiaria de EE.UU. en Oriente Medio.
"Desde 2010 hasta hoy, Arabia Saudí ha adquirido... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Hispan TV (España)
40024
Spain
Spain Has 3 Million Guns Among 1.1 Million Citizens [ES]
17 October 2016
El País (Spain)
[Translated summary: Spain has 3 million registered firearms in the hands of 1.1 million citizens, most of them for hunting, sport or collecting. Only 8,000 people have type B licences that allow them to carry concealed guns. Since obtaining this licence is complicated, most people who fear for their safety tend to own guns for sport; they only have to attend a shooting club regularly to keep their licences.]
La población española es una de las menos armadas, pero... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El País (Spain)
40011
Somalia
UN Approved Arms Imports: Guns Resold in Somalia Markets
11 October 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Many guns imported by the Somali government with U.N. approval are being resold by arms dealers on the black market in the nation's capital Mogadishu, two Western diplomats said.
Such sales violate a three-year-old deal which exempted government weapons imports from a U.N. arms embargo. The U.N. Security Council partially lifted it in 2013 to equip government forces fighting al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.
The United Nations imposed a blanket arms embargo on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times, Reuters
39996
United States
US Gunsmiths Want Dept of State Out of Arms Export Controls
4 October 2016
Guns
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have debuted a proposal that would transfer export oversight for most gunsmiths from the State Department in an effort to curb a possible $2,250 annual fee to stay in operation.
The bicameral bill, introduced on Sept. 27 by lawmakers that include two Texas Democrats as House sponsors, would transfer regulatory responsibility on the export of non-military firearms to the U.S. Department of Commerce and comes in response to a change by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guns
39968
Bulgaria
Bulgaria Weapon Production, Exports Rose 60% in 2 Years
4 October 2016
Novinite (Bulgaria)
Defense-related equipment production and exports have increased by over sixty percent over two years, Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski has said.
Key factors for this include "a more active and flexible marketing policy" as well as a widened target of potential buyers. Quality of the products and the appearance of new competitive ones, according to Standart.
In July, data on 2015 exports suggested Bulgaria sold 59% more arms abroad in that year compared to 2014,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Novinite (Bulgaria)
39952
Brazil
Brazil Reviews Exports After Gun Maker Skirts Arms Embargo
29 September 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Brazil is reviewing its procedures for controlling arms exports, Defense Minister Raul Jungmann said on Thursday, when asked about an investigation into a sale of guns by Forjas Taurus SA that allegedly violated U.N. sanctions.
"We are updating the regulations in this area, seeking objectivity and transparency. They need updating," the minister said. Jungmann said the review was part of a "periodic" update of arms export regulations.
Taurus, the largest weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times, Reuters
39946
Spain
Spain is the World's 7th Largest Arms Exporter [ES]
21 September 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: The arms trade market is rising and Spain is the 7th biggest world exporter. In the first semester of 2015, exports in the country reached 1,727.2 million EUR, 25.3% more than the same period in the previous year. Almost 450 million EUR were from sales to Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Kingdom, Malaysia, France, Egypt and Germany.]
MADRID -- El comercio de armas está en auge y España es uno de los países que más está aprovechando el... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europa Press (Spain)
39923
China,Eastern Europe,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Syria,Iraq
'Almost Direct' Supply Chain Sells Guns from Europe to ISIS
11 September 2016
Huffington Post (UK)
Islamic State fighters are illegally using guns and other weapons made in Eastern European factories, in a newly-discovered supply chain that is "almost direct", a weapons expert has claimed.
James Bevan, the director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), told The Huffington Post UK that investigations this summer have seen a rapid, frightening change in the source of weapons used by the so-called Islamic State to fight other groups and carry out massacres.
These... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (UK)
39834
Central America,Mexico,South America,United States
USA, Stop Enabling Latin America's Gun Addiction - Letter
11 September 2016
Americas Quarterly, Letter
Dear Mister / Madam President,
As the world's largest arms exporter, the U.S. plays an outsize role in fueling Latin America's insatiable addiction to firearms. To take one example, during most of the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest consumer of U.S. military hardware in the Americas, feeding one of the most vicious civil wars in Latin American history. And while the conflict ended in 1992, the legacy of its arms transfers remains: U.S. officials estimate that almost... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Americas Quarterly
39833
United States
US Senators Seek to Block $1.15bn Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia
8 September 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Four U.S. senators introduced a joint resolution on Thursday seeking to block the U.S. sale of $1.15 billion of Abrams tanks and other military equipment to Saudi Arabia, citing issues including the conflict in Yemen.
The measure was introduced by Republican Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee and Democrats Chris Murphy and Al Franken, the latest indication of strong disapproval of the deal among some U.S. lawmakers.
"Selling $1.15 billion in tanks, guns, ammunition, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times, Reuters
39816
United Kingdom
UK Becomes Second Largest Small Arms Exporter
6 September 2016
Daily Caller (USA)
The United Kingdom became the world's second largest small arms exporter this year, all while British citizens are still prohibited from owning or possessing defensive firearms.
A large portion of U.K. weapons exports went to war-torn countries, with two-thirds of sales going to the Middle East, a hotbed of terrorism and conflict. The U.K. also sold arms to 22 of the 30 countries on its own human rights watch list. While countries like Libya, Russia and China have... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Caller (USA)
39800
Brazil,Yemen
Brazilian Company Taurus Sold Guns to Yemeni Trafficker [ES]
5 September 2016
Radio Formula (Mexico), Reuters
[Translated summary: Federal prosecutors in Brazil accused two former Forja Taurus executives of sending 8,000 handguns to an active Yemeni arms trafficker in 2013. Forja Taurus is a major gun manufacturer which supplies the Brazilian police and the Army, and is one of the five main gun suppliers to the American market, where it sells three-quarters of its production.]
Fiscales federales en el sur de Brasil acusaron en mayo a dos ex ejecutivos de Forjas Taurus de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio Formula (Mexico), Reuters
39863
China,Russia,France,Ukraine,United Kingdom,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Israel,Bahrain,Belgium,Oman,Turkmenistan,United Arab Emirates
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)
Read More: Sputnik News
39824
Brazil,Yemen
Brazil Gun Manufacturer Sold Guns to Trafficker from Yemen
5 September 2016
Reuters
Brazil's Forjas Taurus SA, the largest weapons manufacturer in Latin America, sold guns to a known Yemeni arms trafficker who funneled them into his nation's civil war in violation of international sanctions, according to charges in court documents reviewed by Reuters.
Federal prosecutors in southern Brazil charged two former executives of Forjas Taurus (FJTA4.SA) in May with shipping 8,000 handguns in 2013 to Fares Mohammed Hassan Mana'a, an arms smuggler active... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
39796
Czech Republic,Peru
Peruvian Military Company to Assemble #Czech Pistols [ES]
1 September 2016
Radio Praga
[Translated summary: A military company from the Peruvian defence sector has opened an assembly and repair centre for Czech handguns in its plant. The company sold a total of 250,000 weapons in 2015 and most of its production is exported to Europe and US.]
Las pistolas de Česká zbrojovka se van a montar en Perú. La empresa militar FAME, con sede en Lima, ha abierto en su planta una zona de montaje y reparaciones de los productos checos. Se trata de la primera... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio Praga
39777
United States,Switzerland,European Union,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Bahrain,United Arab Emirates,Qatar,Kuwait,Lebanon,Jordan
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)
Read More: SwissInfo
39750
Australia,United States
Australia: 'Massacre Tax' Suggested to Curb US Gun Exports
26 August 2016
Stuff (New Zealand)
Australia's former deputy prime minister, Tim Fischer, has proposed what is surely a world-first plan for shooting down the gun-loving US Republican candidate for president, Donald Trump: a "massacre tax" on US gun exports.
In doing so, Fischer has also come out all guns blazing against what he calls the "lethal poison" flowing to Australia from US weapons manufacturers with the assistance of the American gun lobby and what he calls dysfunctional and corrupted US... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Stuff (New Zealand)
39739
Saudi Arabia,Afghanistan,Bulgaria,Italy,Syria,Czech Republic,Iran,Libya,Yemen,United Kingdom,Ukraine,United States,South Sudan,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)
Read More: IPS Noticias
39850
Switzerland
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)
Read More: Le Nouvelliste (Switzerland)
39779
Yemen,Syria,South Sudan,United States,Bulgaria,Czech Republic,France,Italy,Egypt,Ukraine,Moldova,Slovakia,United Kingdom,Saudi Arabia,Germany,Spain
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)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
39721
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
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)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
39717
India
India Relaxes Regulations, Now Welcomes Global Gun Makers
15 August 2016
Asia Sentinel
Driven partly by its developing rivalry with China, India is welcoming global gun manufacturers to set up shop to produce small arms including handguns, rifles, carbines, sub-machine guns, light machine guns and grenade launchers.
New investment rules allow private players to establish manufacturing units, sell to Indian defense forces and even cater to export orders. Forty-nine per cent foreign ownership will be permitted automatically but up to 100 percent FDI can... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asia Sentinel
39705
India
Change to Regulations Excites Indian Gun Makers, Exporters
11 August 2016
India Times
NEW DELHI -- Top small arms manufacturers from across the globe are looking to set up shop in India with a critical tweak in rules by the government that has enabled the private sector to set up manufacturing units and even cater to export orders after due permissions.
The revised Arms Rules 2016, which have been notified by the government last month, have brought clarity to the sector, giving clear rules on how private players can set up shop, bring in foreign... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: India Times
39671
United States
US Gun Makers See Rush in Demand, Production and Exports
10 August 2016
Guns (USA)
New data released this week by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shows FFL numbers rebounding, over 9 million firearms produced and healthy import and export activity.
The statistics are part of the agency's 2016 Annual Statistical Update of Firearm Commerce in the United States.
The report includes data drawn from ATF's Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report (AFMER), which runs a year behind due to protections accorded under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guns (USA)
39669
Eastern Europe,Syria,Jordan,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Germany,United Arab Emirates
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)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
39676
Indonesia
Gun Maker Gains Recognition for Indonesian Assault Rifle
8 August 2016
Jakarta Post
The Pindad SS1-V1 left not only a definite hole in the US Marine Corps' body armor, but also a big impression on participants of the recent Rim of Pacific joint military training in the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base, Hawaii.
Admiration for the Indonesian-made assault rifle was sparked during a zeroing test on July 10. A zeroing test, conducted at a range of 25 meters, measures the power of each participating corps before the joint training begins.
Major Indra Fauzi... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jakarta Post
39686
Germany
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)
Read More: New York Times, Reuters
39555
Czech Republic
Czech Arms Industry Reports Record Gun Sales [FR]
28 June 2016
Radio Prague
[Translated summary: The value of gun exports from the Czech arms industry passed 550 million Euros last year. The geographic distribution of arms exports has also changed: sales have increased significantly to EU members and the United States.]
Les exportations des entreprises tchèques de l'industrie de l'armement et de la défense ont atteint un niveau record l'an passé. C'est ce qu'a fièrement annoncé ce mardi Jiří Hynek, le président de l'Association de... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Radio Prague
39525
France
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)
Read More: Armer Desarmer (France)
39512
Lebanon,Iraq,Jordan,Oman,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Croatia,Israel,Kuwait,Germany,Spain,United Arab Emirates,Italy,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
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)
Read More: Israel Homeland Security
39464
United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,South Africa,Iran,North Korea,Saudi Arabia
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)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
39396
Asia,North Korea
North Korea One of the Most Secretive Gun Exporters - Study
8 June 2016
Korea Times
North Korea has been labeled one of the least-transparent exporters of small arms, along with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Small Arms Survey.
The Swedish research institute assessed 49 countries that exported small arms and light weapons worth more than $10 million from 2001 to 2013.
It gave each country scores between zero and 25 based on seven parameters, including number of legitimate export licenses, clarity of export reports... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Times
39389
Saudi Arabia,Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,United States,Iran,North Korea,United Arab Emirates
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)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
39401
North Korea,Iran,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy
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)
Read More: SwissInfo
39400
West Asia,United States,South Asia
Gun Imports to Middle Eastern Countries Doubled - Study
6 June 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Annual sales of small arms and light weapons to Middle Eastern countries nearly doubled in dollar terms in 2013 over the year before, as conflicts heated up across the region, according to a study released Monday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. was both the biggest exporter and importer of weapons ranging from pistols and military firearms to hunting rifles, ammunition and anti-tank guns, according to the report.
"Trade Update 2016: Transfers and Transparency," a study by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times, Associated Press
39385
Africa
Global Gun Control at the UN: Africa Needs New Goals
6 June 2016
Institute for Security Studies (Pretoria)
This week, from 6-10 June, United Nations (UN) member states are convening in New York for the Sixth Biennial Meeting on the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons (UNPoA). The meeting will review the progress made in implementing the UNPoA, and will also focus on the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), which was adopted in 2005.
The UNPoA, adopted in 2001, outlines steps governments must take to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (Pretoria)
39384
United States,Jamaica
Almost 60% of Jamaica's Confiscated Firearms Come from USA
6 June 2016
Jamaica Gleaner
A steady stream of guns continues to flow from the United States into Jamaica despite a raft of measures implemented by local law-enforcement authorities.
In the last two years, the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has traced the history of 991 guns seized in Jamaica over the period and found that 567, or nearly 60 per cent, were "sourced in the US".
The term "sourced in the US" refers to guns manufactured in or legally imported into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jamaica Gleaner
39375
Saudi Arabia,Belgium
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)
Read More: Sud Info (Belgium)
39260
Mauritius
Mauritius: Firearms Amendment Supports Arms Trade Treaty
28 April 2016
Government of Mauritius
The Firearms (Amendment) Bill which provides for amendments to the Firearms Act to implement the provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty to which Mauritius is a signatory, was presented by the Prime Minister, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, in the National Assembly. The Bill was voted with amendments on 26 April 2016.
In his presentation, Sir Anerood Jugnauth expressed confidence that the accession of Mauritius to the Arms Trade Treaty and the amendments to the Firearms Act will... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Government of Mauritius
39189
United States,Sweden,United Kingdom,Australia,Japan,Switzerland,Israel,South Africa
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)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
39180
Malaysia
Gun Company to Launch Local Semi-auto Pistol in #Malaysia
25 April 2016
Malaysia Chronicle
"Malaysia has the best gun control laws in the world", 80-year-old golf legend Gary Player said loudly at a press conference in Miami. That was after I identified myself as a Malaysian journalist before posing my questions.
The South African went on: "Malaysia has got it right on gun control. You don't simply issue gun licences to people. Don't tell me guns don't kill people and it is people who kill people…"
That was more than six year ago. We will soon manufacture... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Malaysia Chronicle
39166
Canada
Canada Still Needs to Ratify the Arms Trade Treaty
25 April 2016
Open Canada, Opinion
Canada's leadership in banning landmines greatly impacted the international community. As a young adult, Amani Saini witnessed the effect first hand. Now, she asks: can we regain our role in the fight against illicit arms?
One August, more than 10 years ago, back when I was in secondary school, I sat on a stage in an auditorium in Kyoto, Japan, as a representative of Canada, at the closing ceremony of the international Ban Landmines! conference.
After delivering his... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Open Canada
39164
Nepal,Oceania,Africa,Asia,Americas,Europe
Global Arms Smuggling and Trafficking Increases Gun Crime
21 April 2016
Telegraph (Nepal), Opinion
No doubt, the country is being increasingly inflicted by smuggling and illegal trade of small arms. This fast festering malaise has intensified serious crimes like murder, extortion, death threats, abduction and robbery. Fears are palpable that the growing market of small arms in the country may wreck the social fabric of the country. This is also hampering the efforts towards overcoming the social and economic trauma left by the decade-long armed conflict. However, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Telegraph (Nepal)
39168
United Kingdom
UK Doesn't Track Small Arms Dealers and Exporters
20 April 2016
Politics Home (UK)
The UK is the sixth largest exporter of arms in the world, and business is booming. As tensions rise around the planet so too has the demand for weapons, with global sales increasing 14% in the last five years. According to SIPRI, the UK's arms exports have risen 26% in the same period, now supplying 4.5% of the total demand. And that's just what we know about.
The bulk of these figures are constituted by the sale of so-called 'large weapons,' such as aircraft. The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Politics Home (UK)
39139
Belgium,Western Europe
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)
Read More: Le Soir (Belgique)
38965
Mexico
More US 'Fast and Furious' Guns Found at Mexico Massacre
17 March 2016
InSight Crime
Weapons linked to the controversial US anti-gun trafficking operation "Fast
and Furious" were found last spring at the scene of a bloody clash between Mexican police and a group of alleged cartel gunmen that left 43 dead, according to documents obtained exclusively by InSight Crime.
The previously unpublished documents, obtained through a freedom of information request, show how US and Mexican authorities traced weapons from the shootout in Michoacán to the now... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime
38980
Mexico,United States,Africa,Americas,Asia,Oceania,Europe
The Mechanics of Gun Trafficking from the United States
1 March 2016
Small Arms Survey (Geneva)
When one thinks of arms traffickers, the image that often comes to mind is of the stereotypical 'Merchant of Death' – ambitious, well-connected, globetrotting entrepreneurs who single-handedly arm warlords and insurgents across the world. While there is some truth to the stereotype, most illicit arms traffickers do not fit this profile.
The latest Issue Brief from the Small Arms Survey—Dribs and Drabs: The Mechanics of Small Arms Trafficking from the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Small Arms Survey (Geneva)
38951
Canada,United States
A Comment on Canada and the UN Arms Trade Treaty
2 February 2016
Upfront Ottawa, Opinion
The Arms Trade Treaty was approved by the UN General Assembly on 2 April 2013
United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs – Strengthening Peace and Security through Disarmament
Trudeau-Dion Foreign Policy is more than formally agreeing to the UN Arms Treaty or seeking seats on the UN Security Council. It requires principled action on the "World Stage."
The United Nations, according to its mandate, is working "worldwide" to try and improve the lives and livelihoods... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Upfront Ottawa
39039
United States
There are Now More Guns than People in the United States
5 October 2015
Washington Post
It's tough to know exactly how many guns we have in the United States. Most estimates of the number of guns in the U.S. use federal tallies of the firearms manufactured, imported and exported by U.S. gunmakers.
A 2012 Congressional Research Service report published exactly one month before the Sandy Hook school shooting put the number of civilian firearms at 242 million in 1996, 259 million in 2000, and 310 million as of 2009.
If that 310 million number is correct, it... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
38860
Nicaragua,Peru,Haiti,Dominican Republic,Cuba,Mexico,Honduras,Guatemala,Turkey,El Salvador,United States,Russia,Austria,Belgium,Colombia,Brazil,Czech Republic,Germany,Israel,Venezuela,Italy,Spain
The Latin American Gun Leak
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)
Read More: Los Angeles Times
38856
South America,Central America,Caribbean,Cuba,United States,Russia,Nicaragua,Israel,El Salvador,Honduras,Europe,Belgium,Czech Republic,Germany,Italy,South Africa,Spain,Colombia,Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,Argentina,Chile,Paraguay,Panama,Ecuador
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)
Read More: NACLA
39011
Australia,New Zealand,Solomon Islands,Papua New Guinea
Why Australia is Gunning for the Illegal Trade in Weapons
2 June 2014
Australian (Sydney)
Canberra, A.C.T - Illegally traded conventional weapons claim more than half a million victims every year. These weapons kill, maim and disable, undermine economic prosperity and development, and keep millions of people, especially women and children, trapped in fear.
Australia will this week ratify the first legally binding instrument ever negotiated in the UN to establish common standards for the international transfer of conventional arms, the Arms Trade Treaty.
In... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Australian (Sydney)
38721
Austria,Guatemala,European Union
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)
Read More: El Periódico (Guatemala)
38639
Guatemala,Austria,Italy
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)
Read More: El Periódico (Guatemala)
38638
Guatemala
Austrian Govt Denies Export Permit to Guatemala for 3000 Handguns [ES]
2 May 2014
El Periódico (Guatemala)
[Translated summary - The Austrian government has denied a permit for the export of 3000 Glock pistols due to concerns about the high rate of corruption and crime in Guatemala, and the risk that the firearms could be diverted for criminal purposes.]
La decisión fue tomada por dicho país luego de una investigación en la que se concluye que existe un alto índice de corrupción y criminalidad en Guatemala, y que el uso de armas podría desviarse para fines... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: El Periódico (Guatemala)
38620
United Kingdom,Russia,Germany,Thailand,Kazakhstan,Italy,United States,Canada,Norway
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)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
38614
Israel
Call for Israel to Sign Arms Trade Treaty to Prevent Gun Violence Against Women
4 April 2014
+972 Magazine, Blog
The Knesset Committee for Advancement of the Status of Women is about to discuss a national action plan, initiated by a wide coalition of feminist NGOs, for the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325. The resolution calls for the adoption of a gender perspective in peace and security issues, or simply put – for the consideration of women's special security needs, and of the unique nature of harm they suffer. For the first time, the national action plan... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: +972 Magazine
38532
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)
Read More: Christian Today
38541
Italy,United Kingdom,Slovakia,Germany,Romania,France,Spain,Bulgaria,Croatia,Malta,Denmark,El Salvador,Estonia,Finland,Hungary,Ireland,Slovenia,European Union,Latvia
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)
Read More: Associated Press
38525
United States
US Has More Guns, Fewer Owners: 5% Own Most of the Firearms
15 March 2014
Economist
WARRENTON, Virginia - Live fire crackles from the range at Clark Brothers, a gun shop in Virginia. Inside, the most striking things are the enormous gun safes. Some of these metal boxes, which cost over $1,000, can withstand hours of exposure to wildfires and being dropped from 200 feet.
They are the result of a shift in gun ownership. Surveys suggest that the proportion of American households that own guns has declined from about 50% in the early 1980s to about 35%... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Economist
38464
Switzerland
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)
Read More: RTS (Switzerland)
38439
Japan,United States
Opinion: Don't Scrap Japanese Firearms Export Ban
3 March 2014
Japan Times, Editorial
The Abe administration plans to ditch the nation's long-standing three-point weapons-export ban by writing a new three-point principle governing the export of weapons. The new policy would turn Japan into a weapons-exporting country. A departure from Japan's traditional security posture characterized by self-restraint, such a move would damage the international trust and reputation Japan has earned through its strict restriction on weapons exports. Ultimately this step... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
38428
Europe,European Union,Albania,Macedonia,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Iraq,North Africa,Afghanistan,Serbia,Croatia
Chasing Exports, Balkan Countries Foster Gun, Ammunition Industries
24 February 2014
Southeast European Times
Balkan countries are taking measures to support domestic military firms in an effort to improve their economies and develop closer relations with NATO, experts said.
Governments pay more attention to the military industry's economic potential, said Blagoja Markovski, president of the Balkan Security Forum in Skopje.
"It offers extraordinary opportunities to create jobs and help the development of the economy. Individual countries' earnings range from tens of millions... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southeast European Times
38438
Libya,West Asia,Egypt,Syria,Mali,North Africa,Italy,France,United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Belarus,China,Algeria,Caribbean,South America,Niger,Chad,European Union,Tunisia
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)
Read More: Fair Observer
38403
China,Australia,United Kingdom,United States,Japan,Russia
Japan Set to Ratify Arms Trade Treaty Despite Proposal to Relax Gun Exports
16 February 2014
Japan Times
A bill to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, the first international pact to regulating trade in conventional arms, is scheduled to be submitted to the Diet by the end of this month, government sources said.
The measure, coming less than a year after Japan signed the treaty adopted at the U.N. General Assembly last April, underscores Tokyo's eagerness to nudge others to join the framework, the sources said Saturday.
However, the move appears incongruous with the stance of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
38377
India,Switzerland,Kazakhstan
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)
Read More: 20 Minutes (Geneva)
38429
China,Congo (DRC),Germany,United Kingdom,Myanmar,Israel,European Union,Italy,Spain,Egypt,France,Libya,Saudi Arabia
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)
Read More: Ekklesia (UK)
38328
Germany
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)
Read More: Shanghai Daily (China) / Xinhua
38323
Turkey,Syria
Farce of 'Sporting Firearms': Turkey Fudges 47 Tons of Arms to Syria
17 December 2013
Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
No weapons intended for war have been exported to Syria in 2013, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz has said, while acknowledging that weapons "without military uses" for use in sports activities have been exported to Syria, indirectly acknowledging a recent report by daily Hürriyet.
Yılmaz, however, declined to elaborate on the addressee of the imported weaponry.
Permission for exportation of all weapons from Turkey are issued by the Defense Ministry, Yılmaz said on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
38192
United States
The One Thing America Did on Gun Control Since Newtown
16 December 2013
Washington Post
More than a year after the most significant mass shooting this century, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Congress has failed to curtail the availability of guns in America. But one thing has happened on the federal level - or rather, not happened - that has at least delayed the spread of U.S.-made sporting firearms around the world.
For the past four years, the State Department has been working to streamline the process of exporting goods that can be... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
38199
Saudi Arabia,Libya,India,Georgia,Egypt,Yemen,Vietnam,Turkey,Syria,Germany,Bahamas
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)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
38196
United States,Germany,Europe
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)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
38195
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)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario) / Canadian Press
38160
United States,Europe
3-D Gun Printing: New-Wave Threat Bigger, Smaller Than Headlines
1 December 2013
OSCE
Like many technological advances that make the headlines, the technique of 3D printing, or additive fabrication as it is more properly called, is not really new. industrial manufacturers have been using it for decades, primarily as a quick way of creating prototypes.
What is new, however, is that 3D printers have become inexpensive enough to be readily available to the average person. Nowadays you can get a 3D printer for US$1,000 – although you will still pay a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: OSCE
38188
Canada
Canadian Govt Launches Study of Gun Industry to Combat Crime, Smuggling
22 November 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario)
OTTAWA — The federal government is launching an "in-depth" study of the country's civilian firearms industry as part of a program to combat gun crime and weapons smuggling and trafficking.
A request for proposal seeking research bids was posted this week by Public Works.
The study, "Characteristics of the Canadian Firearms Industry Supplying the Civilian Market," is to be completed by March 31, 2014.
Public Safety Canada wants up-to-date details on who is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Toronto Star (Ontario)
38120
England & Wales,Sri Lanka
UK Prime Minister Challenged to Justify Firearms Sales to Sri Lanka
22 November 2013
Guardian (UK)
David Cameron must explain why the government has allowed machine guns and assault rifles to be exported to Sri Lanka despite his recent highlighting of the country's human rights abuses, the head of the Commons weapons watchdog has said.
Sir John Stanley, chairman of the arms export control committee, said the government has a "questionable" approach on arms exports to Sri Lanka.
The senior Conservative MP said it was "not credible" for ministers to claim the £8m of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
38102
United States
3D Guns Seen as Threat as 'Invisible' Gun Law Expires in US
15 November 2013
USA Today
WASHINGTON — When a decades-old law banning undetectable firearms expires less than a month from now, federal agents say a plastic weapon created on a 3-D printer could emerge as a national security threat.
The homemade plastic gun, known as the "Liberator .380" and made with a computer blueprint, a 3-D printer and plastic resin, could pass through security checkpoints without setting off metal detectors.
The gun uses only the smallest bits of metal for ammunition... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: USA Today
38081
Oceania,Iran,North Korea,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Syria,Europe,United States,Asia,Africa,Americas
Editorial: Containing the Conventional Arms Trade
30 September 2013
New York Times, Editorial
Efforts to control the $70 billion a year global market in conventional weapons got a big boost when the United States signed the United Nations arms trade treaty, joining more than 100 other countries in affirming the need to keep these weapons out of the hands of unscrupulous regimes, militants and criminals.
But the work is far from done. At least 50 member countries, including the United States, must still carry out the next step and ratify the treaty for it to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37934
Oceania,China,Europe,Americas,Africa,Russia,United States,Asia
Arms Treaty Now Signed by Majority of UN Members
25 September 2013
New York Times
A pioneering United Nations treaty aimed at regulating the global trade in conventional weapons surpassed a symbolically important threshold on Wednesday when 18 countries, most notably the United States, officially signed the document, pushing the total number to more than half of the organization's member states.
Proponents of the treaty, which was adopted overwhelmingly by the 193-member General Assembly in April, but still required signing and ratification, said... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37913
Cameroon,Central Africa
Cameroonians Demand Action on Central Africa Gun Treaty
2 September 2013
Deutsche Welle
Hardly a day goes by in Cameroon without reports of an armed robbery or pirate attacks off the coast. Residents in Yaounde, the capital, say the region's rising crime rate is making them more and more afraid to go about their everyday lives. Violent crime has gone up 22 percent in the last 10 years according to authorities.
And yet, in 2011 a potential solution was in sight. The Economic Community of Central African States had approved a gun control treaty for small... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
37817
Nigeria
Nigeria Becomes First African Country to Ratify Arms Trade Treaty
13 August 2013
Premium Times (Nigeria)
Nigeria has become the first Africa country to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, has disclosed.
"Nigeria becomes the first African country to sign and ratify the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
"This landmark event represents our deep commitment to a treaty which establishes common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.
"We remain resolute and unyielding in our efforts... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Premium Times (Nigeria)
37758
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)
Read More: Tribuna Hoje (Brazil)
37641
Africa,Americas,Oceania,Europe,Asia
Report: Most Armed Violence Has Nothing to Do With War
2 July 2013
Voice of America
A new report finds only a small percentage of people who die violently are killed as a direct result of war. The Small Arms Survey 2013 reports hundreds of thousands of people die every year as a result of armed violence while going about their daily activities.
The news media report daily on people killed by machine gun fire, mortars and other lethal weapons in conflicts such as Syria, Mali, and Afghanistan.
But according to the Small Arms Survey, these deaths... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of America
37623
United Kingdom,Bermuda
Bermuda Gun Clubs Upset Over Amendments to Gun Law
28 June 2013
Royal Gazette (Bermuda)
Local target shooting enthusiasts are mulling filing a complaint against Government for what they say is a law which discriminates against Bermudians.
They are also up in arms over the seizure of pistols valued at more than $70,000 by the Police Commissioner in 2011 for which they have not been compensated.
Bermuda's gun control regime began with the Firearms Act 1973, a legislative response to the murders of Police Commissioner George Duckett, the Governor Richard... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Royal Gazette (Bermuda)
37618
Venezuela
Venezuela Passes New Gun Law Including Compensation for Victims
5 June 2013
Venezuela Analysis
Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) has approved a new law that restricts access to firearms and provides an amnesty for owners of illegal firearms to surrender their weapons.
The Law for the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Disarmament was passed by the AN on Tuesday, and is set to be enacted into law next week, on June 11.
According to the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on domestic policy, Elvis Amoroso, the law is "guaranteed" to save lives.
"Every... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Venezuela Analysis
37529
Canada,United States
Canada Not Yet Among 60 Countries Signing Arms Trade Treaty
3 June 2013
CBC News (Canada)
Canada isn't saying whether it will join more than 60 other countries in signing a landmark treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.
The federal government hasn't decided whether it agrees with the UN's arms trade treaty, despite having voted to move it ahead in the first place, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Monday.
"We believe that any treaty regarding the sale of munitions that helps move the international community closer to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada)
37519
Saudi Arabia,Libya,Mexico,Germany
Weapons Exports Reveal Faults in German System
30 May 2013
Deutsche Welle
Germany prides itself on having "strict, even restrictive regulations" for the export of weapons of war. All the same, German weapons regularly show up in regions they should not be in.
For years, every single government coalition in Germany has stated that the country has particularly strict regulations for sales of weapons of war to foreign countries. Regularly, however, weapons used abroad but "made in Germany" get into the news. People are outraged when assault... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
37508
Germany
German Small Arms Sales on the Rise
27 May 2013
New Europe (Belgium)
On 27 May, the German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the German small arms sales reached a new record high in 2012. According to the article, the sales more than doubled compared with 2011.
The Süddeutsche reported that approved German small arms exports hit €76.15 million in 2012, compared to €37.9 million in 2011. The second-highest figure dates back in 2009. Then exports sales stood at €70.4 million.
Deutsche Welle reported that small weapons are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Europe (Belgium)
37490
Libya,Mexico,Germany
German Arms Firm Illegally Sold Weapons to Mexico
7 May 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
A German arms manufacturer has admitted to illegally selling thousands of rifles to Mexico, where the weapons were reportedly used to commit human rights violations.
Heckler & Koch, which produces weapons such as pistols, machine guns, and grenade launchers, is under investigation by German authorities for exporting G36 rifles to several Mexican states where Germany prohibits gun sales, due to human rights concerns.
The company previously claimed it had only ever... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
37418
Turkey
Turkey Launches Locally Made Rifles, Aims for $100M in Exports
6 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
ISTANBUL - Sarsılmaz Firearms Industry, the leading private producer of guns and rifles in Turkey, introduced on Monday the country's first domestically produced infantry rifles as well as new generation pistols, firearms with which the company is targeting to reach the $100 million export mark in the next three years.
The 133-year-old company invested TL 14 million in its new products and plans to increase its investment to TL 27 million in line with an expected... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
37413
Yemen,Argentina,Costa Rica,Libya,Germany,United States,Brazil,Paraguay,Austria
Most Brazilian Guns Exported to US
29 April 2013
Folha de Sao Paulo
BRASILIA - The U.S., currently discussing restrictions on the sale of firearms, purchased 7.9 million guns from Brazil in the past 40 years, and 59% of those were exported during the Lula administration (2003-2010).
That is the result of a new study by the Army Command to which Folha had access through the Access to Information Act, with a detailed record of the sellers and buyers of 9.9 million revolvers, pistols, rifles and shotguns, among other weapons, exported... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Folha de Sao Paulo
37390
Canada
Canadian Soldier Faces Charges After Gun Smuggling Investigation
23 April 2013
CBC News (Canada)
An investigation into an international weapons smuggling operation has led police to raid an Ontario army base and lay more than 30 charges against a Quebec soldier.
Ontario provincial police say the raids conducted at CFB Borden and several locations in Quebec netted hundreds of firearms, gun enhancements and parts, including silencers and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
They say officers also seized documents related to the production of prohibited firearms parts... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBC News (Canada)
37362
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Montenegro,Slovenia,Serbia,Macedonia,Romania,Albania,Bulgaria
South East Europe Workshop Confirms Surplus Firearms a Regional Threat
8 April 2013
SEESAC (Belgrade)
On 3-5 April, the 6th Workshop of the Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction (RASR) of Conventional Weapons and Munitions Initiative took place in Bled, Slovenia. The focus of the 6th RASR workshop were national legal frameworks regulating import, export and transit of weapons, ammunition and dual-use goods, particularly as they relate to the surplus weapons and munitions.
RASR is a regional initiative which aims to coordinate and support countries of South East... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SEESAC (Belgrade)
37295
Africa
Africa: Making the Arms Trade Treaty Work in Practice is Real Challenge
3 April 2013
Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)
An outcome that does not make everyone happy is the hallmark of a successful negotiation process, to paraphrase Australian Ambassador Peter Woolcott, president of the United Nations' Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). He and his team certainly achieved that goal. Most states and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) agree that the treaty text does not meet the expectations that were created over the past two decades. However, mitigating this situation is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)
37287
India,Egypt,Russia,China
China Says UN Arms Treaty Lacks Consensus
3 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
There is no consensus on an international arms trade treaty, major weapons exporter China said on Wednesday, after it abstained as the UN General Assembly passed the measure by 154 votes to three.
The only votes against the first treaty on the conventional arms trade were from Syria, North Korea and Iran.
The 23 countries abstaining included Russia and China, ranked respectively as the number two and five weapons exporters by the Stockholm International Peace Research... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
37276
Americas,Asia,Africa,Oceania,Europe
UN Approves Global Gun Trade Treaty: NRA, Iran, N Korea, Syria Oppose
3 April 2013
Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to create the first treaty regulating the international arms trade, a landmark decision that imposes new constraints on the sale of conventional arms to governments and armed groups that commit war crimes, genocide and other mass atrocities.
The vote was hailed by arms-control advocates and scores of governments, including the United States, as a major step in the global effort to put in place... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37271
India,Pakistan,China
India to Reject Arms Trade Treaty, Alleges Bias Against Arms Importers
28 March 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - New Delhi is set to reject a global arms trade treaty (ATT) since the agreement is heavily loaded against weapons-importing countries like India, and let exporting nations like the US and China call the shots. The treaty, meant to regulate all transfers of conventional arms around the world, is likely to be passed by the UN General Assembly next week. India's inability to establish an indigenous defence production industry may now become a strategic... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
37251
Philippines,Austria
Corrupt Glock Police Pistol Deals Feed Philippine Crime Gun Market
26 March 2013
Investvine (Hong Kong)
Austrian gun maker Glock has been accused of supplying the black market in the Philippines with firearms in deals that were originally sealed with the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Over the past years, Glock delivered several batches of its highly demanded 9mm pistols to the PNP. The most recent deal was 12,000 pistols worth around $30 million ordered by the country's police forces as a first shipment of the biggest firearms procurement of the PNP so far, delivered... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Investvine (Hong Kong)
37240
Germany,Mexico,United Kingdom,Ghana,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty Talks Enter Stormy Final Round
26 March 2013
Rappler / Agence France Presse
More than 100 countries complained Monday that talks on a conventional arms trade treaty had gone "backwards" from a vow to conclude a strong accord on the $80 billion a year trade.
The major western powers, who expressed confidence that an accord could be reached, face tough criticism over the treaty as talks at the UN headquarters entered the final straight.
A group representing 103 countries blasted the latest text as a step "backwards."
A statement by the 103,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Rappler / Agence France Presse
37236
Oceania,Asia,Europe,Africa,Americas,United States
NGOs Slam New Arms Trade Treaty Draft, Blame US for Changes
25 March 2013
Reuters
Human rights groups on Monday sharply criticized the latest draft of what could become the first international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global conventional arms trade, accusing the United States and others of pushing to dilute it.
Several Western delegations, however, played down the complaints of groups like Oxfam, Amnesty International, the World Council of Churches and Control Arms, saying the latest draft showed progress, though improvements were clearly... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37234
Oceania,Europe,Africa,Asia,Americas
Conflicts of Interest Plague Arms Trade Treaty Talks
22 March 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
The U.N. organ tasked with maintaining international peace and security harbours a serious conflict at its core.
The Security Council's five permanent members (P5) – United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – along with Germany, are the world's six leading arms exporters, often shipping weapons used to perpetuate violence across the globe.
Meanwhile, over 150 member states have gathered at U.N. headquarters, from Mar. 18-28, to negotiate an Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
37223
Philippines,South East Asia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Arms Trade Treaty or What? - Opinion
21 March 2013
Philippine Star, Opinion
In the next week or so, the members of the United Nations have an opportunity to agree an historic Treaty that would make a lasting difference to people across the world. It's not front-page news most of the time, but the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is within our grasp — and, with it, comes a chance to make a major contribution to the security of humankind. It will help to ensure that the uncontrolled movement of arms no longer threatens the security and prosperity of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Philippine Star
37209
Caribbean
Caribbean Community Countries to Press for Greater Arms Trade Regulation
20 March 2013
Caribbean 360
GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries will be pressing for a successful conclusion to the final negotiation session of the United Nations Diplomatic Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty which began at the United Nations on Monday, according to a statement issued by the CARICOM Secretariat.
It said such an outcome to the 10-day conference is of vital importance to CARICOM, noting that at the CARICOM Inter-Sessional summit in Haiti last month,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Caribbean 360
37210
South America,Eastern Europe,Thailand,Italy,Canada,United States,Philippines
The Gunmakers of the Philippines
20 March 2013
BBC News
CEBU, Philippines - A shot rings out from a factory on the outskirts of the Philippines' second-biggest city, Cebu.
But this isn't an all-too-frequent drive-by killing or an argument that has become violent.
The sound is from a testing range at Shooters Arms, the country's second-largest gun factory.
Shooters Arms produces about 20,000 pistols and shotguns every year, 85% of which are sold abroad - mainly to the US, Canada, Italy and Thailand.
Operations manager... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: BBC News
37208
Romania,Burkina Faso,Poland,Russia,Latvia,Tunisia,Guinea,Senegal,Bulgaria,China,Africa,Europe,Côte d'Ivoire
Arms Proliferation and Abuse Shatter Communities in Côte d'Ivoire - AI
20 March 2013
Amnesty International (London)
Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
The 33-page report, Communities shattered by arms proliferation and abuse in Côte d'Ivoire, documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37206
Germany,United Kingdom,France,Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,Russia,United States
Armed Violence Kills 66,000 Women and Girls Each Year
20 March 2013
New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has urged the world's nations to agree on a strong UN treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in the next two weeks, saying it will save lives and make it more difficult for warlords, organised criminals and terrorists to obtain weapons.
Hopes of reaching agreement on what would be a landmark treaty were dashed last July when the United States said it needed more time to consider the proposed accord - a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
37202
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Is a Global Arms Trade Treaty possible? - Video
19 March 2013
Inside Story, al Jazeera, Video
Human Rights groups say one person is killed every minute because of armed violence, through conflict and crime, but no globally agreed standards exist to regulate the international trade in arms, a trade in dangerous and deadly products, designed to kill and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inside Story, al Jazeera
37200
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
37196
Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
NRA Opposes UN Arms Trade Treaty
16 March 2013
Washington Post
The National Rifle Association, which is battling a raft of gun control measures on Capitol Hill, also has an international fight on its hand as it gears up to oppose a U.N. treaty designed to restrict the flow of arms to conflict zones.
Negotiations open Monday in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, which would require countries to determine whether weapons they sell would be used to commit serious human rights violations, terrorism or transnational organized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37191
India,Egypt,Syria,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Urgent Call for Tighter Rules on International Arms Trade - Oxfam
12 March 2013
Oxfam International (Oxford), Media release
Draft Arms Trade Treaty text littered with loopholes which need fixing urgently to save lives
More than 325,000 people are estimated to have lost their lives through armed violence since negotiations for a treaty to regulate the global arms trade for the first time ground to a halt in July last year, say Oxfam and Saferworld, part of the Control Arms Coalition.
The Control Arms Coalition calls on world leaders to urgently adopt robust rules on international transfers... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Oxfam International (Oxford)
37183
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SiliconIndia
37179
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Nepal
Nepal Decides to Endorse UN Small Arms Treaty
9 March 2013
Xinhua
KATHMANDU - With the objective of controlling the illegal trade of small arms like pistol, Nepal has decided to endorse the UN small arms convention which is being discussed among the UN members at present.
"Nepal supports the bid to regulate and control the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons," the Kathmandu Post quoted a government official, as saying, on Saturday.
"It is of prime importance that the small arms do not reach the non-state actors, who may... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
37174
Brazil
How Brazil Exploited Sexual Insecurity to Curb Guns
8 March 2013
Bloomberg (USA)
Brazil has a gun culture, a gun industry and a gun problem -- much like the U.S. In fact, more Brazilians than Americans died of gunfire in 2010.
Yet Brazil's 2010 tally, 34,300 deaths, was significantly lower than its gun fatalities in 2003 (39,284), when the government enacted major gun-control regulation. I asked Brazilian political scientist Antonio Bandeira, who coordinates the arms-control program of Viva Rio, a nongovernmental organization in Rio De Janeiro, how... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
37166
Europe,Azerbaijan
Turkey Launches Production of First Domestic Sniper Rifle
7 March 2013
Azer News (Azerbaijan)
Turkey has launched production of the first domestic sniper rifle Bora 12, the Sabah newspaper reported.
Work on the construction and manufacture of the rifles has taken Turkish engineers almost five years to complete. The rifle's calibre is 7.62 millimetres and the point target of this rifle can be affected to a distance of 1000 metres.
The newspaper reports that the sniper rifle made in Turkey will be exported and in particular to the European markets.
Creating a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Azer News (Azerbaijan)
37291
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37175
European Union,Sweden,Myanmar,Syria
Stray Swedish Weapons Show Up in Syria, Myanmar Despite EU Ban
7 March 2013
Local (Sweden)
Syrian rebels appear to be using Swedish weapons, visible in a new video that has emerged from the civil war in which an anti-regime fighter cradles a well-known Swedish model of anti-tank rifle.
TV4 news found the video in which a rebel fighter emerges with a Carl Gustaf rocket launcher perched on his right shoulder.
The report dubs the weapon a "Swedish export success story".
It is the second time in the past few months that Swedish weapons have made their way to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
37152
Canada
Canada's Top Concern at UN Arms Trade Treaty: 'Protecting Gun Owners'
5 March 2013
Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
OTTAWA — For nearly two weeks last year, diplomats from Canada and the rest of the world gathered at the United Nations in New York to discuss ways to crack down on the illicit trade in small arms and ammunition.
But rather than working to strengthen those efforts, newly released documents show Canadian officials were instructed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to "play a low-key, minimal role" — and that their main objective was safeguarding Canadian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ottawa Citizen (Ontario)
37143
United States
US President Urged by NGOs to Support Tough UN Arms Trade Treaty
25 February 2013
Reuters
Three dozen arms control and human rights groups have written to U.S. President Barack Obama ahead of new arms-trade negotiations at the United Nations next month, urging him to back a tough treaty that would end loopholes in international weapons sales.
Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies worldwide as a result of armed violence and a convention is needed to prevent the unregulated and illicit flow of weapons into conflict zones and fueling wars... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37109
Sri Lanka,England & Wales
UK Sells Arms to Sri Lanka's 'Brutal' Regime
18 February 2013
Belfast Telegraph
Britain is selling millions of pounds worth of arms and ammunition to Sri Lanka despite the country's dire human rights record.
Figures taken from the Government's own database show how the authorities in Colombo have gone on a buying spree of British small arms and weaponry worth at least £3m.
Some of the items sold to Sri Lanka include pistols, rifles, assault rifles, body armour and combat shotguns – despite the Foreign Office still classifying the South Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Belfast Telegraph
37077
Philippines
The Growing Gun Industry of the Philippines
27 January 2013
The Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The Ella family never thought the fireworks display and merriment on New Year's Eve would bring them so much pain with the loss of their daughter, 7-year-old Stephanie Nicole.
On New Year's Eve, Stephanie Nicole was hit by a stray bullet while watching fireworks outside her home in Caloocan. She died two days after.
A few days later, on January 4, Ronald Bae alias "Bossing" went on a drug-induced shooting rampage with his semi-automatic pistol... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: The Rappler
40337
Asia,Europe,Germany,South America,United States,Austria,Italy,Croatia,Belgium
European Arms, Money Fuel US Gun Addiction say Experts
23 January 2013
Deutsche Welle
After each massacre in the US, Europe laments America's gun culture and violence. At the same time, European companies have no problem selling arms to Americans and supporting the NRA's fight against tougher gun laws.
It is not widely reported, but European firearms for a long time have played a pernicious role in US mass shootings and Europe's gun makers are among the strongest backers of the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Handguns by Austrian arms manufacturer... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
36975
Colombia,Paraguay,Brazil,United States
What the US Can Learn from Brazil's Epidemic of Gun Violence
18 January 2013
Latitude News
A man walks into an elementary school with two handguns. Within minutes, more than thirty children are dead or wounded.
This isn't Newtown, Connecticut, but Realengo, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On April 7th, 2011, Wellington Oliveira murdered twelve children and wounded twenty others. The tragedy sparked a national conversation on gun violence, a huge problem in Brazil.
On Wednesday, in reaction to a different massacre, President Obama proposed a series... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Latitude News
36959
Philippines
1,906,000 Illicit Guns in the Philippines
12 January 2013
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
The public agony that often accompanies random acts of violence has plunged policymakers into another orgy of blame, shame and posturing. The shock is magnified by State inaction following a heinous massacre in 2009 that failed to dent the laws and policies governing the ownership and trading of firearms. A powerful clan was accused in that massacre. The targets were other politicians, lawyers and media workers. Much of the violence was selective in nature.
Recent... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Philippine Daily Inquirer
38799
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads from Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36931
United States,Finland
Finland, US Sign Tracing Agreement to Fight Illegal Gun Trafficking
4 January 2013
PR Newswire (London), Media release
WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide eTrace, an electronic system used to trace illegal firearms, to Finland — in an ongoing effort to combat firearms trafficking.
The MOU establishes conditions of the partnership regarding the procedures to access and use eTrace services made available to law enforcement agencies in Finland.
eTrace is a paperless firearm trace... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: PR Newswire (London)
36907
Zimbabwe,Pakistan,Colombia,United States,Brazil
Brazil Should Continue Responsible Gun Control, Reduce Deaths Further
25 December 2012
Rio Times, Opinion
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Last week's slaughter of twenty elementary school children in the United States has tragic echoes with the massacre in Realengo, Rio de Janeiro earlier this year. At 8:30 AM on April 7th, Wellington Oliveira calmly walked into a classroom with two .38 and .32 caliber handguns, and shot twelve children dead.
At least sixty shots were fired and twenty boys and girls were critically wounded. It was the worst school massacre in Brazilian history.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Rio Times
36868
United States
Fear of Regulation Drives 'Frenzy' of Gun Sales in US Under Obama
29 November 2012
New York Times, Opinion
President Obama's election and recent re-election have apparently fueled a gun-buying craze in this country unlike anything we've seen in modern times.
USA Today reported this week:
"For the second consecutive year, prospective gun buyers joined Black Friday shoppers in record numbers as firearms dealers swamped the F.B.I. with required buyer background check requests. The F.B.I. fielded 154,873 calls, a roughly 20 percent increase from last year's previous one-day... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36785
Somalia,South Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Sudan,Zimbabwe,United States,China
China 'Aggressively' Supplying Africa With Guns, Military Equipment
28 November 2012
Global Post (Boston)
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — China's aggressive new strategy to sell weapons in Africa was on clear display at a recent defense exposition here.
The pavilion for Chinese manufacturers was among the three largest at the Africa Aerospace and Defense exhibition in September, surpassed only by host South Africa and the United States, the world's largest weapons maker by far.
Many of the made-in-China weapons touted by firms such as Norinco and Poly Technologies were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Post (Boston)
36790
European Union
European Union Assesses Arms Trafficking Progress
19 November 2012
Europa (European Union), Speech
I am delighted to welcome you all to our conference on the fight against illicit trafficking in firearms, in the EU and beyond.
We have in the room today some of the leading experts on the topic – from law enforcement, industry, policy makers, and from civil society.
For you, it will not come as a surprise that the Commission puts focus on this issue by organising this conference. Still, it is worth recalling that despite repeated political declarations, at... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Europa (European Union)
36758
Egypt,Niger,Libya,Belgium,Mali,Palestine,Israel
Experts Suspect Belgian-Made Guns Trafficked from Libya to Gaza
19 November 2012
Foreign Policy
There's one big problem with small arms: They don't come with an expiration date. These reliable killing machines pass from dead soldiers to living insurgents, and from a country's armory to a militia's safe house thousands of miles away. As soon as weapons crates cross international borders, arms-producing countries lose control over where they head next - a fact on full display during recent conflicts across the Middle East, and now in the Gaza Strip.
On Nov. 17,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Foreign Policy
36756
Czech Republic,Austria,Thailand,United States
Thai Authorities Concerned Over Easy Access to Guns
18 November 2012
Bangkok Post
In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic accidents, and quickly escalate. Law enforcement officials say the root cause is the easy availability of guns, and this is true for teenagers as well as adults. People prefer to buy weapons outside of legal channels because they are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bangkok Post
36753
China,England & Wales,Nigeria
UK Man Jailed for Smuggling Weapons, Ammo to Nigeria
27 October 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LONDON — A London court yesterday convicted a British arms dealer of organising a big illegal shipment of weapons to Nigeria.
Gary Hyde, a 43-year-old retired British volunteer police constable, was found guilty of helping to organise illegal shipment of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles, 10,000 pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.
He was convicted by a jury and will be sentenced on 23 November at the Southwark Crown Court, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
36690
Serbia
Record Gun Exports by Serbian Manufacturer in 2012
26 October 2012
B92 (Serbia) / Tanjug (Serbia)
KRAGUJEVAC - Serbian weapons manufacturer Zastava Arms (Zastava Oružje) will end the year with a record export performance in the last two decades.
This is according to the joint stock company's director, Rade Gromović.
Over the first nine months of this year, Zastava Arms has exported USD 20 million worth of products, Gromović said at a ceremony marking 159 years since the establishment of the factory in the central Serbian city of Kragujevac.
Under contracts... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: B92 (Serbia) / Tanjug (Serbia)
36698
North Korea,Switzerland
Switzerland Sells Sports Weapons to North Korea [FR]
26 October 2012
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary - Swiss Ministry clarifies that $170,000 in weapons allegedly sold to North Korea were sports firearms intended for Olympic athletes.]
Dans la première moitié de l'année 2012, la Corée du Nord a importé des armes à feu de la Suisse pour une valeur totale de 170'000 dollars. Les livraisons étaient composées de fusils à air comprimé, de revolvers et de pièces détachées», pouvait-on lire vendredi sur le site de la radio sud-coréenne, KBS... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 20 Minutes (Geneva)
36688
Bahrain,Saudi Arabia,United Kingdom
UK Sells Weapons to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia Amid Human Rights Concerns
23 October 2012
Guardian (UK), Blog
MPs have finally recognised what has been blatantly obvious for a long time: human rights and arms exports do not go well together.
This conflict always made a nonsense of the Labour government's call for an "ethical dimension" in foreign policy though the late Robin Cook did his best to try and reconcile Britain's role as one of the biggest sellers of weapons with its stated aim of protecting human rights around the world.
Now, the House of Commons foreign affairs... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36696
United States,Australia
Authorities Close Down US - Australia Smuggling Route
19 October 2012
Sky News (Australia)
An illegal gun supply route between Nashville, Tennessee and Sydney has been shut down in a joint operation by Australian and US law enforcement officers.
Three men have been arrested in Nashville and more arrests were expected in Sydney, NSW Police and Australian Customs and Border Protection said on Friday.
Officers from the two services have been working with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the US Drug Enforcement Administration for several... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sky News (Australia)
36657
Angola
Fears Over Surplus Gun Levels in Angola, Despite Disarmament
9 October 2012
United Press International
LUANDA, Angola - Angola's massive arms stocks acquired during its war for independence worry arms proliferation specialists.
"Re-export is a problem generally. It can occur decades after the original deliveries," Small Arms Survey researcher Glenn McDonald said from Geneva.
"Angola is on the radar at the moment, as it has significant surplus stocks (of weapons)."
In the past five months Angolan authorities have collected more than 80,000 small weapons under a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
36659
Angola
Experts Worried about Re-Export of Weapons from Angola
9 October 2012
United Press International
LUANDA, Angola - Angola's massive arms stocks acquired during its war for independence worry arms proliferation specialists.
"Re-export is a problem generally. It can occur decades after the original deliveries,: Small Arms Survey researcher Glenn McDonald said from Geneva.
"Angola is on the radar at the moment, as it has significant surplus stocks (of weapons)."
In the past five months Angolan authorities have collected more than 80,000 small weapons under a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Press International
36627
Russia
Russia Calls for Ban on Gun Sales to NGO End-Users, Prevents Diversion
8 October 2012
Russia Beyond the Headlines / Interfax
Russia has called on the world to agree on selling small arms and light weapons only to authorized dealers of importer countries, Russian Foreign Ministry security and disarmament department head Alexander Deineko said in an interview with Interfax.
Russia has suggested a set of measures, which would tighten control over the distribution of small arms and light weapons, primarily in the areas where the risk of an arms leak to the black market is high, he said.
"For... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Russia Beyond the Headlines / Interfax
36623
United States,United Kingdom,Libya,Sweden,Egypt,Bahrain
British MPs Say Arms Exports Need More Oversight
17 September 2012
Guardian (UK)
British arms exports should be subjected to prior scrutiny by MPs and the risk that the weapons could be used for internal repression must be assessed much more effectively than in the past, two leading members of Labour's shadow cabinet have told the Guardian.
A radical shift in Labour's policy on the arms trade, with tougher controls, and greater transparency and accountability, is spelt out by Douglas Alexander and Jim Murphy, the shadow foreign and defence... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36559
Japan
Strong Views on Japan Exports, US Role in Global Gun Trade
2 September 2012
Japan Times, Editorial
The international trade in small arms more than doubled since 2006, growing into a stunning $8.5 billion a year industry. The latest Small Arms Survey by an independent research group in Geneva found that large-scale government spending and increased purchases by American civilians, in addition to steady sales to developing countries, contributed to the upsurge.
The reported increase can also be attributed to better information and more thorough research. The result,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
36519
Peru,Argentina,Dominican Republic,Colombia,Mexico,Russia,United States
What Google's Arms Trafficking Map Tells Us
28 August 2012
InSight Crime (Bogota)
The lights blanketing the globe on Google's latest foray into data visualization tell a hidden story of the gun trafficking business: that understanding the movement of ammunition is just as important as understanding the movement of weapons.
Google says the interactive map, which was a joint initiative between Google Ideas and the Brazil-based Igarape Institute, was pulled together using more than a million data points of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: InSight Crime (Bogota)
36509
Europe,Oceania,Americas,Asia,Africa
Global Small Arms Trade Doubles in Six Years - Small Arms Survey
27 August 2012
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS - The annual authorized trade in small arms has more than doubled in the past six years to $8.5 billion, driven by Americans buying more guns and ammunition and big military purchases for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a survey found on Monday.
The Small Arms Survey 2012, an independent research project, found the top exporters with trade of at least $100 million were the United States, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Austria, Japan, Switzerland, Russia,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
36503
Africa,China
Arms Exports from China Flood Sub-Saharan Africa
26 August 2012
Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS — China's arms exports have surged over the past decade, flooding sub-Saharan Africa with a new source of cheap assault rifles and ammunition and exposing Beijing to international scrutiny as its lethal wares wind up in conflict zones in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Weapons from China have surfaced in a string of U.N. investigations in war zones stretching from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ivory Coast, Somalia and Sudan. China is by no means... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
36505
United States,Russia
Russian Town Sells 'Tens of Thousands' of Assault Rifles to US
14 August 2012
New York Times
IZHEVSK, Russia — The nickname of this town, home of the factory that makes Kalashnikov rifles, is the "Armory of Russia." Over the years, it has armed a good number of other countries, too, as the lathes and presses of the Izhevsk Machine Works clanged around the clock to forge AK-47s and similar guns for insurgents and armies around the world.
But these days, many of Izhevsk's weapons are headed somewhere else: the United States.
Despite the gun's violent history... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36466
Europe,European Union
European Commission Touts Stricter Gun Control to Curb Trafficking
1 August 2012
European Law Monitor
On the 31st May the Commission proposed legislation to combat illicit arms trafficking through improved tracing and control of imports and exports of civilian firearms from and to the EU territory. The adoption of the proposal by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU would bring the European Union legislation in line with Article 10 of the UN Firearms Protocol.
"Combating illicit trafficking of firearms is crucial in our fight against organised crime. That... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: European Law Monitor
36447
Europe,European Union
European Commission Touts Stricter Gun Control to Curb Trafficking
1 August 2012
European Law Monitor
On the 31st May the Commission proposed legislation to combat illicit arms trafficking through improved tracing and control of imports and exports of civilian firearms from and to the EU territory. The adoption of the proposal by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU would bring the European Union legislation in line with Article 10 of the UN Firearms Protocol.
"Combating illicit trafficking of firearms is crucial in our fight against organised crime. That... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: European Law Monitor
36446
Africa,Canada,United States,Americas,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Mexico
Kenneth Epps: Farewell to the UN Arms Treaty – For Now
1 August 2012
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
Lost in the hoopla of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, a vital international marathon of another kind ended Friday with a race suspension just before the finish line. At the United Nations in New York, a month of intensive multilateral negotiations on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to regulate international transfers of conventional weapons concluded without agreement, largely because the United States called for more time on the final day.
The U.S. announcement was... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Globe & Mail (Toronto)
36416
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