Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Serbia,Australia,United States
Serbians Hand In Thousands of Guns After Two Mass Killings
12 May 2023
Washington Post
Serbians handed in thousands of guns in the first three days of an amnesty aimed at disarming the country following two mass killings last week, including one targeting schoolchildren.
Almost 6,000 unregistered weapons, 300,000 rounds of ammunition, and 470 pieces of mines and explosive devices have been voluntarily surrendered nationwide since Monday, the country's interior ministry said Thursday in an Instagram post promoting the measure.
President Aleksandar Vucic... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey: One in Three Households Owns a Firearm
28 September 2022
Al Monitor
Thirteen-month-old Kaan Tas was being pushed around a garden by his sister when she noticed blood coming from his head. He died a short while later, the latest young life lost to gun crime in Turkey.
The Tas family was visiting the southern city of Gaziantep when Kaan was hit in the head on Tuesday evening by a "tired bullet" — a round fired into the air, usually at celebrations such as weddings or send-offs for men starting their military service. The phenomenon is... (GunPolicy.org)
NATO Prepared to Intervene in Kosovo
1 August 2022
The Hill (Washington DC)
The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) is "prepared to intervene if stability is jeopardized" by the Kosovo-Serbia conflict, according to a KFOR statement Sunday.
"KFOR will take whatever measures are necessary to keep a safe and secure environment in Kosovo at all times, in line with its UN mandate," the statement read. KFOR reported that the situation in northern Kosovo is "tense" and under close watch by the force.
Tensions between the two countries have heightened... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Has 627,765 Gun Owners Licensed to Carry
9 July 2022
Agenda (Turkey)
In the statement made by the EGM, it was stated that "individual armament has increased and there are 25 million unlicensed and 2.5 million licensed guns in Turkey" on a website with "falsified" information.
In the statement, which stated that they had to publish a denial because of a similar news before, it was emphasized that the fight against fake news on this issue would continue.
Noting that there has been a decrease in the number of newly issued licensed guns in... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss State-owned Small Arms Producer Sold to Italy
13 April 2022
SwissInfo
Switzerland's state-owned Ruag International company has sold its small-caliber ammunition division to the Italian firearm manufacturer, Beretta.
All the 2,700 employees of Ammotech in Switzerland and ten other countries, including Germany and Sweden, the United States and Britain, would be taken over by the new Italian owner, Ruag International said on Wednesday.
The main Swiss production site in the town of Thun would be maintained for at least five years, Ruag... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,United States,Russia,Turkey,Germany,United Kingdom,Poland
What Weapons Have Other Countries Supplied to Ukraine?
17 March 2022
Guardian
The US president, Joe Biden, has announced an $800m (£610m) package of arms to Ukraine as the west steps up military aid against invading Russia forces.
The west's military assistance to Ukraine began cautiously with helmets and flak jackets but now includes drones that can destroy Russian tanks and artillery from 50 miles away.
The west has repeatedly refused to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine but is now supplying a range of powerful weapons. They... (GunPolicy.org)
Large Amount of Unregistered Firearms in Bosnia and Herzegovina
7 March 2022
N1
Although it has been thirty years since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still a large number of unregistered firearms in the country but authorities manage to find and confiscate only a minor share, the police and security agencies in BiH and from abroad have found.
According to data collected and processed by the government's coordinating committee for small arms and light weapons, in 2021 there were 320,000 pieces of various weapons registered in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy Opens Sale of Parabellum Ammunition for Civilian and Sporting Use
23 December 2021
Fatto Quotidiano (Italy)
Parabellum, the taboo falls: Fratelli d'Italia's amendment to the European law opens up the sale of ammunition for civilian and sporting use
A historic taboo of the Italian legal system has been broken. First by practice, and since 2010 also by law, the civilian sale of parabellum ammunition has always been forbidden, Parabellum rounds have considerable penetrating power, and can make even ricocheting shots deadly in closed environments. "Their legalisation puts an end... (GunPolicy.org)
28 September 2021
Espresso
[Translation by GunPolicy.org]
Every day there are murders, death threats or crimes by those who possess a gun obtained easily with a regular licence. But only one number remains constant: that of murdered women. Giorgio Beretta: 'It is necessary to take firearms out of the hands of potential murderers'.
Eighty-five women have been killed since the beginning of the year, fifty-one by husbands, partners or exes. These are the numbers of feminicides in Italy. Eleven in... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Firearms in Portuguese Homes
25 September 2021
Diario de Noticias (Portugal)
New licences decrease every year
PSP estimates that there are fewer firearms in the home, taking into account those voluntarily surrendered and new weapons acquired, but stresses that this decrease "may not constitute a trend" due to the pandemic.
In an assessment made to Lusa news agency regarding the two years of the entry into force of the weapons law, which aims to limit the number of firearms in the home, the Public Security Police said that "there has been a... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Destroys 1,972 Pieces of Small Arms and Light Weapons
21 September 2021
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
A total of 1,972 pieces of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) were destroyed by the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, 18 September.
The event took place at the Jelšingrad smelter in Banja Luka and represents a continuation of efforts to increase public safety and security, and diminish the risk of SALW proliferation. It was conducted by the SALW Coordination Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina, police agencies, the United Nations Development Programme... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Serbia,West Africa,Burkina Faso,Mali
Identified Serbian Weapons in Stockpiles of Armed Groups in Sahel
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)
How are the rules on weapons in Italy
22 July 2021
Il Post (Italy)
On Tuesday evening, the councillor in charge of security in Voghera, the Lega Nord member Massimo Adriatici, shot and killed Youns El Bossettaoui, a 39-year-old Moroccan citizen, in a square in the town centre. It seems that Adriatici had a gun licence, but the episode prompted some politicians - including the secretary of the Democratic Party Enrico Letta and some members of Italia Viva - to question the rules that allow private individuals to keep and carry firearms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Alleged killing of migrant by far-right politician prompts Italy gun control row
22 July 2021
Guardian
A row over privately owned guns has been ignited in Italy after a councillor with the far-right League party allegedly shot dead an immigrant.
Massimo Adriatici, a councillor for security in Voghera, is under house arrest after the shooting outside a bar in the Lombardy town on Tuesday night. Youns El Bossettaoui, a 38-year-old man from Morocco, was shot in the chest and later died in hospital.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League and a key partner in Mario... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Deaths and Crime on the Rise in Albania
21 July 2021
Exit News
Out of the 3,566 perpetrators of firearm incidents in the Balkans during 2020, 98% were men. Furthermore, the number of deaths from firearms has increased over the last few years.
This is according to the Armed Violence Monitor report, authored by the South Easter and Easter Europea Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC), functioning under the United Nations Development Programme and the Regional Cooperation Council.
The results... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Experts Call for a Reform on Firearm Ownership and Possession
20 May 2021
Avvenire
Saturday, April 10, in Rivarolo Canavese, in the province of Turin, an 83-year-old pensioner, Renzo Tarabella, after having shot his wife, Maria Grazia Valovatto, 70, and his 51-year-old disabled son Wilson, shot and killed the owners of the apartment where he lived, 74-year-old Osvaldo Dighera and his 70-year-old wife Liliana Heidempergher, and then attempted to commit suicide. The reason is not yet clear - probably for depression and resentment towards the neighbours... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Bust Clandestine 3D Gun-printing Workshop
18 April 2021
AP
Spanish police said Sunday that they have uncovered the first workshop using a 3D printer to make illegal firearms in the country.
Police said that one person was arrested on Tenerife in the Canary Islands after being linked to the clandestine workshop where the suspect allegedly made assault weapons from 3D printing.
Beside the printer, agents also confiscated the components for 19 weapons made from 3D printing, several knives, chemicals that could be used in... (GunPolicy.org)
Report Shows Gun Ownership on the Rise in Turkey
10 March 2021
Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF)
A report drafted by Turkey's Gendarmerie General Command has revealed an increasing demand for gun ownership in the country, with a 34 percent increase in the number of applications for gun permits in 2020, Turkish Minute reported.
In 2019, a total of 13,206 people applied for a license to carry a firearm, rising by 34 percent in 2020, with 17,751 applying for permits, the activity report for 2020 said.
According to the Umut (Hope) Foundation, a leading advocate of... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
In 2020, more than 3,000 firearms were destroyed in Murcia, Spain
9 July 2020
Murcia Today (Spain)
9th July is International Gun Destruction Day
During the last year the Guardia Civíl destroyed a total of 86,566 weapons in Spain, 3,493 of which were confiscated in the Murcia region.
852 of the weapons from Murcia are small firearms and more than 2,000 long-barrel shotguns and rifles.
Some of the weapons are confiscated as their owners lack the necessary certification and others are seized by the Guardia during criminal investigations.
Public auctions are held to... (GunPolicy.org)
In Italy 400,000 'Ghost Shooters' Unknown to Sports Facilities
13 April 2020
Il Ducato (Italy)
Italians, people of saints, poets and navigators. And, in recent years, also of sport shooters. At least according to the number of rifle licences for shooting registered by the Ministry of the Interior. But from paper to the real frequency of shooting ranges and shooting fields, as we shall see, there is a long way. Many observers and experts have long believed that the sporting firearm licence was a ploy to legitimise the possession of a weapon, to be kept at home for... (GunPolicy.org)
13 March 2019
Sole 24 Ore
There are 1,315,700 licenses issued in Italy for legal possession of weapons, up 4% compared to 2015. The data are the official ones from the Viminale, updated in July 2018. To dictate the increase is the sporting use (+27% in the last three years), while all other types of licenses are declining.
The gun permit for hunting activities is down 9%, due to the increasingly restrictive regulations for hunting, which is consequently less practised; the one for self-defence,... (GunPolicy.org)
Portugal Breaks Records in the Seizure of Weapons and Explosives in 2018
20 February 2019
Observador (Portugal)
PSP bate recordes na apreensão de armas e explosivos em 2018
De acordo com os dados da PSP, além da apreensão, o número de armas entregues voluntariamente em 2018 também aumentou. Armas de caça ocupam a maior parte das apreensões (40%).
Só em 2018, a Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) apreendeu 8.979 armas, mais 200% em relação aos números de 2014 e uma média de 25 armas apreendidas por dia. No caso das munições, os números aumentaram 23%, de 71.121... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Gun Laws Become Less Restrictive
27 September 2018
Corriere della Sera
As of Friday, September 14, when the measure went into effect, gun laws become less restrictive. And there is no need to notify the family that there are weapons in the house. The Official Gazette, in fact, published Legislative Decree 104 last August 10, which transposes--the first nation to do so--the European Directive 853/2017 (amending the previous EU Directive 477/1991) making less restrictive the legislation on the possession of legally held weapons. In practice,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Laws and Ownership in Italy
23 March 2018
Local (Italy)
Italians do not have a fundamental right to bear arms, and there are tough laws regulating both ownership and use of guns in the country.
Before buying a gun, you first need to get a gun purchasing licence ( Licenza di porto d'armi o Nulla osta) -- this is also necessary if you inherit or are given a weapon. To be eligible, you must be over 18, have a certificate from a shooting range to prove you can safely use the firearm, have a clean criminal record, and state that... (GunPolicy.org)
Portuguese Registries 'Lose' 1 Million Weapons
10 December 2017
CM Jornal (Portugal)
Em Portugal, há livretes que atestam a legalidade de mais de 1,5 milhões de armas de fogo. Mas a PSP, que está a atualizar estes registos, estima que, na realidade, apenas 300 mil armas existam de facto nestas condições. Ou seja, mais de um milhão de pistolas, revólveres ou caçadeiras, entre outras, estão 'desaparecidas' ou têm documentos duplicados ou foram registadas sem que existissem na realidade.
De acordo com fontes policiais contactadas pelo CM, muitas... (GunPolicy.org)
BiH Destroys 2,315 pieces of SALW
3 May 2017
SEESAC Newsletter May 2017, Newsletter
The authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina destroyed 2,315 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and 3,344 of their parts and components on Saturday 29 April 2017, at Jelisingrad smelter in Banja Luka. More precisely, this activity funded by the European Union and supported by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP BiH, enabled the destruction of 996 long and 1319 short barrels.
The destroyed firearms and their components have been confiscated by police agencies of Bosnia and... (GunPolicy.org)
29 December 2016
Deutsche Welle
"What do you mean, 'Where did I get the gun?'" Mladen can't really understand why I would ask that question. He is almost 30 and the pistol has been among the household effects of his Belgrade apartment since he can remember. It is an old Yugoslavian version of the famous Soviet Tokarev TT- 33, with a communist star engraved in the grip. "The pistol is from the front. My old man was in the army and got it as a present. He didn't have a gun permit, but who had something... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Plans More Control Over Disabled Firearms [ES]
24 November 2016
Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: After establishing that firearms used in terrorist attacks came from the black market, Spain's Congressional Defence Commission will enforce tighter controls so firearms cannot be modified for use in terrorist attacks. In collaboration with EU states, Spain will standardise techniques to permanently disable guns.]
La Comisión de Defensa del Congreso ha aprobado una iniciativa del grupo popular por la que, previa trasposición de una directiva... (GunPolicy.org)
One Firearm for Every 16 Inhabitants in Spain [ES]
24 November 2016
Mundiario (Spain)
[Translated Summary: Spain ranks 18th in the global ranking of civilian firearm possession, with one firearm for every 16 inhabitants. To legally own a firearm, applicants must certify that they are going to use it for sport or hunting, they must pass an exam and a background check and present a medical certificate. To own a firearm for self defence, applicants must justify a risk or a threat.]
España, con una de las legislaciones más restrictivas del mundo en el uso... (GunPolicy.org)
Balkan Gun Trafficking Fears Grow Amid Major Security Alerts
20 November 2016
Irish Times (Dublin)
Serbia is urgently checking state arms depots after scores of guns were found to be missing from a military warehouse, fuelling concern over Balkan weapons smuggling amid a series of major security scares around the region.
Serbia's defence ministry said military intelligence, military police and other agencies were investigating the disappearance of weaponry including 70 semi-automatic pistols, five automatic rifles and two cases of ammunition.
Last week Serbia... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Asks Citizens to Report Those Who Own Illegal Guns
16 November 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Belgrade – "Before it's too late" campaign was launched today, by the Coordination Body of the Government of Republic of Serbia, European Union and UNDP SEESAC to raise the awareness on the dangers of misuse of firearms, especially in the context of domestic and intimate partner violence.
Funded by the European Union and implemented by the Coordination Body for Gender Equality of the Government of Republic of Serbia, together with UNDP SEESAC, the campaign is taking... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbian Police Seize Biggest Illegal Gun Cache in 15 Years [ES]
16 November 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Serbian Police seized an arms arsenal that included hand grenades, explosives, rocket launchers, antitank grenades, assault rifles, a machine gun, semi-automatic rifles and ammunition; the greatest stash in 15 years. Police worry about Serbian firearms ending up in terrorist attacks in European capitals.]
La Policía serbia se ha incautado de un arsenal de armas que incluye más de 100 granadas de mano y 30 kilos de explosivos, según ha informado... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Makes its Biggest Gun Seizure in 16 Years
16 November 2016
BBC News
Ten people have been arrested in Serbia for arms-trafficking, police say, after the country's largest weapons haul in 16 years.
Rocket launchers, anti-tank mines and automatic guns were among the weapons seized in northern Serbia, close to the Croatian border.
A police video shows officers arresting suspects amid piles of weapons.
Hand grenades, rifles, pistols, bullets, night-vision equipment and various explosives were also seized.
Interior Minister Nebojsa... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Seizure in Serbia, Source of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
16 November 2016
Le Parisien (France)
[Translated summary: Serbian police seized a record quantity of firearms, ammunition and explosives. Among the firearms were automatic and semi-automatic rifles, a machine gun, pistols and carbines. The Interior Minister expressed his concern at illegal firearms entering European capitals. Firearms from the Balkans are often found in the hands of Jihadist terrorists.]
C'est la plus importante saisie d'armes depuis le début du XXIe siècle en Serbie. La police locale a... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Serbia,Bosnia & Herzegovina
Balkan Countries Struggle to Control Gun Trafficking, Smugglers
16 November 2016
World Bulletin (Turkey)
A year after rebel fighters used weapons manufactured in Serbia to gun down victims in Paris, Balkan countries are struggling to end the scourge of illegal arms trafficking.
The killers who opened fire at the Bataclan theatre, cafes and restaurants in the French capital last November used Yugoslav-era assault rifles produced by Serbia's Zastava Arms.
Months earlier the Kouachi brothers, behind the deadly assault on the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices, carried a rocket... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 60% of Albanians Are Opposed to Gun Possession
15 November 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Tirana -- "Don't Shoot but Love – Stop the Illicit use of Weapons before is too Late" campaign was launched today, to assist Albanian government in raising awareness on the danger of illegal possession and illegal use of firearms.
The campaign is taking place from15 November until mid-December 2016, with funding from the European Union and is implemented by the Ministry of Interior of Albania in partnership with UNDP SEESAC (South Eastern and Eastern Europe... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Eight Inhabitants in Ourense, Spain [ES]
14 November 2016
Faro de Vigo (España)
[Translated Summary: There are almost 3 million firearms circulating in Spain. In the city of Ourense there are over 37,000 firearms registered, an average of one gun for every eight inhabitants. Most of them, over 31,000, are shotguns and rifles for hunting. There are 26,000 licences on issue, but 10,000 more registered firearms.]
España no es, ni de lejos, Estados Unidos, cuya Segunda Enmienda de la Constitución brinda el derecho a portar armas y donde un lobby... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Serbia,Western Europe
Bosnia, Serbia Try to Curb Illegal Flow of Guns to Europe [ES]
10 November 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Bosnia and Serbia want to stop the illegal flow of Balkan firearms to Europe. In the 2015 Paris attacks the terrorists used Balkan firearms. It is estimated that there are between 3.6 to 6.2 million firearms in the Balkans, 900,000 in Serbia alone. Serbian organised crime has been linked to a third of all investigations into illegal arms trafficking conducted in France.]
Las armas procedentes de los Balcanes equipan desde hace tiempo a los... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,Serbia,Western Europe
Bosnia, Serbia Try to Curb Flow of Illegal Guns to Europe [FR]
10 November 2016
Libe (Montenegro)
[Translated summary: Bosnia and Serbia expressed concern about the flow of Balkan firearms to Western Europe. The jihadist terrorists involved in the Paris attacks of 2015 used firearms trafficked from the Balkans. It is estimated that there are between 3.6 and 6.2 million firearms among the 25 million citizens of the Balkan countries.]
Les armes des Balkans équipent depuis longtemps les voyous d'Europe mais les jihadistes qui ont semé la mort à Paris en 2015 en... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Saudi Arabia,South Korea,United Kingdom,Germany,Algeria,Switzerland,Netherlands,United Arab Emirates,Turkey,France
Germany Defends Its Sudden Leap in Gun, Ammo Exports [ES]
26 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
[Translated summary: Between January and June 2016, Germany exported firearms and military equipment amounting to €4 billion; an increase of 500 million in relation to the same period in 2015. The government defended its firearm export policy, saying that it's restrictive and transparent and assuring that they give a "special relevance" to the respect of human rights.]
Entre enero y junio de 2016 Alemania concedió permisos de exportación de armas y equipamiento... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Licences 8,000 Civilians to Carry Hidden Handguns
25 October 2016
El País (Colombia)
Sitting on a terrace having breakfast, Fernando glances around, and then opens his jacket to reveal a small pistol in a brown leather holster. It is a Glock 9mm and he carries it for protection. A jeweler by trade, he was the target of a number of violent attacks several years ago, and was subsequently declared "at risk" and issued a B license by Spanish police – a license that allows him to carry a firearm for self-defense.
Fernando is not particularly pleased to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Afghanistan,Russia,Central Asia,Pakistan,China,Turkey,Brazil
UN Rule of Thumb Suggests 600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia
21 October 2016
Age (Melbourne)
As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty.
Chris Dawson,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Australian Gun Ban Hits Rapid-fire Shotgun - NY Times
19 October 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Australia's tough gun controls will be further tightened to restrict access to new rapid-fire shotguns, the prime minister said Wednesday.
But a pro-gun independent senator warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the move will add to the government's difficulty in getting legislation through the Senate.
Turnbull was commenting on the fate of the Adler A110 shotgun, a Turkish-manufactured lever-action weapon that was banned from importation last year as an... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,Russia,Moldova,Libya,Ukraine
Jihadi Tomb Raiders, Italian Mafia Sell Antiquities for ISIS Guns
18 October 2016
Daily Beast (USA)
A fuzzy photo shows the decapitated marble head of an ancient Roman statue; the grainy image is standing in for the gilded sales bills usually displayed in the world's finest auction houses. There are no certificates of authenticity or patrimony for these artifacts either, just maps with red markings.
This is no ordinary art show.
The maps in question show ancient Roman and Greek tombs that have been pillaged in Libya. These artifacts have been put on the market by... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Spain,United States,Greece,Italy,Turkey,France,Syria
Europol Dismantles Spain/Syria/Libya Gun Trafficking Network
11 October 2016
EFE News Agency
A huge haul of arms and drugs was seized from a trafficking network run by Syrian nationals, Spain's police said Tuesday.
A total of 109 people were arrested and 100 tons of hashish, 11,400 firearms, over a million ammunition rounds and 10 tons of explosives were seized in an international operation against a trafficking network that sold drugs to arm jihadist groups in countries like Libya.
The joint operation was carried out by security forces from Spain, Italy,... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Destroys Another 2,123 Unwanted Guns in Smelter [ES]
6 October 2016
La Información (Spain), Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: Police from Lleida, Spain, destroyed 2,123 firearms by smelting. Most of them were shotguns surrendered because they were in poor condition or because their owners don't hunt anymore. Among the firearms there were also rifles, carbines, pistols, revolvers and airguns.]
La Guardia Civil de Lleida ha destruido 2.123 armas de fuego convirtiéndolas en chatarra, la mayoría depositadas en la Comandancia por sus propietarios por mal estado o porque ya... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle Worth 150 Euros in Serbia, 2000 in Scandinavia
6 October 2016
Balkan Insight (Sarajevo)
Serbia and France on Thursday will sign a protocol empowering the two countries to launch joint investigation teams to combat illicit arms trading.
Mladen Nenadic, Serbia's Prosecutor for Organised Crime, told a conference on Wednesday that over 20 years on from the Balkan wars of the 1990s, the region is still full of arms that are being smuggled to Western countries.
"Terrorist attacks on Western countries show the need to address the issue of the illegal arms trade... (GunPolicy.org)
As Part of Balkan Cleanup, Albania Destroys 2,199 More Guns
5 October 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade), Media release
The Albanian Ministry of Defence (MoD), with support of SEESAC, began the destruction of 2,199 weapons on 3 October 2016. On the first day, 100 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) were destroyed. The weapons are being disposed of at the Uzina Mekanike Gramsh (UM Gramsh) facility during the month of October. The destruction of SALW is supported by the European Union, through the EU Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP, in Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Gun Trafficking Network Dismantled in Spain, Lithuania [ES]
5 September 2016
20 Minutos (USA)
[Translated summary: 52 people were arrested in a raid that dismantled a drug and arms trafficking network linking Spain and Lithuania. Police reported that at least 50 guns were seized, AK-47 and Makarov pistols among them. The network purchased guns from collectors and repaired them in workshops to make them operational and sell them.]
Cincuenta y dos personas fueron arrestadas en un operativo que desmanteló una red de tráfico de drogas y armas que operaba en... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Seizure of 'Weapon of War' Guns Increased 20% in Spain [ES]
23 August 2016
El País (Colombia)
[Translated summary: Approximately 20% of the 2,250 seized firearms in Spain in the last five years are weapons of war. Also, in the current year, about 1,073 firearms have been seized, 152 people have been arrested, at least four sweatshops have been shut down; there, assault rifles and semiautomatic guns were reactivated and ended up in countries at war.]
Los investigadores calculan que, en los últimos dos años, un pequeño negocio ubicado en el sótano de un... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Hundreds of Russian and Italian Guns Found in Cyprus Port
19 August 2016
Cyprus-Mail (Cyprus)
Turkish Cypriot police discovered 645 guns, of which 318 automatic and 327 rifles, in a container about to be loaded on 'Rizokarpaso' cargo vessel in the Famagusta port, Turkish Cypriot press reported on Friday.
Two hundred of the guns are Russian-made Baikals, and the rest Italian-made Benellis, Brownings, Berettas and Winchesters.
The guns, press reports said, had been transported to Famagusta aboard the 'Morphou' on July 21st, and remained in a storage facility... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Factory Dismantled, Weapons Seized in Spain
18 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil has dismantled a major arms manufacturing and repair workshop in the town of Dos Hermanas, near to the city of Sevilla, in the Andalucía region, seizing a large quantity of weapons and munitions, as well as a quantity of marijuana in the same premises.
During the raid a 48 year old man was arrested and will face a number of charges including manufacturing arms and munitions, storing and owning firearms without a licence, selling illegal weapons and... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Seizes Shipment of Swiss Assault Rifles Destined for US
12 August 2016
Spanish News Today
The Guardia Civil and the Spanish customs authorities have seized a shipment of 809 firearms which were bound for the USA at the port of Algeciras in the province of Cádiz (Andalucía).
The weapons confiscated on 4th August were 737 assault rifles and 72 grenade launchers made in Switzerland, and the shipment which arrived from Ghana is now under investigation by the authorities in Algeciras.
No arrests have yet been made, and one of the reasons for the firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Spain: 105,000 Galicians Own 169,000 Registered Guns [ES]
1 August 2016
El Correo (Spain)
[Translated Summary: According to data from the Spanish military police, 105,315 firearm licences exist in the Galician community. 169,208 registered firearms are linked to those licences, most of them shotguns used for hunting. This number does not include blank firing guns, whose owners must be older than 18 and show ID at purchase.]
En Galicia existen más de cien mil personas con licencia para poseerlas // La mayor parte son escopetas de caza, cuyo número duplica... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Gun Owners Must Prove Physical, Mental Health [ES]
27 July 2016
La Voz de Galicia (Spain)
[Translated summary: Applicants for firearm licences in Spain must prove good physical and mental health and the necessary knowledge to store and handle them. Some firearms with historic or artistic value are exempt from licences. Minors between 14 and 18 years of age can obtain special authorizations to own some types of firearms, but only for hunting and sport.]
La legislación que regula el uso de armas en España tiene muy en cuenta que la persona que las utiliza... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Europe,Spain,Germany,Switzerland,Poland
Spain, Europol Dismantle Multinational Gun Trafficking Network
26 July 2016
Europol
Europol has supported a Spanish National Police – led operation which resulted in the dismantlement of an organised crime group headed by a Polish national suspected of firearms trafficking.
Numerous house searches were carried out in several locations in the municipality of Ibiza in the last couple of weeks. Simultaneously, Europol coordinated searches in some firms located in Germany and Switzerland.
As a result, several members of the crime network were... (GunPolicy.org)
Syria,Iraq,Jordan,Lebanon,Turkey,United States,Qatar,Saudi Arabia
Weapons of the Syrian War: Small Arms
19 July 2016
Defense One (USA)
Small arms were already plentiful in Syria before the war, thanks to years of Soviet and Russian support. More flooded in after the conflict began
First use: March 18, 2011. After the Assad regime detained more than a dozen teenagers as part of its Arab Spring crackdown, protesters burned down a police headquarters in the southern city of Dara'a. In response, police fired tear gas at protesters, and then opened fire on them.
Origin: Small arms were already plentiful... (GunPolicy.org)
Correlation Between Illicit Firearms and Violence in Serbia
13 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
"I am deeply saddened to see Serbia go through one of its most tragic weeks, following another mass shooting with five dead and twenty injured. The events in Zitiste a few days ago brought to light once again three major but often ignored problems – the large scale availability of illicit firearms, its impact on public safety and most specifically its impact on intimate partner and domestic violence.
As the rest of the Western Balkans, Serbia is awash with firearms.... (GunPolicy.org)
Montenegro Destroys 1,140 Confiscated Guns
9 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Montenegro destroyed 1140 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) at a smelter in Niksic to mark the International Gun Destruction Day on 9 July, 2016, including 752 guns and one revolver, 7 automatic weapons, 381 rifles and 214 different part of weapons.
Minister of Internal Affairs Goran Danilovic, Head of European Union (EU) Delegation to Montenegro Mitja Drobnic, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Fiona McCluney and... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina Destroy 1,008 Confiscated Guns
9 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) destroyed 1,008 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) at the Jelsingrad Smelter in Banja Luka to mark 9 July, International Gun Destruction Day. The destroyed SALW included 234 long barrels, 337 short barrels and 437 other weapons and belonging equipment. Weapons destroyed have been confiscated by five police agencies of BiH over the course of the last several months as part of their law enforcement activities. Their destruction was... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,Finland,Spain,Iceland,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Ireland
Handling Violence in Countries Where Police Don't Carry Guns
9 July 2016
Quartz (USA)
Another week, another police shooting in the United States. So far this year, 569 people have been killed by US police, according to The Guardian's count. Police brutality is a horrific normality and, in more ways than one, black men being shot by police has become the modern-day equivalent of lynching.
But, of course, it doesn't have to be this way. A police officer does not have to shoot to kill and, in several countries, a police officer does not even have to carry... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Gun Licences Has Soared in Italy [IT]
9 July 2016
Corriere Milano (Italy)
[Translated summary: A recent homicide with a legally carried 9mm pistol brings back the central issue of gun carrying permits and the spread of weapons. There are currently 774,679 permits to carry firearms for hunting purposes in Italy, along with 471,000 licences for sports purposes (in 2007, there were half as many). Figures from the Ministry of the Interior show an increase of 12.4% for hunting licences and 18.4% for sports shooting.]
Il recente omicidio a Dorno... (GunPolicy.org)
Kosovo Destroys 2,382 Seized Guns
7 July 2016
SEESAC (Belgrade)
Kosovo* joined the annual International Gun Destruction Day on 7 July 2016 by destroying over 2382 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW), including 888 short firearms and 1494 long firearms. The weapons marked for destruction have been confiscated by the Kosovo Police during their crime investigation work. The destruction is conducted with support from the German Foreign Office and United Nations Development Programme.
The event was also used to launch social... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Shoots, Kills Wife & Four Others, Injures 20 in Serbia
2 July 2016
BBC News
Five people have been shot dead and at least 20 injured in a cafe in north-eastern Serbia.
Police say the gunman killed his wife and another woman, before randomly shooting at other customers at the cafe.
Three children were among those injured in the attack near the city of Zrenjanin, the interior ministry said.
The gunman was arrested and police are investigating his motive, which is believed to be jealousy.
Witnesses told Serbia's state TV that the attacker came... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Gang Converted Blank-firing Pistols to Crime Guns in Spain [ES]
16 June 2016
El Periódico de Aragón (Spain)
[Translated summary: The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to the purchase of firearms, seizing 123 guns and over 8,000 metal cartridges. The organization smuggled blank firearms into the country, then converted them to fully functional weapons in clandestine workshops.]
La operación, que se ha desarrollado en dos fases, se ha saldado con la detención de 13 personas y la incautación de 123 armas de fuego y más de 8000 cartuchos... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
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)
Nine Illegal Firearms Seized in Spain
15 May 2016
Ziz Online
A community safety patrol by men of the Tactical Unit in Cayon has resulted in the seizure of a .40mm pistol and a magazine with fourteen (14) rounds of .40mm ammunition.
While patrolling to ensure citizen safety in the "shanty town" area of Cayon around 8.20pm on Saturday (May 14) the officers pursued an individual of interest which resulted in the seizure of the firearm.
One individual was arrested and is in custody. Charges are likely to be filed.
This is brings... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sellers Want Harsher Penalties for Poachers in Cyprus
13 May 2016
Cyprus Mail
The gun sellers' association has called for legislation with harsher penalties for poachers, saying that registered hunters have nothing to do with illegal actions reported in recent days, including the killings of the protected moufflon.
In an announcement, the gun sellers expressed their concern on the rise of "serious poaching incidents" and referred to Game Service data suggesting there has been an increase in the poaching of moufflon, while the number of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain's Guardia Civil Auctions 377 Guns, Distributes 106 [ES]
11 May 2016
La Tribuna de Toledo (España)
[Translated summary: The Guardia Civil in Spain auctioned 377 guns that had been deposited by their owners because they lost their licenses or because they wanted to discard them. Most of the firearms were shotguns, but there were also rifles, carbines, handguns and airguns. 106 were allocated, 45 were returned to their owners and 232 are going to be destroyed.]
La Comandancia de la Guardia Civil subastó el lunes un total de 377 armas depositadas previamente por sus... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Eastern Europe,Croatia,Bulgaria,France,Albania,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Serbia,West Asia,Iraq,Yemen,Slovakia,Sudan
Balkan Gun Trade Fuels Crime, Terrorism in Europe, Asia
16 April 2016
Economist
The arsenal discovered in the apartment of Reda Kriket, a suspected terrorist arrested on March 24th near Paris, included explosives, Kalashnikov AK-47 rifles and a machine pistol from Croatia. The terrorists who staged the attacks last November in Paris employed AK-47s made by Zastava, a Serbian manufacturer. The Kouachi brothers, who attacked the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo the previous January, used Kalashnikov ammunition made in Bosnia. Whatever else these... (GunPolicy.org)
As EU Sways on Gun Law, Italy Profits from Gun Trade [IT]
23 March 2016
La Notizia (Italy)
[Translated summary: Whilst the EU does recognise the importance of placing more stringent rules on firearms trade, very little is done in practice, and some of its member-states, like Italy, have hugely benefited from the lax regulations]
Charlie Hebdo, Bataclan, ieri la tragedia a Bruxelles. Ogni volta che vediamo gli attentatori colpire al cuore vivo delle nostre città ci chiediamo, legittimamente, come sia possibile che i miliziani europei convertiti all'Isis... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico,Venezuela,Brazil,United States,Spain,France
Mexico Weapons Imports Increased 331% since 2011
23 February 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Mexico's arms imports grew by 331 percent over the last five years, compared to 2006-2010, raising more concerns over the government's reluctance to scale back the militarization of the drug war.
The report (pdf), compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), notes that arms imports to the Americas decreased by 6 percent from 2011-2015 versus 2006-2010. Despite this, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil all saw a rise in imports.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,Albania,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Bulgaria,Croatia,Greece,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,Serbia,Turkey
European Commission Tightens Gun Control Across the EU
18 November 2015
European Commission - Press release
The European Commission today adopted a package of measures to make it more difficult to acquire firearms in the European Union, better track legally held firearms, strengthen cooperation between Member States, and ensure that deactivated firearms are rendered inoperable. The proposals presented today were foreseen in the European Security Agenda adopted in April 2015, but have been significantly accelerated in light of recent events. The Commission is hereby supporting... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Croatia,Kosovo,Macedonia,Montenegro,Serbia
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
17 November 2015
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
How Did the 13 November Paris Killers Get Their Guns?
Full details of the arms used in the 13 November massacres will emerge in time. This post provides some information on illicit automatic weapons, such as the Kalashnikov, in France, and how they reach illicit markets.
Overall, it appears that there is a pool of several thousand illicit military style firearms in France and relatively small numbers are trafficked in from abroad. Such quantities mean that terrorists... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Mayor Offers Citizens €250 Bonus to Buy a Handgun
21 October 2015
Local (Italy)
A mayor in northern Italy has announced plans to set up a fund to help his town's citizens buy guns.
Gianluca Buonanno, the Northern League mayor of Borgosesia in Piedmont, has promised to pay citizens who wish to buy a firearm towards their purchase – a sum which is around 30 percent of the price of a small pistol in Italy, La Repubblica reported.
Buonanno announced his decision on Facebook, writing that the measure was aimed at allowing citizens "to defend... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,Turkey
Weakening Australia's Gun Laws a 'Huge Mistake' - Ex-PM
10 September 2015
ABC News (Australia)
The Federal Government has agreed to allow the importation of the Adler lever-action shotgun in a year's time, pending a review into the system.
Gun control advocates say the rapid-fire weapon from Turkey should be permanently banned because of its fast firing rate and its eight-round capacity.
Mr Howard, who introduced a ban on automatic and semi-automatic weapons following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, said he did not believe Australians wanted to see weaker... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Yemen,Switzerland,Finland,Serbia
US Has 5% of World's Population, 31% of Mass Shootings
23 August 2015
EurekAlert! The Global Source for the Science News (USA) - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Chicago - Despite having only about 5 percent of the world's population, the United States was the attack site for a disproportionate 31 percent of public mass shooters globally from 1966-2012, according to new research that will be presented at the 110th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).
"The United States, Yemen, Switzerland, Finland, and Serbia are ranked as the Top 5 countries in firearms owned per capita, according to the 2007 Small... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Slovakia,Denmark,Belgium,Spain,Czech Republic
Charlie Hebdo Killers Bought Their Guns Legally in Europe
18 February 2015
Euronews (France)
The automatic rifles used in the terrorist attacks in Paris last month may have been decommissioned weapons legally bought in Slovakia and reconverted to fire live ammunition, Euronews can reveal.
French police are exploring whether weapons used in the deadly assaults on the Charlie Hebdo offices and at a Kosher supermarket were purchased in a shop inside the European Union, according to a joint investigation with the Slovakian Nový čas newspaper.
The weapons are... (GunPolicy.org)
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
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)
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)
Three Dead After Estranged Greek Husband Shoots Family, Self
19 June 2014
Xinhua
NICOSIA - A 40-year-old Cypriot man shot his estranged wife and two under-aged children and then turned the gun on himself, the police said on Wednesday.
A police source said the man had called his estranged wife to talk and they met on mid-afternoon Wednesday in a busy Nicosia suburb, but he started shooting with an army-issued assault rifle when the meeting developed into a shouting argument.
He then took his own life by shooting himself in the head, the police... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Civil Guard Auctions 441 Seized Guns to Public [ES]
6 May 2014
La Opinión de Murcia
[Translated summary: The Civil Guard in Murcia auctioned 441 guns from private or commercial companies to the public, although in the past some seized guns have been sold at auction. Civilians with gun licenses are able to purchase the firearms, for as little as 50 euros, while those left unsold are destroyed.]
Conseguir un arma nunca había sido tan fácil, ni barato. La Guardia Civil de Murcia saca a subasta 441 lotes de armas que se podrán conocer durante cinco... (GunPolicy.org)
Uproar as Guatemalan Police Import Glock, Beretta Pistols [ES]
3 May 2014
El Periódico (Guatemala)
[Translated summary: Amid allegations of police corruption in Guatemala, a leaked Austrian document denies an export permit for 3000 Glock pistols. The Italian government approved the export of 14,142 Berettas.]
Gobierno deberá responder por informe presentado por Austria
Dicha nación denegó en marzo pasado la licencia de exportación de armas destinadas a la PNC, por considerar que el uso de estas podría desviarse para fines criminales.
Las armas adquiridas... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Can 'Stray Bullets' Be Deemed Innocent? Turkey Considers New Gun Laws
23 April 2014
Today's Zaman (Istanbul), Opinion
Earlier this week, Turkey saw two terrifying incidents in which stray bullets caused injury and, in one case, the death of a 24-year-old. Erkan Bektaş, a waiter who was leaving work at a café in İstanbul's Beşiktaş district at 5 a.m., was shot in the head by a stray bullet when he was walking down the street. The individual who shot him was caught up in a bar fight. The dispute, which the young waiter was not involved in, had reportedly erupted among a group of men... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Man Fatally Shoots Wife and Daughter, Attempts Suicide in Brazil [PT]
22 April 2014
Globo (Rio de Janeiro)
[Translated summary: Italian national Enrico Telese was hospitalised after he attempted suicide following the fatal shooting of his wife and daughter in Brazil. Telese had 71 guns registered to his name although only the one involved in the crime was found at their home. Officials are searching for the remaining weapons.]
RIO - O italiano Enrico Telese, de 58 anos, que tentou suicídio após matar a tiros a mulher e a filha, de 3 anos, no fim da tarde da última... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Bahrain,South Korea,Japan,United Kingdom,Italy,United States
Local Gun Control Laws Make Overseas US Military Bases 'Safer'
9 April 2014
Stars and Stripes (USA)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Strict gun laws in foreign countries mean many in America's overseas military communities feel safer than they would at home, although they're divided over whether tougher rules would reduce gun violence in the U.S.
"For the most part, I feel safer over here because we're not allowed to bring guns," Sgt. Roseann Baena, a 26-year-old soldier assigned to Europe Regional Dental Command in Sembach, Germany, said Tuesday.
Her comment was typical... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Man Wanted on Firearms Charges Arrested in Cyprus
4 April 2014
Manchester Evening News (UK)
A man convicted of firearms offences who went on the run after being released on licence has been arrested in Cyprus.
Louis Larsson, 29, from Bolton, was arrested in Paphos, the popular holiday resort in the south of the island, after a joint operation by Greater Manchester Police and the National Crime Agency.
It is understood armed Cypriot police were also involved in the arrest.
In 2010, Larsson, admitted a series of firearms offences after he mail-ordered gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Slovenia,Malta,El Salvador,Denmark,Croatia,Hungary,Finland,Estonia,France,Spain,Italy,Bulgaria,United Kingdom,Germany,Slovakia,Ireland,Latvia,Romania
Methodists Welcome 18 Countries Ratifying Arms Trade Treaty Including UK
3 April 2014
Christian Today
The Methodist Church has praised the government's ratification of the UN's Arms Trade Treaty.
The President of the Methodist Conference, the Reverend Ruth Gee, hailed it as a "legal milestone that should help to protect those who are abused and oppressed".
Countries that ratify the treaty will be required to establish national arms regulators to control the exporting of conventional weapons and weapons components, and to properly regulate arms brokers. Domestic weapon... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Police Dismantle Illegal Homemade Firearms Factory, Arrest Nine
2 April 2014
Xinhua
MADRID - The Spanish Civil Guard arrested nine people in an operation dismantling an illegal weapons factory on Wednesday.
The Spanish Ministry of the Interior confirmed that Operation "Bulldog" also led to them seizing 109 firearms, 5,500 bullets, a kilo and a half of gunpowder, tools and machinery used to adapt firearms and 47,200 euros (65,100 U.S. dollars) in cash.
The operation was centered on the town of Laguna de Duero in central Spain, from where the Ministry... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Africa,North Africa,Russia,Syria,Mali,Qatar,Turkey,Libya,Egypt,Chad,Somalia,Nigeria,Niger
Libya's Guns Free-For-All Fuels Region's Turmoil
22 March 2014
St Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
TRIPOLI — At the heart of the Libyan capital, the open-air Fish Market was once a place where residents went to buy everything from meat and seafood to clothes and pets. Now it's Tripoli's biggest arms market, with tables displaying pistols and assault rifles. Ask a vendor, and he can pull out bigger machine guns to sell for thousands of dollars.
Libya, where hundreds of militias hold sway and the central government is virtually powerless, is awash in millions of... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Airlines Denies Arms Shipment to Nigeria
20 March 2014
Daily Trust (Abuja)
Turkish Airlines has denied reports that it has been bringing arms into Nigeria which might have found its way to the Northeast, where Boko Haram militants have caused violence.
"Turkish Airlines has not been involved in any carriage of arms to that country (Nigeria) from Turkey nor from any country," the airline said in a statement yesterday.
The reports stem from a leaked tape, where Mehmet Karatas, an assistant executive of the airline, allegedly tells Mustafa... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Man Shoots, Kills Six Colleagues and Self at Former Workplace
19 March 2014
Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
Seven people were killed and several are reported injured after an armed attack on the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) office in the northeastern province of Kars on March 19.
It has been revealed that the assailant was an employee recently fired by TÜİK. He committed suicide right after the raid, which was staged soon after the opening of the office, Kars Governor Eyüp Tepe said in a statement.
"Someone who was dismissed from his job ran amok and killed... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Killed by Celebratory Gunfire in Turkey
18 March 2014
Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
A 30-year-old man has been killed by a stray bullet during Nevruz celebrations in the southeastern province of Şırnak.
Local took to the streets in the city March 17, with many firing celebratory shots into the air using guns, hunting rifles, and Kalashnikovs.
Garip Taşkın was hit by a gun shot while he was going home at around 6.30 p.m. He was immediately taken to the hospital but could not be saved.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between a group of protesters and... (GunPolicy.org)
Toddler, Mother Gunned Down in Italian Mafia Assassination
18 March 2014
Local (Italy)
The killing of a three-year-old toddler along with two adults in an apparent fight for territory in a violent drug war has sparked reactions of horror in Italy.
The victims - a convicted murderer on day release from prison, his partner and her young son - were killed in southern Italy late on Monday after the car they were travelling in was forced off the road by gunmen in a second car, who then fired more than 15 bullets through the windscreen.
Investigators said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Teen Kills Self After Learning to Load Father's Gun Online
11 March 2014
Local (Italy)
A 17-year-old girl from the Sicilian province of Trapani, committed suicide after learning how to load a gun on the internet.
The pistol, which was kept unassembled in a safe at the family home in the town of Marsala, belonged to her father, an officer with the financial police, the local news website Marsalaviva.it reported.
The girl, named by the website as Simona Giacalone, is reported to have gathered information on the internet on how to assemble and load a... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Greek MPs May Testify in Firearms, Organised Crime Trial
20 February 2014
Athens Macedonian News Agency
Examining magistrates for Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) case requested on Thursday from the Greek parliament to lift the immunity of the Golden Dawn MPs not pending trial.
The two magistrates, Ioanna Klapa and Maria Dimitrokali, ask the lifting of the deputies' immunity in order to testify on the charges of participating and running a criminal organisation.
Moreover, they estimated that additional charges should be pressed against the already accused MPs Giorgos... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Moldova,Austria,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Sweden,Canada,Switzerland
Experts Help Moldova Authorities Curb Gun Theft, Smuggling [DE]
17 February 2014
Österreich Journal
[Translated summary: Austria has sent experts to Moldova to advise on small arms and ammunition storage and management under the OSCE framework. Sweden, Canada, Germany and Switzerland will participate in the programme by 2017, which aims to prevent smuggling of stolen ammunition.]
WIEN (bmlvs) - Insgesamt zehn Experten des Bundesheeres unterstützen ab dem 05.03. die OSZE-Mission in der Republik Moldau. Dort werden vorerst vier Angehörige der Heereslogistikschule und... (GunPolicy.org)
Albania Arrests Six for Arms Trafficking
14 February 2014
Balkan Insight (Sarajevo)
Six suspects, including a police officer and an employee of the Ministry of Interior, were arrested on Thursday, accused of arms trafficking between Albania and Kosovo.
During the arrest of the suspects, police sequestered four AK-47 automatic rifles, 12,780 rounds of ammunition and a number of spare parts for automatic weapons.
"The operation for their arrest was finalized outside the Kalimash tunnel, [on the highway that connects Albania with Kosovo] while the... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina,European Union
EU, BiH Join Forces to Combat Weapons Smuggling
3 February 2014
Southeast European Times
BANJA LUKA - By co-operating with EU member countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is reducing the amount of illegal weapons smuggling, but the Union is still concerned about the situation.
"The fight against illicit firearms trafficking is high on the EU's agenda, both within the territory of the EU and in our co-operation with third countries. EUROPOL's Serious and Organised Threat Assessment for 2013 shows that this is a key issue to tackle in the Western Balkans... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Somali Man Arrested for Smuggling Illegal Handguns in Kenya
31 January 2014
Nairobian (Kenya)
A man was arrested in Lunga Lunga for smuggling illegal weapons.
Abdillahi Edin Adano was seized with two pistols and 20 rounds of ammunition that he intended to sell.
Police laid a trap after getting tips from the public that the suspect had landed in Eastleigh with the cache. The seized man allegedly planned to sell the guns in Lunga Lunga.
Last year, six firearms and several rounds of ammunitions were recovered from the same slums where four suspects were... (GunPolicy.org)
Psychiatrist Says Tougher Gun Laws in Italy Help But Homicide Level Still High
16 January 2014
Xinhua
ROME - The murder cases registered in Italy last year marked the record low since the republic was founded some 150 years ago, which experts said was an evidence that the economic crisis does not foster extreme violence when the nation-state is perceived as strong.
"What I found was that the economic crisis does not affect murders," Marzio Barbagli, a sociology professor emeritus at the University of Bologna told Xinhua on Wednesday.
Barbagli was the author of a study... (GunPolicy.org)
Guatemala,Russia,Italy,United States,Honduras,El Salvador,South Korea,China,Belgium
Majority of Legal Guns in El Salvador Traced Back to US [PT]
6 January 2014
Vermelho / El Pais
[Translated summary: Around 60% of legal guns traced in El Salvador originate in the US according to ATF data. The US has a similar tracing system in place with Honduras and Guatemala. 70% of El Salvador's homicides are committed with firearms. Many of these guns are bought legally in America and trafficked to El Salvador.]
Cerca de 60% das armas legais rastreadas em El Salvador têm sua origem nos Estados Unidos. O dado, obtido graças a um programa de colaboração... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Egypt,United States,Turkey
Over 2,000 Rifles Seized At Egyptian Port
29 December 2013
Egypt State Information Service
Egyptian customs authorities on Saturday seized firearms and ammunition in containers coming from the United States, Turkey and China.
Two Beirut-bound containers were found at the Alexandria port carrying 2,400 rifles of different types, said the head of the Egyptian Customs Authority Mohamed el-Salhawy.
Another two shipments of fireworks arrived at Dekheila port. They were imported under a fake request of medical supplies. Meantime, four containers were seized at... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
Netherlands,Spain,United Kingdom,Italy,United States,Belgium,Iraq,Algeria,Bahrain,Egypt,Mexico,Pakistan,Canada
Canada Increases Gun Exports to Countries with 'Dubious' Human Rights
8 December 2013
Toronto Star (Ontario) / Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Bahrain, Algeria and Iraq, countries with dubious human rights records or a history of violent internal conflict, have recently become new buyers of Canadian-made guns and ammunition, an analysis of federal data shows.
The analysis by The Canadian Press found that Canadian exports to those countries swelled by 100 per cent from 2011 to 2012, the most recent figures publicly available.
During the same time period, exports of Canadian weapons also increased... (GunPolicy.org)
Southern Europe,Eastern Europe,Slovakia,France
45 Arrested in France After Arms Trafficking Operation Busted
2 December 2013
Local (France)
France arrested 45 people on Monday in a large-scale operation against international arms traffickers, suspected of importing hundreds of military-grade weapons from the Balkans since 2009.
In a statement, police said some 300 officers had been involved in the vast sweep of arrests, which focused on hundreds of military-grade arms, pieces of ammunition and weapons parts trafficked from the Balkans and Slovakia since 2009.
The arrests were carried out across France and... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Police Seize Unlicensed Handguns as Smuggling Concerns Rise
27 November 2013
Xinhua
ANKARA - Turkish police detained a suspect after seizing 10 handguns in a minibus in the southern province of Hatay, local Today's Zaman reported Wednesday.
A mini-bus driver called the police after a man left a suspicious bag inside his vehicle, according to the report.
By searching the bag, the police found 10 unlicensed handguns and detained the suspected owner of the bag.
The incident is still under investigation.
Smuggling of weapons has been on the rise in... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Army Major Sentenced Over Unlicensed Guns at Home
25 November 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
A Greek army major was given a suspended 20-month jail sentence after weapons and Golden Dawn-related material was found at his home.
A military tribunal in Larissa, central Greece, gave the 51-year-old a term that is suspended for three years after several unlicensed guns were found at his home.
A number of Nazi-themed books and items bearing the emblem of the 1967-74 military dictatorship were also discovered at the property.
The major also had a Golden Dawn... (GunPolicy.org)
Greece,Sierra Leone,Libya,Ukraine
Ukraine Confirms Permit Issued for Guns Seized En Route to Libya
12 November 2013
Ukrainian Journal
KIEV – The State Service of Export Controls of Ukraine has confirmed the issuing of a one-time permit to Ukrspecexport subsidiary Ukrinmash State Enterprise for the supply of small arms ammunition to Libya, noting however that they have no information about the specific content of the military cargo on board of the Sierra Leone-flagged Nour M ship, which was detained in Greece.
"In 2013, after inter-agency coordination, the State Service of Export Control of Ukraine... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone,Greece,Ukraine,Syria,Libya,Turkey
Greek Coastguard Halts Ship Carrying 20,000 Kalashnikovs
8 November 2013
Greek Reporter
According to sources, the cargo ship "nourm" flagged with Sierra Leone, transferred a large amount of weapons. It was identified yesterday evening near Imia and was escorted to the port of Symi this morning.
After an investigation, the cargo ship had troubled the authorities in the past for drug trafficking and when the port board appeared, changed its direction.
Eventually, the ship stopped and was led to the port of Symi, under the port escort. The ship had started... (GunPolicy.org)
20,000 Maltese Citizens Own Guns, Mostly Collectors - Eurostat Study
8 November 2013
Times of Malta
Some 20,000 Maltese were estimated to own firearms according to a study carried out by Eurostat.
However, only two per cent said they owned the gun for personal protection, much less than the EU average of 14 per cent. A total 21 per cent said they were collectors.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Misco last month, found that only seven per cent of those surveyed had owned a firearm.
Some 78 per cent said they agreed with cooperating with neighbouring EU... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Guatemala,Italy,Israel
Beretta, Glock Pistols, Israeli Submachine Guns for Guatemala Police
7 November 2013
Fox News Latino (USA) / EFE News Agency
The Guatemalan government will invest some $12.6 million to buy new weapons for the National Civil Police, or PNC, a government minister said Wednesday.
Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla said at a press conference that after 10 "failed bidding processes" to buy the weapons for the PNC held between 2005 and 2011, authorities opted to make the acquisition from three different foreign manufacturers via an "exceptional agreement."
The procedure, which is allowed by... (GunPolicy.org)
Greeks Fear More Gun Violence After Golden Dawn Members Shot Dead
3 November 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A brazen drive-by shooting that killed two young members of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party has shocked Greeks and prompted soul-searching about whether the crisis-hit country is slipping into a "cycle of violence."
Greece's anti-terrorism force is investigating whether Friday's rush hour shooting outside the party's offices in Athens was retaliation for a fatal stabbing of an anti-fascism rapper by a Golden Dawn supporter in September, police said.
Rapper Pavlos... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Police Find Gun Cache, Over 1,000 Bullets in Cemetery
29 October 2013
Gazzetta del Sud (Italy)
POMIGLIANO D'ARCO, Naples - Carabinieri military police on Tuesday unearthed a small arms cache buried in a cemetery in the town of Pomigliano D'Arco located northeast of Naples, near Mount Vesuvius. The mini arsenal consisted of a 12-caliber shotgun and three sub-machine guns, all with no serial numbers, as well as more than 1000 bullets of various calibers. The weapons were taken to a ballistics lab for testing to find out if they have been used by the Naples Camorra... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,Southern Europe,Eastern Europe,Norway,Sweden,Croatia,Kosovo,Albania,Montenegro,Serbia
Balkan Police Work to Raise Public Awareness Against Arms Trafficking
25 October 2013
Southeast European Times
Increasing police co-operation and raising public awareness about the danger from firearms is the key to limiting the trafficking of illegal weapons in the Balkans, experts said.
Civil society groups estimated there are millions of small and light arms that are widely available.
"The significant number of circulating small and light weapons creates a fertile ground for the general sense of insecurity, vulnerability of citizens to armed violence and serious crime, with... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,Finland,Netherlands,Switzerland,Germany,Europe,United States,France,Israel,Spain,Austria,England & Wales,European Union
Authorities Worry 3-D Printers May Undermine Europe's Gun Laws
17 October 2013
New York Times
PARIS — The gun fired four shots into a gelatin block. Each nine-millimeter bullet punched deep into the substance, which was meant to mimic the density of a human body.
For the experts at the Austrian Interior Ministry performing the test, it was a clear sign: This was a deadly weapon.
But it was no ordinary gun. The officials had downloaded the gun's digital blueprints from the Internet and "printed" the weapon on a type of 3-D printer that any person could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Officials Investigate Greek Man's Alleged Gun Cache, Neo-Nazi Links
16 October 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
An investigation into fugitive businessman Anastasios Pallis, a former associate of shipowner Victor Restis, continued on Wednesday, after police officers confiscated dozens of weapons from his residence in Voula, southern Athens, late on Tuesday.
The probe was being conducted after retired British Army officer Edward Pringle-Stacey, who worked with Pallis, suggested to police that the businessmen had in his possession some 4,000 weapons, which may have been linked to... (GunPolicy.org)
Girl Killed by Grandfather in Turkey as He Cleaned Pistol
13 October 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A young girl was accidentally killed by her grandfather while he was cleaning his pistol in the western province of Bursa on Saturday, adding to a soaring number of similar incidents which are raising the issue of effective gun control amid increasing fatalities.
The recent deadly incident took place in İnegöl, a district of Bursa, at around 9:00 p.m. when Satı Örs, 7, was accidentally shot by her grandfather while he was cleaning his pistol.
To save her father... (GunPolicy.org)
Italy,Sierra Leone,United States,India
US Security Firm's Arms Shipment Detained in India Over Lack of Papers
13 October 2013
Guardian (UK) / Reuters
India has detained an armed ship operated by a US maritime security company, including the 35 people on board, for failing to produce papers authorizing it to carry weapons and ammunition in Indian waters, the coast guard said on Sunday.
Coast Guard Commandant Anand Kumar said the ship was stopped on Friday and was being held in the southern port of Tuticorin along with its 10 crew and 25 armed guards, until required documentation is submitted.
The crew and security... (GunPolicy.org)
Elderly Woman Killed by Stray Bullet in Turkey
9 October 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A 70-year-old woman was struck fatally by a stray bullet while standing on the balcony of her flat as a man fired rounds at the building on Tuesday in Ankara.
According to reports, an argument had broken out in a local coffee house between İsmail Ç. and Necip Ö. about an issue of paying back borrowed money. As tension escalated between the two men, people in the coffee house intervened to prevent a fight.
Necip Ö., leaving the coffee house, allegedly grabbed his... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Dead After Turkish Neighbourhood Shootout, Allegedly Over a Chicken
27 September 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Three people were killed and two wounded in a fight that broke out between two neighboring families in Adana - allegedly over a chicken that had wandered into one of the family's gardens.
The quarrel started when two children began to fight over the chicken and escalated after the relatives of the children saw what was going on and joined in.
The two sides pulled guns and started shooting. The firefight left Yüksel Y., Kadir O., Orhan B. and Enis B. injured. The four... (GunPolicy.org)
Portuguese Authorities Destroy Over 3,000 Guns [PT]
25 September 2013
TVI 24 (Portugal)
[Translated summary: Portuguese authorities destroyed 3,125 guns today, in the fourth official destruction this year. A total of 11,179 guns have been destroyed this year.]
O Departamento de Armas e Explosivos da Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) destruiu um total de 3.125 armas, sendo 2.800 de fogo e 325 classificadas como brancas, comunicou hoje a força de segurança.
Esta ação de destruição de armas, em estado de degradação, foi a quarta realizada este... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Maltese Gun Dealer Charged with Illegal Gun, Ammo Sales
23 September 2013
Tripoli Post (Libya)
A 31-year-old Libyan citizen from Tripoli married to a Maltese woman and residing in Malta, was Monday morning arraigned in court along with a Maltese man after 40,000 bullets were found in the Libyan's car on Saturday following weeks of surveillance by the Malta police.
The Libyan, Feraj Issa Ali Yacoob, and Michael Azzopardi, a 55-year old Maltese, appeared in court on charges of illegally selling ammunition to Libyan organisations when they knew or could suspect... (GunPolicy.org)
2 Dead, 6 Injured After Shootout in Turkey, Gun Violence Increasing Issue
16 September 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Two men died and six others were injured as a result of a gunfight that broke out in Muğla's Bodrum district on Sunday.
The incident took place on Sunday afternoon near the Gümbet crossroads in Bodrum. Two vehicles, one carrying individuals identified as Tahsin, Yaşar and Ahmet Kaya and the other one carrying Bekir, Naci, Yakup and Hasan Turan, pulled over near the Gümbet crossroads and started to fight over an unsettled debt. Soon the altercation turned into a... (GunPolicy.org)
Father Shoots Daughter Dead While Cleaning Gun in Turkey
11 September 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A father shot and killed his daughter while he was cleaning his gun in Zonguldak late on Tuesday, according to reports.
The incident took place in the Tepebaşı neighborhood in Zonguldak. Ayhan Ercan, a father of two, said he accidentally fired his gun while he was putting it on the table after cleaning it. The bullet hit his daughter in the face.
The girl was then rushed to the hospital, where she died despite attempts to save her.
Reports speculated that Ercan... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Pensioner Shoots, Kills Wife in 'Joke Gone Wrong'
4 September 2013
Local (Italy)
A 73-year-old pensioner from Rome shot his wife dead while "playing" with his gun.
The man, who lived with his wife in the capital's Monteverde district, told police he did not realise his .45-caliber revolver was loaded during the "game" that ended in tragedy in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to reports, the man was sitting on the couch holding his gun when his 63-year-old wife asked if he was planning to commit suicide. He is reported to have 'jokedly' said... (GunPolicy.org)
United Arab Emirates,Syria,Yemen,Turkey
Turkish Police Storm Gun Factory, Intercept Shipment to Middle East
3 September 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Turkish police have stormed an illegal arms manufacturing factory in the central Anatolian province of Konya, seizing 4,500 guns and detaining two dozen suspects believed to be involved in the production and shipment of the arms to Middle Eastern countries.
Last fall, Yemeni authorities confiscated boxes of ammunition originating from Turkey in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. Officials seized 3,000 pistols found in biscuit boxes inside a container that came from... (GunPolicy.org)
Bosnia & Herzegovina Holds Civilian Amnesty Ahead of New Gun Law
2 September 2013
Eurasia Review / Southeast European Times
The problem of illegal weapons remaining from 1990s conflict is still significant in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the entire region, while the countries of the western Balkans are trying to persuade citizens to surrender illegal weapons they possess.
A new law on amnesty for possession of illegal weapons that the Republika Sprksa assembly adopted will be in force starting Sunday (September 1st) and citizens will be able to pass their illegal weapons to authorities... (GunPolicy.org)
Soldier Kills Comrade, Self in Turkey in 'Fit of Rage' Shooting
28 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A soldier serving his compulsory military service in Gölbaşı, a district of Ankara province, killed a comrade in a fit of rage before turning his gun on himself on Wednesday.
According to reports, U.Ö., who allegedly had psychological problems, shot his friend O.D. three times after they got into an argument. U.Ö. then shot himself with the same gun. The two soldiers were immediately taken to Gölbaşı State Hospital, where they subsequently died.
The cause of... (GunPolicy.org)
13 Injured After Celebratory Gunfire at Greek Wedding Goes Wrong
27 August 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
Thirteen people were being treated at the general hospital of Larissa, central Greece, on Tuesday for gunshot injuries suffered at a wedding on Monday night at the Roma camp of Nea Smyrni.
The 13 people, among whom are several children, received a range of minor injuries when one of the wedding guests, a 44-year-old man, tried to fire his hunting rifle into the air when the weapon backfired.
The 44-year-old has been arrested, while authorities are also seeking his... (GunPolicy.org)
Stray Bullets Caused 5 Children's Deaths in Turkey Last Month
26 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Stray bullets from celebrations or disputes continue to kill people across the country, with five children having lost their lives in this manner over the last 30 days.
The most recent incident took place in Ağrı on Aug. 24. People were celebrating a henna night by firing guns into the air when stray bullets apparently hit 7-year-old Mehmet Keser and Altın Kalkuç Koç, who were attending a wedding ceremony two blocks away.
The two critically wounded were rushed to... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Man Kills One, Injures Another and Self with Unlicensed Gun
22 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A 63-year-old cleaner, Şeyhmus Yıldız, attempted suicide after shooting Özlem Görükmez and Özlem Akdağ in Diyarbakır on Wednesday, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
According to media reports, the incident took place in Bağlar, where Yıldız shot Akdağ dead and injured Görükmez.
Yıldız, a cleaner at a family health center in Bağlar, is thought to have been in love with Görükmez, who worked at the health center as a nurse. He decided to kill her... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Farmers Consider Becoming 'Guards' to Carry Guns
20 August 2013
Local (Spain)
A wave of rural robberies in Murcia has led farmers to look for ways to legally arm themselves in order to defend their livelihoods.
The president of the Coordinator of Organizations of Farmers and Growers (COAG) in the southeast Spanish city of Cartagena revealed details this week of a crime wave that is frustrating local farmers.
Vincente Carrión told La Opinion de Murcia newspaper: "In the last week alone they've stolen two power converters and broken into three... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Law Sparks Hope For Lower Violent Crime Rate in Albania
16 August 2013
Southeast European Times
Albanian officials hope that the new law on the illegal possession of weapons will lead to a lower violent crime rate.
The new penal code, which came into law in June, increases the sentence for people convicted of illegal possession of weapons from three years maximum to three to eight years in prison. The new law also mandates that a sentence of no less than 10 years in prison be given to those who use weapons illegally in public places.
Police say that more than... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Groom Kills Nephew at Wedding with Celebratory Gunfire
12 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Sixteen-year-old Onur Yılmaz died after being hit by a stray bullet fired by his uncle at his uncle's wedding ceremony in Çorum, Turkish media reported on Monday.
The incident took place in Aşdavul village, in Çorum's Ortaköy district, at the wedding of Osman Yılmaz and Oya Çelik. Yılmaz fired celebratory rounds of gunfire and a bullet hit and seriously injured his teenage nephew.
Onur Yılmaz was taken to Ortaköy State Hospital and later transferred to Hitit... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Official Warns Against MPs Carrying Guns in Govt as Tensions Rise
11 August 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Parliament's Administrative President Malik Ecder Özdemir has warned deputies against carrying guns while inside the general assembly hall, noting that this is a violation of Parliament's bylaws.
Özdemir, a Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy, said "Guns can be pulled out at any time in Parliament, and party leaders are in danger." His warning comes at a time when tension is high in Turkey following mass anti-government protests that took place in May.
He said... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Police Find Over 11,000 Ammo Rounds, 6 Guns at Two Homes
9 August 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
A 65-year-old man was charged on Friday with illegal possession of ammunition as authorities sought his 67-year-old brother after 11,055 bullets and six guns were found at two apartments owned by the men.
Police also discovered other weapons, including a sword, at the properties in Holargos, northeastern Athens, and Petralona, southern Athens.
They raided the property in Holargos earlier in the week after a tip-off that ammunition was being stored there.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
'Pillar Of The Community' Lived Double Life as UK Gangland Gun Dealer
6 August 2013
Daily Mail (UK)
A Tory candidate has been jailed for 16 years for selling submachine guns he smuggled from Serbia to drugs gangs in Britain.
Marcus Simpson, who narrowly missed out on being elected to his local council, offered gangsters a 'menu' of weapons that included a Scorpion submachine gun, a laser-sighted assault rifle and Walther PPKs, plus silencers and ammunition.
Simpson, 42, was a Conservative candidate for Corby, Northamptonshire, in the 2011 local elections. He lost by... (GunPolicy.org)
Estimates Suggest One in Three Portuguese Owns Legal Gun [PT]
2 August 2013
RTP, Video
[Translated summary: It is estimated that one in three Portuguese citizens has a gun at home, with 1.5 million legal guns registered with authorities. It is not known how many illegal guns exist. Police seized over 3,300 weapons in 2012.]
Em cada três portugueses um possui uma arma em casa. A Polícia apreendeu mais de 3300 armas em 2012. De acordo com o Diário de Notícias estão registados no Departamento de armas e explosivos da PSP quase milhão e meio de armas... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Man Shot Child Over Noise
1 August 2013
Local (Spain)
An eleven-year-old boy is in critical condition after a neighbour in the Madrid district of San Blas shot him for "not letting him sleep".
Spanish police arrested 30-year-old José S.A. on Tuesday night after he allegedly shot a young boy who was playing football with a friend close to the aggressor's home.
The incident, which took place at around half past eight in the evening, saw the eleven-year-old being rushed to hospital after he received a bullet to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Police Find Suspected Gun Dealer During Hunt for Missing Girl
30 July 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
Police searching for a missing 16-year-old girl in the Athens neighborhood of Dafni stumbled upon an arms cache and arrested a 44-year-old man they believe may be a weapons dealer.
Officers searched an apartment block in the area on suspicion that the teenager had been there with a 29-year-old convicted murderer and rapist who escaped recently from Grevena Prison.
They found traces that the fugitive and the 16-year-old had been in the building's underground... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Man Shoots Himself in Foot After Frightened by Mouse
25 July 2013
Local (Italy)
A 43-year-old man's attempt to defend himself against a tiny mouse instead left him with a bullet in his foot.
The man, from Onè di Fonte in Treviso, was so frightened by the rodent scurrying around his house that he reached for his father's rifle to kill it, only ended up shooting himself in the foot instead.
The news website, ArticoloTre, assumed his inexperience at handling a rifle, alongside his fear, made him miss target.
He was later hospitalized for gunshot... (GunPolicy.org)
Oman Seizes Over 30,000 Pistols in Port, Allegedly Headed to Yemen
11 July 2013
Fox News (USA)
MUSCAT, Oman – Oman police say they have seized more than 30,000 pistols aboard a tanker, which a newspaper reports was bound for neighboring Yemen.
The seizure comes two years after an Abu Dhabi court sentenced six people for a foiled plot to smuggle 16,000 pistols from Turkey to Shiite rebels in northern Yemen.
The official Oman News Agency quoted a police colonel as saying nine Omanis were arrested in connection with the alleged shipment of 30,393 pistols... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Shop Owner Arrested for Shooting Gun in Air
9 July 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A shop owner who was enraged by continuing protests near his shop in Taksim was detained by police after he fired a gun into the air in a move to scare away protesters on Monday.
He was sent to jail after being questioned by an İstanbul prosecutor at the Çağlayan Courthouse on Tuesday.
The court judge ruled for his arrest for violation of Law No. 6136, as he put people's lives in danger by firing a gun in a public... (GunPolicy.org)
Singapore,Estonia,Brazil,Italy,United States,Germany,Malaysia
Brazil Named Fourth Top Arms Exporter in the World [PT]
8 July 2013
Tribuna Hoje (Brazil)
[Translated summary - A new Small Arms Survey report shows Brazil is ranked the fourth biggest arms exporter in the world. In 2010, Brazil exported $326 million (£736 million) in arms and ammunition, behind the United States of America, Germany, and Italy. Most of the exported weapons go to the United States, Malaysia, Germany, Estonia and Singapore.]
O Brasil ocupa a 4ª posição no ranking de maiores exportadores de armamentos do mundo, segundo documento divulgado... (GunPolicy.org)
Libya,Syria,Turkey,Qatar,Russia
UNSC Asked to Probe Alleged Arms Supply from Libya to Syrian Rebels
5 July 2013
Xinhua
MOSCOW - Russia on Friday urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to investigate media reports about illegal arms supply to the opposition in Syria.
"Russia applied to the UNSC Committee overseeing sanctions against Libya asking to initiate an investigation of the information (about alleged arms supply to the Syrian opposition from Libya)," the ministry said in an online statement.
It cited reports in western media that Libya has been supplying Syrian opposition with... (GunPolicy.org)
Experts Concerned Over Italy's Well-Armed Gangsters Going 'Clean'
2 July 2013
Local (Italy)
Italian mafia homicides have fallen by almost half in recent years, underscoring the gangsters' ongoing shift into what look like legitimate business sectors, researchers said on Tuesday.
Anna Alvazzi del Frate, research director of the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey think-tank, told reporters that mafia killings in Italy dropped by 43 percent between 2007 and 2010, and that the trend was continuing.
"We think that this may be related to the increasing involvement of... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian Cop Shoots Wife Then Commits Suicide
21 June 2013
Local (Italy)
A policeman in southern Italy used his service gun to kill his wife before committing suicide, local media reported on Friday.
Louis Chiumiento, 44, shot 41-year-old Raffaella Ranauro in her car in the southern city of Benevento earlier today, local newspaper il Quaderno reported.
Chiumiento then shot himself in the head, the newspaper said.
The incident happened in a busy area of the city during lunchtime and so there were numerous witnesses.
Chiumiento's... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Killed in Family Dispute in Southeastern Turkey
21 June 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Two brothers were killed as a result of a family dispute in the southeastern province of Gaziantep on Thursday.
The incident began when Bahattin C. came across his brother-in-law, Mikail C., near Bahattin's house. Bahattin C. pulled out his gun and shot Mikail C. after a fight erupted between the two men. Mikail's brother Nedim C. was also shot while trying to separate the two.
The two brothers were severely injured at the scene of the incident, and a child on the... (GunPolicy.org)
Italian School Janitor Guns Teacher Down
17 June 2013
Local (Italy)
A 69-year-old school janitor in Sicily nicknamed "the poet" gunned down a religious education teacher on Saturday, shooting her dead before attempting to flee the scene, Italian media reported.
Giovanna Nobile, 54, had gone into the Pappalardo di Vittoria school in southern Sicily for a teachers' meeting and was confronted by Salvatore Lo Presti as she was leaving the building.
Lo Presti, known as "the poet" around school because of his passion for writing poems, shot... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Govt Raises Gun Ownership Age for Some Weapons
3 June 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
The minimum age for gun ownership in a law proposal being deliberated by the Weapons Sub-commission of the parliamentary Interior Affairs Commission has been raised from 18 to 25, another increase from 23 in the previous version of the draft.
The draft also has provisions in the tear gas category, including pepper spray, which has been in the news recently due to its much criticized overuse by the police force during the Taksim Gezi Park demonstrations in İstanbul and... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Politician's Airport Gun Gaffe Prompts Gun License Review
31 May 2013
Washington Post / Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece — A Greek extreme far-right lawmaker who wanted to travel with his licensed handgun on a domestic flight drew unwanted attention after the firearm accidentally went off during check-in procedures Thursday. Police said nobody was hurt in the incident in a secluded area of Athens International Airport.
But the gaffe drew broad condemnation from mainstream parties and prompted a quick government decision to review all gun licenses granted to members of... (GunPolicy.org)
New Detail from US Lawsuits Shows Industry Rejects Blame for Gun Crimes
29 May 2013
Newcastle Herald (New South Wales) / New York Times
The Glock executive testified that he would keep doing business with a gun dealer who had been indicted on a charge of violating firearms laws because "this is still America" and "you're still innocent until proven guilty".
The president of Sturm, Ruger & Co was not interested in knowing how often the police traced guns back to the company's distributors, saying it "wouldn't show us anything".
And an executive for Taurus International Manufacturing said his company... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Newcastle Herald (New South Wales) / New York Times
Turkey Fights to Stem Arms Smuggling
27 May 2013
National (Abu Dhabi)
ISTANBUL - Turkish custom agents knew exactly what they were looking for when they searched the Libyan-flagged fishing vessel.
Thanks to a last-minute tip, what was supposed to be an empty cargo hold was discovered to be carrying almost 1,000 pump-action shotguns and more than 400 handguns.
"Arms and munitions were discovered on a ship bound for Libya on April 21 in Istanbul," a Turkish official said.
The discovery followed other major weapons seizures in the country... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Tragedy Father Honoured by UK Govt as Arms Trade Treaty Passes
23 May 2013
BBC News
A father whose toddler was killed by a gunman with an illegal weapon in Turkey is to be honoured by the UK government for his campaigning efforts.
David Grimason, who lost his two-year-old son Alistair in 2003, has pressed for tighter controls on the trade of weapons for the past decade.
An international arms trade treaty has been approved by the UN.
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore will present Mr Grimason with the letter of thanks during a ceremony in... (GunPolicy.org)
Greek Speaker Reminds MPs No Guns in Govt
20 May 2013
Ekathimerini (Greece)
Parliamentary speaker Evangelos Meimarakis has spoken to the representatives of all parties to remind them that no MPs should carry guns in the House, it emerged on Monday.
Meimarakis acted after receiving a letter of complaint from New Democracy MP Fotini Pipili, who said that some lawmakers are armed when they enter Parliament.
There have been reports in the past of Golden Dawn MPs being stopped for carrying guns into the House and an Eleftherotypia report on Monday... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Soldier Dies in Gun Prank Accident
20 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A soldier was killed when a fellow soldier accidentally shot him during a prank in Mardin's Midyat district on Sunday, according to Turkish media reports.
Private E.Y. was reportedly killed when his friend Pvt. M.S. accidentally shot him while both were on guard duty in Cevat Paşa Barracks in Midyat.
E.Y.'s body was taken to Midyat State Hospital's morgue and an investigation has been started to look into the incident. M.S. was hospitalized after he suffered from a... (GunPolicy.org)
Spanish Cops Bust UK Drug Gang with Guns
13 May 2013
Local (Spain)
Spanish and British police have nabbed a hashish-smuggling ring that hid hundreds of kilos of drugs in electrical transformers before shipping them off to the UK.
Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and Spain's national police have arrested nine people and seized 322 kilos of hashish from an international organization that smuggled drugs inside industrial electrical transformers.
The joint investigation found that the drugs were purchased in Spain then... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Report Shows 80 per cent of Guns Unregistered in Turkey
11 May 2013
World Bulletin (Istanbul)
A report recently drafted by the National Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Department shows that almost 80 percent of guns that police seized from individuals in incidents threatening public security from 2010-2012 were unregistered.
According to the report, the types of firearms confiscated in police operations over the course of past five years were manufactured guns (51 percent), handmade guns (33 percent), blank guns turned into real guns (16... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Licensing Law Changes Considered in Turkey
10 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
A bill recently submitted to Parliament could give former gun license holders who forgot to renew their licenses another chance.
The current Law on Firearms, Knives and other Weapons states that gun carrying and keeping licenses shall be valid for five years following the date of confirmation and shall be renewed once every five years on condition of payment of the renewal charge. The license holder is also required to inform the public institution that has issued the... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Plans Ban on Guns at Bars and Cafes, Safety Training for Owners
9 May 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
According to a new regulation, people carrying guns will not be allowed as a security measure to enter entertainment venues such as bars, cafés, night clubs and places where wedding ceremonies are held, Interior Minister Muammer Güler announced on Wednesday.
Under the regulation, Güler told reporters, people who want to buy guns will receive training on how to use them safely. Moreover, those carrying weapons will be denied entrance to entertainment venues such as... (GunPolicy.org)
US, Spanish Gun Lovers Download 3D Gun Plans 50,000 Times First Day
7 May 2013
New York Daily News
The first downloadable gun has gone viral.
The plastic firearm that can be churned out on a 3-D printer and easily assembled was downloaded at least 50,000 times Monday, according to the self-described anarchist who made it available for free online.
Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed, a collective of gun advocates, said the most downloads were done in Spain followed by the United States.
The prospect of terrorists getting hold of the guns by clicking a computer... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Drunk Kosovo Man Shoots, Kills Wife After Divorce Request
1 May 2013
Croatian Times
A Kosovan man who shot his Swiss wife dead at the bus stop when she refused to consider changing her mind about divorcing him - and then went for a beer at a local pub - has claimed her death was her own fault.
Afrim Mujaj, 45, then sat calmly watching as ambulances sped by in a bid to try and save the life of his 35-year-old wife Mirvete in Riniken, Switzerland. And as emergency services tried in vain to keep her alive - the court heard he bought rounds of drinks for... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunshots Fired as Italian Government Sworn In, Three Injured
28 April 2013
al Jazeera
Two Italian paramilitary police officers have been shot and wounded outside the Rome office of new premier Enrico Letta as he was being sworn in nearby presidential palace.
The gunman and a female passerby were also injured in Sunday's incident outside Palazzo Chigi, the building the hosts the premier's office, Italy's ANSA news agency said.
A police official said that one of the wounded police officers had been shot in the neck and was in a serious condition after... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish People Spent TL 117 Million on Guns in 2012
22 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Turkish people spent TL 117,922,000 on guns and bullets last year, with gun sales increasing by 54 percent, according to data from the state-owned Turkish Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).
While a total of 19,575 handguns were sold in Turkey in 2011, the number of handguns sold last year rose to 30,207. The price of handguns ranges between TL 570 and TL 12,000. Of the 30,207 handguns, 21,464 were made in Turkey. A total of TL 57.8 million of revenue... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns of 15,000 Abusive Men Seized in Turkey
14 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Şahin has announced that the weapons of 15,000 men found to have been involved in violence against women have been confiscated as a protective measure since the Law on the Prevention of Violence against Women came into effect 13 months ago.
Speaking to the Akşam daily during her visit to Helsinki, Şahin provided some details about the implementation of Law No. 6284 on the Prevention of Violence against Women and the Protection... (GunPolicy.org)
Portugal,Libya,United States,Guinea-Bissau,Colombia
Alleged FARC Scheme Swapped Cocaine for West African Arms
12 April 2013
InSight Crime (Bogota)
An international police operation has dismantled a network in which Colombian rebel group the FARC allegedly attempted to exchange cocaine for weapons from the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.
The investigation, involving US, Colombian, Portuguese, and Guinea-Bissau authorities, lasted over a year, reported EFE. Colombian police arrested two men in Bogota who are accused of serving as as the FARC's intermediaries for the West Africa-based weapons suppliers.
On... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Owner Used Legal Gun to Kill 14 in Serbian Mass Shooting
11 April 2013
Guardian (UK)
The Serbian veteran suspected of killing 13 people in a shooting rampage and then turning the gun on himself and his wife died on Thursday, hospital officials have said.
Belgrade Emergency hospital said Ljubisa Bogdanovic, 60, died from head wounds. His wife Javorka Bogdanovic, also 60, was recovering from surgery and in a stable condition.
Bogdanovic went on a pre-dawn house-to-house rampage on Tuesday, police said, killing his mother, his son and a two-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa,Haiti,South Sudan,Sierra Leone,Liberia,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Oceania,Southern Africa,Central America,East Asia,Southern Europe,Western Europe,North Africa,East Africa,South Asia,South America
Some 437,000 People Murdered Worldwide in 2012 - UNODC Study
10 April 2013
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Media release
VIENNA - Almost half a million people (437,000) across the world lost their lives in 2012 as a result of intentional homicide, according to a new study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Launching the Global Study on Homicide 2013 in London today, Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, said: "Too many lives are being tragically cut short, too many families and communities left shattered. There is an urgent need to... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia Considers New Gun Law After Mass Shooting
10 April 2013
Balkan Insight (Sarajevo)
BELGRADE - Milorad Veljovic, head of Serbian Police, said police were working on a draft Law on Weapons and Ammunition that would provide greater control over people who possess guns. "The draft will be passed to the government in the coming days," Veljovic said.
The move comes after a 60-year-old man, named only as Ljubisa B., went on the rampage on Tuesday morning, killing six men, six women and a boy aged two in Velika Ivanca, 60 kilometres south of... (GunPolicy.org)
England & Wales,United States,Serbia
Motives Unclear in Serbian Gunman's Rampage, Law Change Demanded
10 April 2013
Montreal Gazette (Québec) / Associated Press
Serbia held a national day of mourning Wednesday as police searched for possible motives in the Balkan nation's worst peacetime shooting massacre, which left 13 villagers dead and triggered demands for tighter gun-control laws.
Police say a 60-year-old veteran went on a pre-dawn, house-to-house rampage Tuesday in a village near Belgrade, including killing his mother, his son and a two-year-old cousin before shooting himself and his wife. The two are in critical... (GunPolicy.org)
Serbia,Montenegro,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Kosovo,Slovenia,Croatia,Macedonia,United States,England & Wales,Yemen
Citizens in Former Yugoslavia 'Traumatised and Heavily Armed'
10 April 2013
Washington Post
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — The wars from 1991 to 1999 as Yugoslavia broke up took up to 200,000 lives, turned millions into refugees and left much of the region's people traumatized and heavily armed. It was the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II.
The millions of weapons that remained in possession of civilians after the fighting have caused fatalities every week, as traumatized former soldiers either shoot family members or commit suicide or... (GunPolicy.org)
War-Affected Serbian Man Kills 13, Injures Self and Wife in Mass Shooting
9 April 2013
CTV News (Toronto) / Associated Press
He went from house to house in the village at dawn, cold-bloodedly gunning down his mother, his son, a 2-year-old cousin and 10 other neighbours. Terrified residents said if a police patrol car hadn't shown up, they all would have been dead.
Police said they knew of no motive yet in the carnage Tuesday that left six men, six women and a child dead in Velika Ivanca, a Serbian village 50 kilometres (30 miles) southeast of Belgrade.
After the rampage, police said suspect... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Bosnia Plans Firearms Collection, Destruction Campaign
29 March 2013
SEESAC (Belgrade)
On 26 and 27 March, at Vlašić, UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) hosted a meeting of the representatives of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) of Republika Srpska, MoI of Sarajevo Canton, MoI of the Central Bosnia Canton, MoI of the Zenica-Doboj Canton, MoI of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton, MoI of the Canton 10, MoI of the County of West Herzegovina, Police of Brčko District, MoI of the Hercegovacko-Neretvanski Canton, and the representatives of the international... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish Authorities Seize Guns Bound for Syria
29 March 2013
RTÉ (Dublin)
Turkish authorities say they have seized thousands of guns in a warehouse by the Syrian border.
A local news agency said the weapons had been destined for Turkey's war-torn neighbour.
The firearms, including more than 5,000 shotguns and rifles, starting pistols, gunstocks and 10,000 cartridges, were discovered during a raid in a village on the edge of the Turkish town of Akcakale.
The Dogan News Agency said the weapons were being stored on the edge of the border... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Spain Seize 59 Illegal Guns, Parts in Sting Operation [ES]
25 March 2013
Vanguardia (Colombia)
[Translated summary - The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organisation making illegal firearms in Barcelona, some of which were linked to a double homicide. Five people were arrested and 59 weapons were seized, as well as parts and tools for gun manufacture.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización criminal dedicada presuntamente al tráfico de armas por toda España, con el arresto de cinco personas, según ha informado el Ministerio... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Packages Intercepted at Greek Airport
22 March 2013
Ekathimerini
Police at Iraklio airport on Crete on Friday intercepted two packages containing arms that a 50-year-old man had attempted to send to Thessaloniki and Corfu.
The contents of the packages were detected during a security scan. The packages contained two air guns, two flare launchers, a taser gun and 100 cartridges.
The 50-year-old suspect was detained for questioning while the would-be recipients of the two packages were being sought.
Last November, police intercepted... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)