Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Japan
Japan's Strict Gun Laws Make Shootings Rare
8 July 2022
CNN
The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has shocked Japan, a country with one of the world's lowest rates of gun crime due to its strict laws on gun ownership.
Abe was shot dead on Friday in the city of Nara while delivering a campaign speech, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.
Gun violence is extremely rare in Japan.
In 2018, Japan, a country of 125 million people, only reported nine deaths from firearms -- compared with 39,740 that year in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
40660
Japan
Former Prime Minister Shot Despite Strict Gun Laws
8 July 2022
Newsweek
The shooting of former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo has shocked his country, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world.
Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Abe was in a "severe condition" following the incident during a campaign speech on Friday.
With a population of 127 million, the annual death toll from guns in Japan is frequently less than the number who might die in a single mass shooting in the U.S. In 2018 there were only nine... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Newsweek
40659
Japan
Rare Shooting in Japan Shocks Nation
8 July 2022
Bloomberg
The last time a current or former Japanese prime minister was shot and killed was 90 years ago. It's a measure of just how rare and shocking gun violence is in the country, where ownership of firearms is strictly controlled.
The blast that felled Shinzo Abe on Friday -- with a homemade shotgun, according to reports -- happened while he was campaigning on behalf of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Nara, a city east of Osaka. Abe was giving a speech in front of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg
40658
Japan
Japan has Lowest Gun Violence in World Thanks to Strict Gun Control Laws
8 July 2022
Anadolu Agency
Although former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot twice at an election campaign event in the Nara region, statistics show that Japan has one of the lowest rates of gun violence in the world.
It is believed that Japan owes its strict gun laws largely to the US because, after World War II, Americans shaped the gun policy and forced a firearm ban legislation in the East Asian nation.
According to the Small Arms Survey -- a global organization that keeps tabs on arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Anadolu Agency
40657
Japan
Shinzo Abe Assassinated with Homemade Firearm
8 July 2022
Sydney Morning Herald
Shinzo Abe, a towering figure in Japanese and global politics, was assassinated on Friday, sending shockwaves around Japan and the world.
The former prime minister fought for his life in hospital but died later in the day. His wife of more than 30 years, Akie Abe, arrived by his side just before 5pm local time. Abe was pronounced dead at 5.03pm.
Japanese leader Fumio Kishida had said doctors "were doing everything" they could to save the 67-year-old but the Liberal... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sydney Morning Herald
40656
Japan
Shinzo Abe's Assassination and Firearm Control in Japan
8 July 2022
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV)
In response to the tragic news of the fatal shooting of the ex-PM of Japan, Shinzo Abe, AOAV outlines a brief history of Japan's relationships to guns and its strict approach to gun control.
First it should be noted that there is a very low firearm homicide rate in Japan. In 2017, there were 14,532 homicides by firearm in America, but just 1 in Japan .[1]
In 2018 (the latest figures published by WHO), the total number of people killed by guns in Japan – including... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Action on Armed Violence (AOAV)
40655
United States,China
China's position on Gun Control
20 September 2021
CNN
Last week, a 47-year-old man stormed into a law firm in China's Wuhan city and shot dead a lawyer who he had 'some disputes with,' according to Chinese state media. He then stuffed his gun, just under 20 inches (50 centimeters) long, into a tennis racket bag and left.
The fatal shooting shocked many in China, which has some of the world's strictest gun control laws -- so much so, that some people thought initial reports were about yet another American shooting.
'When... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
40575
Laos,Myanmar,China
Chinese Arms Smuggled to Myanmar Armed Groups Via Laos
28 January 2020
Asia Times
In recent months, Asian intelligence officials and well-placed ethnic sources have confirmed to Asia Times that much of the Chinese weaponry purchased by the UWSA [United Wa State Army] since 2011 has been channeled through neighboring Laos.
Official end-user certificates (EUCs) issued to cover exports by state-run manufacturers such as North China Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO) and China National Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation (responsible for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asia Times
40432
Japan
Public Health Response to Suicide In Japan Leads to Decrease
8 April 2019
Reuters
AKITA, Japan - Taeko Watanabe awoke one cold March night and found a trail of blood in the hallway, a bloody cleaver on her son Yuki's bed and no trace of him in the house. Then police discovered a suicide note in his bedroom.
"They found him in a canal by the temple and wrapped him in a blanket. After an autopsy, he came home in a coffin. I fell apart," she recalled, eyes welling up as she sat by a photo of Yuki and a Buddhist altar laden with flowers and Fuji... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
40391
Japan
150,000 Illicit Guns in Circulation in Japan
20 April 2018
News Post7
…In fact, it is estimated that 150,000 guns, hundreds of times more than the amount seized, are in illegal circulation. In recent years, the crackdown has become stricter and this figure is still decreasing. A long time ago, it was said that 200,000 guns were in circulation. Most of the owners are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: News Post7
40483
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Yemen,China,Israel,Russia,Brazil,United Kingdom,Germany,India,Canada,Austria,Australia,Mexico,United States,Japan,South Africa
How to Buy a Gun in 15 Countries
2 March 2018
New York Times
Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. The process takes months in some countries. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 15 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.
United States
1) Pass an instant background check that considers criminal convictions, domestic violence and immigration status.
2) Buy a gun. Many states have additional buying restrictions, including waiting periods and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
40300
South Korea
How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
27 February 2018
Korea Exposé
In the aftermath of yet another mass shooting in the United States, international and domestic media have published articles touting South Korea as a model of gun regulation. But contrary to popular belief, freedom from gun violence is a relatively new development in the country.
It's true that South Korea is a good place to visit these days if you're trying to avoid guns. According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), there were just five gun homicides in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Exposé
40301
Japan
Putting Guns Away for Good: Can Japan eliminate firearms?
24 April 2017
Asia & the Pacific Policy Forum
A decline in private firearms ownership and no recognisable gun culture means that Japan is positioned to be the world's first country to reverse the gunpowder revolution, writes Aaron Karp.
Four-hundred years ago Japan eradicated virtually all firearms. Today the country may be on the cusp of an equally far-reaching, albeit far gentler, transformation.
Although Japan's private gun ownership rose during the 20th century, today's levels are not just small but rapidly... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asia & the Pacific Policy Forum
40269
China
In China, Life Sentence or Even Death for Replica Firearms [ES]
2 November 2016
W Radio (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: China's strict legislation on firearms can cause firearm replica owners to be accused of trafficking, and go to jail. Even a life sentence or the death penalty are possible in severe cases. The definition of a firearm includes any weapon that can shoot with a force of more than 1.8 joules per square centimetre. This prohibits many replicas.]
La estricta legislación china sobre armas de fuego puede provocar que los propietarios de réplicas sean... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: W Radio (Colombia), EFE News Agency
40127
United States,Saudi Arabia,South Korea,United Kingdom,Germany,Algeria,Switzerland,Netherlands,United Arab Emirates,Turkey,France
Germany Defends Its Sudden Leap in Gun, Ammo Exports [ES]
26 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
[Translated summary: Between January and June 2016, Germany exported firearms and military equipment amounting to €4 billion; an increase of 500 million in relation to the same period in 2015. The government defended its firearm export policy, saying that it's restrictive and transparent and assuring that they give a "special relevance" to the respect of human rights.]
Entre enero y junio de 2016 Alemania concedió permisos de exportación de armas y equipamiento... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
40083
Germany,Australia,New Zealand,Japan,Switzerland,France,Poland,Iraq
German Ammo Sales Up Tenfold, €4 Billion Arms Sales in 2016
25 October 2016
Mo4ch (US)
Germany's small arms ammunition sales have increased by 10 times in the first 6 months of 2016, while total arms sales have reached €4 billion over the same period and have set a new record, Deutsche-Presse Agentur (DPA) says, citing a government report.
The total value of the small arms ammo export contracts has risen from €27 million ($29.3 million) in the first half of 2015 to €283.8 million ($308 million) in the first six months of 2016, the reports says,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Mo4ch (US)
40062
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)
Read More: Age (Melbourne)
40025
South Korea,Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea Seizes Undeclared Guns Intended for Police
13 October 2016
Pacific Islands Report
PORT MORESBY – Chief Secretary Isaac Lupari, pictured, says a shipment of police firearms sent from South Korea to Port Moresby was impounded in Lae by Customs because they were not properly declared.
Lupari, the National Security Advisory Council chairman, was commenting yesterday on the 280 semi-automatic guns seized by Customs in Lae and locked up at the Defence Force's Igam Barracks.
"Those were ordered by police through the private sector," Lupari told The... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pacific Islands Report
40121
South Korea
South Korea: Surge in Gun Smuggling Worries Politician
10 October 2016
Yonhap News Agency (South Korea)
SEOUL -- A lawmaker from the ruling Saenuri Party said Monday the customs office detected 246 attempts to smuggle guns and related items into the country though August this year, adding South Korea can no longer be considered safe from firearms.
According to the data compiled by Rep. Park Myung-jae, the Korea Customs Office caught seven shipments of fully functioning guns, as well as 171 other imitation firearms, which could potentially be used for crimes this... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Yonhap News Agency (South Korea)
39988
China,Eastern Europe,Saudi Arabia,Turkey,Syria,Iraq
'Almost Direct' Supply Chain Sells Guns from Europe to ISIS
11 September 2016
Huffington Post (UK)
Islamic State fighters are illegally using guns and other weapons made in Eastern European factories, in a newly-discovered supply chain that is "almost direct", a weapons expert has claimed.
James Bevan, the director of Conflict Armament Research (CAR), told The Huffington Post UK that investigations this summer have seen a rapid, frightening change in the source of weapons used by the so-called Islamic State to fight other groups and carry out massacres.
These... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (UK)
39834
China,Russia,France,Ukraine,United Kingdom,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Israel,Bahrain,Belgium,Oman,Turkmenistan,United Arab Emirates
UK, Second Largest Gun Exporter, Arms the Middle East [FR]
5 September 2016
Sputnik News
[Translated summary: The United Kingdom is the second largest exporter of arms. Between 2010 and 2015, the UK has sold weapons worth 10 million pounds to Oman, Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates, countries that are classified as "Non-free" by the Freedom House NGO. Other countries that buy from the UK are Saudi Arabia and Israel.]
Le Royaume-Uni est le deuxième plus grand exportateur d'armes du monde sur les 10 dernières années et devant des pays comme la... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sputnik News
39824
Japan
Many Stringest Tests Required to Own a Firearm in Japan
31 August 2016
The Blaze (USA)
The right to "keep and bear arms" in America is expected to be a hot topic for both Republicans and Democrats leading up to the election, as the debate rages between those who see America as a great place to own a gun and those who believe we are a country with too many guns and seek to get rid of the Second Amendment.
But what about gun rights other countries?
Last weekend, Fareed Zakaria's "Global Public Square" on CNN spent an entire hour sharing "lessons" about... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: The Blaze (USA)
39781
United States,China,Germany,United Kingdom,France,Russia,Spain,Italy,Israel,India,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Pakistan,Australia,Turkey,Singapore,South Korea,South Sudan,Ukraine
Killer Facts: The Scale of the Global Arms Trade, Gun Totals
22 August 2016
Amnesty International (London)
Transfers of heavy conventional weapons
The top 10 exporters of conventional arms (excluding small arms/ light weapons – SALW) 2010-15
USA: US$55.006 billion
Russia: US$42.404 billion
China: US$9.943 billion
Germany: US$ 9.467 billion
France: US$ 8.932 billion
UK: US$ 7.627 billion
Spain: US$ 5.310 billion
Italy: US$ 4.360 billion
Ukraine: US$ 4.156 billion
Israel: US$ 3.280 billion
The top 10 importers of conventional arms (excluding SALWs) 2010-15
India:... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
39717
East Asia,Germany
Germany Resumes Gun, Weapon Deliveries to Kurds in Iraq
17 August 2016
New York Times
The German military on Wednesday said it had resumed deliveries of weapons to Kurdistan after the government of the northern Iraqi region vowed to ensure the arms did not end up on the black market.
A defense ministry spokesman said Germany had delivered 70 tonnes of weapons, including 1,500 rifles, 100 shoulder-fired rockets and three armored vehicles, to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil on Tuesday.
Germany halted weapons deliveries in January after media... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
39707
China
Yet Again, China Aims to Control, Punish Online Gun Traders
12 August 2016
China.org.cn, Xinhua
Chinese police have launched a nationwide campaign against the selling of guns online, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced Friday.
The MPS said police will strengthen the scrutiny of logistics companies that might be involved in gun delivery and crack down on illegal Internet websites, forums, and instant messaging services that facilitate the online gun trade.
Police have also taken resolute action against criminal offences such as manufacturing, selling... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China.org.cn, Xinhua
39689
Japan
Japan's Tough Firearm Regulation Reduces Mass Gun Killings
26 July 2016
Reveal News (USA)
Early Tuesday morning, a man stabbed dozens of people at a residential care facility for people with developmental disabilities, according to NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting network.
The man claimed to be a former employee at the facility and admitted to carrying out the attack before turning himself in. Multiple outlets are reporting that sharp weapons were found in the suspect's bag and car.
At least 19 people are dead, and dozens more are wounded. If the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reveal News (USA)
39620
China
China Reports Increasing Misuse and Seizure of Crime Guns
30 June 2016
China Christian Daily
The increasing prevalence of guns confiscated in China's drug cases has the government alarmed after a total of 500 firearms were impounded following multiple drug busts all over the country last year.
According to data from the China National Narcotics Control Commission, 257 drug cases have been cracked at the city police department levels in 2015, an increase of 52 percent from the previous year. In just those drug cases, 476 guns have been seized, an average of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Christian Daily
39533
Japan
Gang Wars in Japan Trigger Surge in Black Market Gun Prices
20 June 2016
Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
A war between the nation's largest yakuza crime syndicate and a breakaway gang has apparently led to a spike in black market firearm prices, according to several sources close to organized crime groups.
Using language unique to gangs, a leader of one group affiliated with Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi said in early June: "I cannot feel safe unless I have 'a heavy one' with 'children' close by me. But the prices have increased by several times."
In yakuza lingo, "a heavy one"... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Asahi Shimbun (Japan)
39468
Japan
Gun Crime Remains Almost Unknown in Japan
13 June 2016
Japan Times
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has vowed to tighten security to protect Japanese citizens both at home and abroad after a gunman killed scores at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. But exactly how at risk of a mass shooting is Japan?
Statistics show that Japan, known for its strict gun-control laws, is one of the safest countries in the world as far as gun violence is concerned.
According to GunPolicy.org, a website run by the University of Sydney, Japan... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
39411
United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,South Africa,Iran,North Korea,Saudi Arabia
Gun Trade Still Growing at Expense of Development - Study
8 June 2016
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS - A report released by The Small Arms Survey here Monday shows the alarming rate at which the trade of small arms and light weapons has been increasing.
Under Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the UN last September, UN member states have agreed to significantly reduce illicit arms trade flows by 2030.
"The Sustainable Development Agenda puts a clear emphasis on arms as one of the elements that will need to be taken into account for... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
39396
Asia,North Korea
North Korea One of the Most Secretive Gun Exporters - Study
8 June 2016
Korea Times
North Korea has been labeled one of the least-transparent exporters of small arms, along with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the Small Arms Survey.
The Swedish research institute assessed 49 countries that exported small arms and light weapons worth more than $10 million from 2001 to 2013.
It gave each country scores between zero and 25 based on seven parameters, including number of legitimate export licenses, clarity of export reports... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Times
39389
Saudi Arabia,Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Netherlands,United States,Iran,North Korea,United Arab Emirates
Global Gun Trade Leapt 17 Percent in Aftermath of Arab Spring
7 June 2016
Deutsche Welle
Global trade in small arms hit $6 billion (5.3 billion euros) in 2013, a jump of 17 percent over the previous year, according to a non-profit arms-tracking organization, which released its results at a UN conference in New York on Monday.
The report, which was produced by the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey, again found that the United States was, by far, both the largest exporter and importer of small arms and light weapons, exporting a record $1.1 billion worth of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Deutsche Welle
39401
North Korea,Iran,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Germany,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,United States,Italy
Switzerland Loses Top Slot in Gun Trade Transparency Ranking
7 June 2016
SwissInfo
For the first time since 2007, Switzerland gave up the top spot in the Small Arms Survey's latest evaluation of the most transparent small arms exporters.
"Its lower score in comparison with previous years reflects less complete reporting to United Nations Comtrade [UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database] and a lack of information on licence denials," the authors said in the 2016 bulletin published on Monday.
Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: SwissInfo
39400
Hong Kong,China
Man Arrested Smuggling Guns, Parts from Hong Kong to China
16 May 2016
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
A man has been arrested at the Lo Wu border checkpoint on suspicion of smuggling firearm parts from Hong Kong to the mainland.
Shenzhen police were alerted after a cleaner found a roll of copper wire containing gun parts next to a fence at a checkpoint exit, Guangdong provincial police said on their website.
Police later assembled four pistols from the parts.
Police soon identified a suspect and arrested him at the border crossing last week. He was carrying two gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
39287
Taiwan
Taiwan Police Chief Commends Forceful Use of Firearms
2 May 2016
China Post (Taiwan)
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- National Police Agency (NPA, 警政署) Director-general Chen Kuo-en (陳國恩) yesterday called for forceful use of firearms when circumstances allow so, as to ensure public safety.
With all the changes in society in recent years, it has been increasingly difficult to keep the streets safe for front-line police officers. As such, Chen expressed that he fully supports the force's correct and courageous use of firearms under the right circumstances,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Post (Taiwan)
39210
United States,Sweden,United Kingdom,Australia,Japan,Switzerland,Israel,South Africa
Americans Face Extreme Difficulty Exporting Their Guns
27 April 2016
Wall Street Journal, Blog
When American Tom Heberlein tried to import his firearms to Sweden, he got as far as his transfer in the U.K. before it started to become complicated. There, despite having the correct paperwork, a U.K. customs official said: "You can't have these guns."
And thus began Mr. Heberlein's global gun education.
Although Mr. Heberlein did, after a lot of negotiation, finally get his guns through U.K. customs and in to Sweden, the entire experience created a hassle he hadn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
39180
United States,United Kingdom,Japan,Australia
So, America, This Is How Other Countries Do Gun Control
14 March 2016
Guardian
Thirty people will be shot dead in America today. On average. It could be more. If it's less, then more will die tomorrow. Or the next day.
The United States's gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other high-income countries, according to a recent study.
Americans are divided on whether the country's gun deaths could be reduced through tougher laws on gun ownership. Liberals argue that legal restrictions on gun ownership could save lives. Conservatives say that... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian
38942
Argentina,Canada,Mexico,Australia,United Kingdom,Russia,China,South Africa,United States,Israel,Norway,Finland,Germany,Switzerland
Three European Countries Lead US in Mass Shootings: WSJ
3 October 2015
Wall Street Journal
The latest U.S. shooting that ended in the deaths of 10 people at an Oregon college last week is reigniting calls for tighter gun laws and prompting comparisons to gun violence in other countries.
President Barack Obama asked why Americans can't follow the example of the U.K. and Australia. They crafted laws that "almost eliminate mass shootings," he said. "We know there are ways to prevent it."
Adam Lankford, an associate professor at the University of Alabama... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Wall Street Journal
39221
Japan
Only Six Gun-related Deaths in 2014 for Japan
16 September 2015
CNN
TOKYO - Last month, Japan's largest crime group, the Yamaguchi-gumi, split into two main factions, potentially creating a gang war that may ultimately involve all 21 designated crime groups in Japan.
The new group, which was formally created in early September, is calling themselves the Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi and is already setting up alliances with other organized crime groups. The National Police Agency says they have had an emergency meeting to discuss how to handle... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
38839
Japan
Japanese Man Arrested For Craft Firearms
3 September 2015
The Firearm Blog
A 60 year old man in Japan was recently arrested for building homemade guns of his own design. According to him it was his hobby for the last 40 years. He used scrap anvils as a source of hardened steel and crafted his own ammunition using toy caps and casted lead bullets.
[Photos in the original:]
- A double barreled muzzle-loading percussion lock. The barrels are rotated between shots.
- A submachine gun which is trying to decide whether its an AR or a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: The Firearm Blog
40323
South Korea
South Korean Soldier Captured After Shooting Five Others Then Himself
23 June 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
A South Korean soldier besieged by troops after gunning down five of his compatriots shot himself in the chest and was captured, a Defense Ministry official said.
The soldier was in a hospital in the border county of Goseong after a day long standoff with Korean troops, Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min Seok said at a televised briefing in Seoul. The soldier had been surrounded by hundreds of troops, with military personnel trying to convince him to surrender when he... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Bloomberg (USA)
38781
China
Five Injured at Chinese Kindergarten in Police Gun Safety Display
30 May 2014
Standard (Hong Kong)
A policeman's handgun went off accidentally when two officers held a safety demonstration at a kindergarten in China to mark International Children's Day, injuring one child and four parents, authorities said.
A gun discharged accidentally and a bullet hit the ground, sending shards of cement flying into the air, wounding five people, said police authorities in Zhengzhou, in the central province of Henan.
They had injuries to their arms and legs and were rushed to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Standard (Hong Kong)
38718
China,United States
China Claims Most Smuggled Guns Arrive in Courier Packs from US
27 May 2014
China Daily
Cooperation with other countries is being intensified to combat arms smuggling, according to an official at the General Administration of Customs.
Last year, Chinese customs officials investigated 50 cases of smuggling involving firearms and ammunition, an increase of 16.3 percent from the previous year.
Authorities confiscated 5,916 guns, 882 gun parts and 13,000 rounds of ammunition in these cases.
"The smuggling of drugs or firearms poses serious threats to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
38715
Japan
Japan Makes First Arrest of Owner of a 3-D Printed Gun
8 May 2014
Japan Daily Press
Japanese police raided the home of 27-year-old Yoshitomo Imura as he was suspected of possessing firearms made with a 3-D printer, what is said to be the first arrest of this nature in Japan. Imura, a college employee, was found in possession of five 3-D printed guns, two of which were reportedly able to fire lethal bullets, this according to a report by the national broadcaster NHK.
The police said that they recovered a 3-D printer from Imura's home in Kawasaki, near... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Daily Press
38646
China
Illicit Gun Trade Remains in Traditional Chinese Village Allowed Firearms
29 April 2014
Japan Times
BIASHA, China – A rifle shot tears the air of a mountain hamlet — met not with terror but cries of delight in China's only remaining village where authorities encourage gun ownership.
"We start carrying guns from about 15 years old," said Jia Xinshan, fingering a wooden rifle's trigger as tourists snapped pictures of him in a shiny black coat. "We're the last gun tribe in China."
The armaments in Biasha, a village tucked amid the wooded peaks of Guizhou province,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
38611
Russia,United States,Japan
Japanese Parliament Approves Bill to Ratify Arms Trade Treaty
23 April 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Japan's upper house of parliament, the House of Councillors, unanimously approved Wednesday a bill providing for the country's accession to the UN Arms Trade Treaty, the NHK channel reported.
The Japanese government now expects a fast ratification of the treaty, although no specific date on its implementation has yet been announced.
The Arms Trade Treaty, adopted at the UN General Assembly last year, is the first international pact regulating commerce in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: RIA Novosti (Russia)
38588
China
Police in China Set to Receive Firearms Training
22 April 2014
Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Agence France Presse
BEIJING - Police in China are set to receive firearms training as part of a nationwide plan to boost armed patrols, state media said Tuesday, after a string of high-profile violent incidents.
China announced last month that it plans to roll out armed patrols across the country following a spate of violence, including a knife attack in the southwestern city of Kunming on March 1 which left 33 people dead.
The country's stability-obsessed Communist leadership responds... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sunday Times (Sri Lanka), Agence France Presse
38576
China
China's No-Questions-Asked Gun-Surrender Drives Netted 150,000 Illegal Guns
14 April 2014
International Business Times (USA)
A raid in southern China resulted in the seizure of over 10,000 illegally owned guns, in addition to thousands of illegal knives. And besides being the largest haul of illegal firearms to date in China, the raid in the city of Guiyang, located in Guizhou province, has brought to the light once more China's evolving, underground gun culture.
China's weapons laws are among the world's strictest. The country bans all private gun ownership, with very few exceptions. This... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Business Times (USA)
38809
China
15,000 Guns Taken From Gang in Record Illegal Gun Seizure in China
14 April 2014
Xinhua
GUIZHOU - Police in southwest China's Guizhou Province have seized a record number of illegal guns and knives in a cross-province raid that also captured 15 suspects, China Daily reported on Monday.
The police busted a gang involving in manufacturing and selling weapons and confiscated about 15,000 guns and 120,000 controlled knives.
It was the largest such seizure ever in China, the newspaper said.
The police found out after a four-month investigation that the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38559
South Africa,China,Russia,United States,Mozambique
South African Gun Culture Shown in Art
11 April 2014
Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
Best known as the director of the 2008 South African crime film Jerusalema and for his music video work with such top stars as Tony Braxton and Michael Jackson, Ralph Ziman's new art installation Ghosts is a powerful comment on the global arms trade and the worship of guns in South African society.
The work includes an extraordinary series of photographs showing men dressed in Day-Glo outfits toting wire-and-bead AK-47s, which are exhibited alongside the imitation... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
38555
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)
Read More: Stars and Stripes (USA)
38545
China
China Launches Another National Campaign Against Guns, Explosives
28 March 2014
Xinhua
BEIJING - China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Friday launched a campaign against crimes involving guns and explosives.
In a videophone conference on Friday, the ministry said the situation of crimes involving guns and explosives in the country is still serious, urging police nationwide to check all leads so as to seize as many guns and explosives as possible.
Under Chinese law, members of the public are banned from owning firearms and explosives. The police... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38512
Japan,United States
Opinion: Don't Scrap Japanese Firearms Export Ban
3 March 2014
Japan Times, Editorial
The Abe administration plans to ditch the nation's long-standing three-point weapons-export ban by writing a new three-point principle governing the export of weapons. The new policy would turn Japan into a weapons-exporting country. A departure from Japan's traditional security posture characterized by self-restraint, such a move would damage the international trust and reputation Japan has earned through its strict restriction on weapons exports. Ultimately this step... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
38428
Libya,West Asia,Egypt,Syria,Mali,North Africa,Italy,France,United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Belarus,China,Algeria,Caribbean,South America,Niger,Chad,European Union,Tunisia
Post-Uprising Gun Proliferation is Destabilising the Middle East
20 February 2014
Fair Observer
In recent years, as order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) eroded between uprisings and armed conflicts, the desire for arms amongst a wide range of actors became one more destabilizing factor in the complexities of each situation.
However, arms proliferation is nothing new to the MENA region. Whether it was through state actors or black market trading, weapons have circulated throughout the Middle East and North Africa for many years.
Today, arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Fair Observer
38403
United States,China,Australia
China Charges Former Mining Magnate with Murder, Gun-Running
20 February 2014
Reuters
China unveiled dramatic details of charges against a former mining magnate on Thursday, accusing him of crimes ranging from murder to gun-running and extortion as part of a "mafia-style" gang he led.
In an announcement carried by the official Xinhua news agency, prosecutors in central China said they had laid charges against the former chairman of Hanlong Mining, which had tried to take over Australia's Sundance Resources Ltd.
Police last year announced the detention... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
38392
China,Australia,United Kingdom,United States,Japan,Russia
Japan Set to Ratify Arms Trade Treaty Despite Proposal to Relax Gun Exports
16 February 2014
Japan Times
A bill to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, the first international pact to regulating trade in conventional arms, is scheduled to be submitted to the Diet by the end of this month, government sources said.
The measure, coming less than a year after Japan signed the treaty adopted at the U.N. General Assembly last April, underscores Tokyo's eagerness to nudge others to join the framework, the sources said Saturday.
However, the move appears incongruous with the stance of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
38377
China,Congo (DRC),Germany,United Kingdom,Myanmar,Israel,European Union,Italy,Spain,Egypt,France,Libya,Saudi Arabia
European Arms Sales to Middle East Reach Record Level, NGOs Concerned
1 February 2014
Ekklesia (UK)
European Union countries licensed arms exports in 2012 valued at €39.9 billion, according to newly released figures. This included a record €9.7 billion in sales to the Middle East – a 22 percent increase on sales in the previous year.
The statistics are revealed in the Fifteenth Annual Report on Control of Exports of Military Technology and Equipment.
The European Network Against the Arms Trade (ENAA) says that the figures show little change in arms export... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Ekklesia (UK)
38328
China
Chinese Man Shoots, Kills Six in Revenge for Wife's Affairs
31 January 2014
Xinhua
KUNMING - A man shot six people dead and wounded three more as he took revenge against his wife's lovers in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Thursday afternoon, local police said on Friday.
The suspect, Shao Zongqi, 38, is now wanted by the police of Tengchong county.
Shao, who is from the village of Qingkou, is suspected of carrying out the killing with a semi-automatic rifle before escaping in a cross-country vehicle.
When Shao discovered that his wife had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38330
Bangladesh,India,Hong Kong,Singapore
14 Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh Arms Smuggling Case
30 January 2014
Washington Post
DHAKA, Bangladesh — The head of the main Bangladeshi Islamist opposition party was among 14 people sentenced to death on Thursday on charges of smuggling weapons to a rebel group in neighboring India.
Security officials had seized more than 4,000 firearms and 1 million bullets and other military equipment in April 2004 when they were being unloaded from fishing boats. According to case documents, the weapons and ammunition were destined for a former Indian insurgency... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
38325
China
Man Stands Trial in China Over Fatal Shooting of Five People
13 January 2014
Xinhua
SHANGHAI - A man stood trial in a court in east China's Shanghai on Monday for allegedly killing six and injuring four others with guns and an iron pipe in June last year.
The defendant, Fan Jieming, 63, was charged with murder, robbery, and forcible seizure, illegal purchase and possession of guns, according to the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.
The trial opened at around 9:30 a.m. and continued on Monday afternoon.
On June 22, Fan allegedly beat a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38272
Mongolia
Mongolia to Amend Firearms Law
5 January 2014
Post (Ulan Bator)
Crimes and murders committed involving firearms have increased in recent years. Thus, the controls on firearms users are being tightened with amendments to the Law on Firearms.
Mongolia currently observes a law on firearms enacted in 2001. The Law on Firearms regulates the ownership, privatization and use of firearms not designated for battle, which belong to justice system bodies, the intelligence agency, police, and the armed forces.
As of 2013, a total of 46,982... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Post (Ulan Bator)
38245
Europe,Asia,Japan
Japanese Govt Eyes Lower Age Limit on Air Guns
4 January 2014
Japan News
The government is likely to seek lower age restrictions on using air guns, to enable athletes to begin training earlier for shooting events at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, sources said.
A revision of the Firearm and Sword Control Law that would lower the age limit from the current 14 years old to about 10 years old is being considered, the sources said. The plan also includes such safety considerations as restrictions on the number of athletes... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan News
38244
United States,Japan,Australia
Asian Tourists Revel in Hawaii's Sun, Surf, Glocks, AK-47s – NY Times
1 January 2014
New York Times
HONOLULU — Kenji and Hiromasa Ozawa, a father and son vacationing on the island of Oahu, spent Christmas morning hiking up Diamond Head, a volcanic cone here with sweeping views of Waikiki Beach.
Their next stop: The Royal Hawaiian Shooting Club — an indoor shooting range in an upscale shopping center just above Cartier and Hermès stores — where they fired off several dozen rounds between them.
"We love shooting guns, I love shooting guns," said Kenji Ozawa,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
38226
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)
Read More: Egypt State Information Service
38224
Japan
Japanese Defence Officials Fear Assault Rifle Stolen in 'Unprecedented' Case
26 December 2013
Japan News / Yomiuri Shimbun
The Ground Self-Defense Force has been unable to find an assault rifle that went missing at the force's Higashi Fuji Maneuvers Area in Shizuoka Prefecture in October, it has been learned.
As the force was unable to find the Howa Type 89 assault rifle after a two-month intensive search, it has concluded that the rifle was taken by somebody. The force's police unit has began an investigation on suspicion of theft.
The rifle, which was issued to a GSDF member, was not... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan News / Yomiuri Shimbun
38220
Japan
Second Shooting in Two Days in Japan
20 December 2013
Japan Today
TOKYO — Police said the head of a fishermen's union was shot dead Friday, the second fatal shooting in as many days in a nation unaccustomed to gun crime.
Tadayoshi Ueno, 70, was found lying in the street in the southern city of Kitakyushu after residents nearby heard what was believed to be the sound of gunfire.
Local police said he was confirmed dead at hospital, with reports suggesting he had been shot multiple times.
Gun crime is rare in Japan, and incidents... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Today
38208
China
Chinese Politician Jailed for Illegal Gun Possession, Bribery
20 December 2013
Xinhua
GUANGZHOU - A former political advisor of Shenzhen City was sentenced to 14 years behind bars for bribery and holding illegal weapons by a court in south China's Guangdong Province on Friday.
Huang Zhiguang, former vice chairman of the Shenzhen Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, took bribes in exchange for promotions, Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court ruled.
He also helped Zhan, president of a local company, with his business,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38206
Japan
Japanese Businessman Gunned Down on Street
19 December 2013
Xinhua
OSAKA - Local police in the western Japanese prefecture of Kyoto has launched a murder investigation following Thursday morning's deadly shooting of the head of Japan's major foodservice company running restaurant chains in Japan and China, local media reported.
The shooting incident occurred at around at around 7:00 a.m. local time, when Takayuki Ohigashi, 72, who was serving as President and Representative Director in Ohosho Food Service Corp., was gunned down by an... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
38198
Morocco,China
Moroccan Authorities Seize Suspected Homicide Gun From Crime Gang
18 December 2013
Morocco World News
CASABLANCA - Last August, the police managed to arrest Chinese criminals who attempted to assassinate a Chinese citizen at Casablanca's Derb Omar. Recently, the police announced the dismantling of a mafia network, which is this time originally from Europe.
According to MAP, the National Team of Judicial Police managed, with the assistance of the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST), to dismantle criminal networks active in the field of cross-border organized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Morocco World News
38212
Philippines,Japan
Stiffer Penalties for Firearms Smuggling Sought in Philippines
13 December 2013
Philippine Star
MANILA - A lawmaker has filed a measure that would impose stiffer penalties for firearms smuggling.
Under House Bill 2696 or the proposed "Anti-Firearms Smuggling Act of 2013," smugglers of firearms will face 12 to 20 years or even life imprisonment and fines of one to five million pesos.
"Smuggling of firearms is a dangerous but profitable criminal enterprise. It not only threatens public safety and national security but also endangers and oftentimes, results in loss... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Philippine Star
38178
Japan
Japanese Father Arrested After Son Takes Handgun to School
26 November 2013
Japan Today
FUKUOKA — Police have arrested the father of a student after the boy brought a handgun to school in Shime, Fukuoka Prefecture.
According to police, the boy's father, Takaki Wakisaka, a 41-year-old restaurant manager, was questioned about firing several live-ammunition shots from a revolver in a storehouse near his home in the middle of September this year, Fuji TV reported.
After bringing the same gun to school on Nov 20, his son had the firearm confiscated by a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Today
38113
China,United States
Police Crack Down on China's Online Gun Sales
25 November 2013
Global Times (China)
Peng Di (pseudonym), an engineer from Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, did not expect to spend the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty, for a hobby.
Despite the fact that China has many gun enthusiasts, the hobby has its risks. Peng went further than simply studying guns and decided to buy 1,300 air gun pellets online from a US vendor in 2011.
Peng was charged with smuggling ammunition after he bought over 1,000 non-military bullets from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
38112
Mongolia
Ammo Stash Found in Mongolia, Officials Worried About Smuggling
23 November 2013
UB Post (Mongolia)
Only two entities in Mongolia currently are permitted to import firearms and ammunition. However, several cases of illegal smuggling and importation of firearms were reported lately.
Customs officers in Ulaanbaatar found seven boxes of ammunition while inspecting a container delivering second-hand clothes from the U.S. The authorities found 350 pieces of ammunition in total.
Owner of the container said that he had no knowledge of the ammunitions in the container and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: UB Post (Mongolia)
38103
Japan
Japanese Woman Accidentally Shot by Hunter, Mistaken for Wild Animal
21 November 2013
Japan Today / Yomuiri Online
TOKYO — An 84-year-old woman in the town of Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, was accidentally shot by a man who was hunting in the area, Yomiuri Online reports.
The incident occurred at approximately 10:50 on Tuesday morning in a woodland area close to the border between Miyazaki Prefecture and neighboring Kumamoto. The wounded woman, believed to be making her way home after buying groceries, was passing through the area in which the 66-year-old farmer was hunting... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Today / Yomuiri Online
38109
Japan
Japanese Man Shot in the Head in Hunting Accident
4 November 2013
Japan Today
SHIZUOKA — A man was shot in a hunting accident in Shizuoka on Sunday. Police said the man was shot while harvesting wild mountain plants in the woods where another man was hunting deer.
TV Asahi reported that the incident took place at around 10:30 a.m. in Nagaizumi-cho. A 73-year-old member of a local hunting club shot off a single round into the woods expecting to hit a deer. Instead, his shot grazed the head of a 63-year-old man, 30 meters away, knocking him... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Today
38106
China
Drunk Chinese Policeman Detained for Fatally Shooting Pregnant Woman
30 October 2013
Global Times (China)
A police officer was detained on Wednesday for fatally shooting a pregnant restaurant owner because she did not serve milk tea in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The police officer, 33, surnamed Hu, came to the victim's restaurant on Monday evening while intoxicated. Hu asked the owner if they had milk tea, and when told that they didn't, he shot her and her husband. The woman and her fetus died after being sent to hospital.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
38031
China
Chinese Police Destroy Thousands of Illegal Guns in National Campaign
15 October 2013
Xinhua
BEIJING - Chinese police in 164 cities have destroyed hundreds of thousands of confiscated guns, knives and detonators, a statement from the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.
About 130,000 illegal shotguns and air guns, 670,000 replica guns, 460,000 forbidden knives and many illegally stored detonators have been destroyed as part of an annual nationwide campaign, the statement said.
Crimes related to guns and explosives continued to fall by 41.4 percent and... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
37976
Oceania,Iran,North Korea,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Syria,Europe,United States,Asia,Africa,Americas
Editorial: Containing the Conventional Arms Trade
30 September 2013
New York Times, Editorial
Efforts to control the $70 billion a year global market in conventional weapons got a big boost when the United States signed the United Nations arms trade treaty, joining more than 100 other countries in affirming the need to keep these weapons out of the hands of unscrupulous regimes, militants and criminals.
But the work is far from done. At least 50 member countries, including the United States, must still carry out the next step and ratify the treaty for it to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37934
Oceania,China,Europe,Americas,Africa,Russia,United States,Asia
Arms Treaty Now Signed by Majority of UN Members
25 September 2013
New York Times
A pioneering United Nations treaty aimed at regulating the global trade in conventional weapons surpassed a symbolically important threshold on Wednesday when 18 countries, most notably the United States, officially signed the document, pushing the total number to more than half of the organization's member states.
Proponents of the treaty, which was adopted overwhelmingly by the 193-member General Assembly in April, but still required signing and ratification, said... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
37913
Japan,United Kingdom,South Africa,United States
High Gun Ownership Makes Countries Less Safe, US Study Finds
18 September 2013
Guardian (UK)
Guns do not make a nation safer, say US doctors who have compared the rate of firearms-related deaths in countries where many people own guns with the death rate in countries where gun ownership is rare.
Their findings, published Wednesday in the prestigious American Journal of Medicine, debunk the historic belief among many people in the United States that guns make a country safer, they say. On the contrary, the US, with the most guns per head in the world, has the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
37901
United Kingdom,Netherlands,Switzerland,Finland,South Africa,England & Wales,Japan,United States
Around the World, Gun Ownership and Firearms Deaths Go Together
18 September 2013
National Public Radio (USA), Blog
A study on guns, violence and mental health, long scheduled to be published this week, finds that gun ownership is a bigger factor than mental illness when it comes to firearms deaths. But the data suggest that both play roles.
Earlier research has found that places with high rates of gun ownership have more firearms deaths, but critics of those findings say that it could be that people living in dangerous places are apt to buy firearms to protect themselves.
And the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: National Public Radio (USA)
37900
Japan
Japanese Police Seize Guns, Dynamite From Local Gangster
13 September 2013
Xinhua
OSAKA - Local police in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, have seized at least seven pistols and 21 sticks of dynamite from a storage room in an apartment complex rented out by a gang based in the area, local press reported on Friday.
A criminal investigation team dispatched by the prefectural police found the stockpile of guns and explosives in one of the 32 storage rooms which are privately rented out in Ikuno Ward, southern Osaka City.
This was the result of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Xinhua
37871
Taiwan
Taiwanese Authorities Seize Modified Guns, Drugs
11 September 2013
China Post (Taiwan)
TAIPEI, Taiwan - The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) recently cooperated with the Taoyuan County Police Bureau to arrest three suspects on charges of drug possession and firearm sales, seizing a large number of modified firearms and drugs.
Between Saturday and Monday authorities seized three modified guns, 28 bullets, two cartridges, a bullet-proof vest, 11.56 grams of heroine and 43.23 grams of amphetamines.
The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office will prosecute... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Post (Taiwan)
37889
India,Myanmar,North Korea,Bangladesh,Nepal,China,Thailand
Arrest May Prove 'China Link' in Supply of Arms to India Insurgents
3 September 2013
Nagaland Post (India)
NEW DELHI - In a significant breakthrough that could provide the first evidence of alleged Chinese involvement in supply of arms to Indian insurgent outfits, Thailand on Saturday picked up a key middleman whose identity had been disclosed by arrested NSCN (I-M) operative Anthony Shimray.
Indian Express report stated that Willy Naruenartwanicha, referred to as Willy Narue by Shimray, is a Thai national and was picked up at India's request. According to Shimray, Willy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nagaland Post (India)
37819
China
Chinese Police Destroy Over 300 Guns After Anti-Crime Campaign
16 July 2013
Global Times (China)
Police destroyed more than 300 confiscated firearms Tuesday outside a steel plant in Baoshan district.
The seized weapons were the fruit of a citywide campaign to reduce crimes with dangerous weapons, according to a press release from the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. Police also confiscated about 13,000 bullets, 2,200 controlled knives and blades, and 340 pellet guns.
"We seized some of the guns at security inspection points, like the ones at train... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
37667
Hong Kong,India
Man Arrested for Involvement in International Gun Smuggling to India
8 July 2013
Times of India
LUCKNOW - The Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the UP Police on Sunday arrested Ramzan Ali of Machhriya locality under Naubasta police station of Kanpur in connection with an international racket involving smuggling parts of top branded firearms from Hong Kong region into India and then assembling them together here to sell weapons to the underworld at a premium.
His name figured in the case after the arrest of retired airlines officer Deesa from Mumbai who has so far... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
37646
Nigeria,China,England & Wales
UK Judge Orders Almost 13,000 Guns Destroyed in Arms Dealer Case
2 July 2013
York Press
A judge has ordered the destruction of nearly 13,000 AK47 rifles associated with jailed York arms dealer Gary Hyde – after turning down a request for them to be deactivated for use in films.
Former special constable Hyde, 42, was jailed for seven years last December for overseeing an £800,000 consignment of rifles, 9mm pistols, rifles and bullets, from China to Nigeria in 2007.
The businessman, from Newton-on-Derwent, east of York, "put two fingers up" to strict... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: York Press
37622
China
Opinion: Tragic Deaths Demand Stricter Gun Control in China
27 June 2013
Global Times (China), Opinion
Shanghai witnessed an unlucky and uneasy week with a chemical plant explosion injuring six on Monday, the latest H7N9 bird flu death on Wednesday and a stampede at Tongji University when David Beckham paid a visit there last Thursday. But none of these incidents were as shocking as the Saturday night gun shooting spree in suburban Baoshan district, which claimed six lives in total.
Although we hear of shooting rampages in the US from time to time, where gun control is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
37611
China
Firearms Control Presents a New Challenge for China After Mass Shooting
25 June 2013
Global Times (China)
A shooting spree in Shanghai on Saturday killed six people. This brutal killing once again prompted debates over gun control in China. One day later, the Ministry of Public Security held an urgent conference, vowing to crack down on firearm crimes. The ministry will launch a comprehensive campaign on firearm management and make efforts to solve this problem.
Guns are strictly controlled in China. According to related regulations, guns are allocated only to specific... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
37601
China
Suspect Arrested After Six Die in Chinese Shooting Spree
24 June 2013
Shanghaiist
A 62-year-old man is in custody for killing six people at a chemical plant in Shanghai's Baoshan District on Saturday evening. The man, surname Fan, shot and killed five of his victims, and beat one to death. According to Xinhua, the massacre was initiated by "a financial dispute" between Fan and coworker.
After beating the coworker to death,
He [Fan] then took a hunting rifle hidden in his dormitory and asked a driver to drive him to a different district. He gunned... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shanghaiist
37599
United States,China
Gun Smuggler Sentenced to Death in China
6 June 2013
Global Times (China)
Shanghai No.1 Intermediate People's Court sentenced a Zhejiang Province man to death with a reprieve Thursday for smuggling of firearms and ammunition from the US into China.
The primary defendant, Wang Ting, 33, was one of 17 people sentenced Thursday for smuggling or illegally possessing firearms. The other defendants received prison sentences ranging from 15 years to 19 months.
By giving Wang a death sentence with a reprieve, the court will postpone his execution... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
37538
China
Gang Shoots Onlookers in Chinese Village Land Dispute
16 May 2013
Global Times (China)
Local police in Lufeng, Guangdong Province have detained a number of gun-wielding thugs involved in a gang fight in Songzhu village Sunday, in which more than 10 villagers were injured, including a 14-year-old boy.
Four villagers, including Songzhu village chief Liu Changmao, are in criminal detention.
Local residents were unhappy with the distribution of compensation from a land acquisition deal, believing that Liu and his younger brothers had schemed to take more... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
37463
Japan
86 Modified Replica Guns Seized from Japanese Businessman
14 May 2013
Japan Daily Press
The chairman of a food company in Kumamoto was arrested by police after it was discovered he was hiding 86 modified guns in his possession. 73 year old Motoo Kira was arrested on Monday for concealing these guns, as well as 62 bullets, in a storage facility.
Investigators believe that the guns were modified by Kira using his own tools. After testing the weapons, the authorities conclude that all of these guns were lethal. The police were also able to seize a handmade... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Daily Press
37446
Canada,China,Germany
Canadian Govt Budgets to Seize Rifles Easily Converted to Automatic
1 May 2013
Global News (Canada)
Six years after approving German-made rifles that can be converted to machine guns "in minutes" – guns that by law should have been prohibited to begin with – the federal government will spend up to $260,000 buying them from their owners.
In February 2007, the RCMP classified the SSD BD38, a semi-automatic replica of a German Second World War-era sub-machine gun, as a 'restricted' firearm, meaning that it had the same legal status as a handgun. That classification... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global News (Canada)
37400
Hong Kong
4,000 Air Guns Seized in Hong Kong, Cops Allege Illegal Modifications
25 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Police have arrested 12 people and seized a quantity of air guns suspected of being illegally modified on Wednesday as part of a crackdown on illegal firearms and ammunition in Hong Kong.
Officers seized 40 air guns from a shop at 224 Wan Chai Road and then raided a warehouse in Chai Wai, where they found and seized almost 4,000 more air guns.
The power of approximately 400 of the guns seized were suspected of having modified to exceed the Hong Kong legal limit of 2... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
37372
China
Chinese Shooter Jailed for Injuring Man with Illegal Homemade Gun
24 April 2013
Shanghai Daily (China)
A drug user who shot a man in the leg with a homemade gun after a quarrel was sentenced to 33 months in prison, a local court ruled yesterday.
The shooter, Chen Rongbin, 34, was convicted of three crimes including intentional injury, illegal possession of firearms and illegal possession of drugs, Hongkou District People's Court officials said.
Prosecutors said Chen was playing a game on a machine in a game room at 710 Tangshan Road at 8pm on December 16. He had a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shanghai Daily (China)
37385
South Korea
Concerns Grow Over Korean Gun Violence
21 April 2013
Korea Herald
Calls for more stringent regulations on guns are mounting in the wake of four shooting incidents within a month in a nation that many believed to be free from the dangers of firearms.
On Tuesday, a 42-year-old man shot a 38-year-old man who had an affair with his wife with an air gun in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. He had held the weapon for years to fend off wild animals.
The three other cases involved unauthorized guns. On the previous day, a man in his 30s... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Herald
37354
Poland,Ukraine,Israel,Côte d'Ivoire,Bulgaria,Belarus,China,Angola,Russia
Guns Easily Available in Côte D'Ivoire Despite Embargo
16 April 2013
IRIN (UN News)
ABIDJAN - Côte d'Ivoire's recent turbulence - including the ouster of president Henri Konan Bédié in 1999, a long-running insurgency and deadly poll unrest in 2011 - has left the country awash in arms, which have contributed to human rights abuses, widespread crime and persistent insecurity.
Two years after coming to power in 2000, Laurent Gbagbo's administration faced an army mutiny, which morphed into a full-scale rebellion. In response, the government underwent a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
37347
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)
Read More: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
38560
India,Egypt,Russia,China
China Says UN Arms Treaty Lacks Consensus
3 April 2013
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
There is no consensus on an international arms trade treaty, major weapons exporter China said on Wednesday, after it abstained as the UN General Assembly passed the measure by 154 votes to three.
The only votes against the first treaty on the conventional arms trade were from Syria, North Korea and Iran.
The 23 countries abstaining included Russia and China, ranked respectively as the number two and five weapons exporters by the Stockholm International Peace Research... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
37276
India,Pakistan,China
India to Reject Arms Trade Treaty, Alleges Bias Against Arms Importers
28 March 2013
Times of India
NEW DELHI - New Delhi is set to reject a global arms trade treaty (ATT) since the agreement is heavily loaded against weapons-importing countries like India, and let exporting nations like the US and China call the shots. The treaty, meant to regulate all transfers of conventional arms around the world, is likely to be passed by the UN General Assembly next week. India's inability to establish an indigenous defence production industry may now become a strategic... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
37251
Romania,Burkina Faso,Poland,Russia,Latvia,Tunisia,Guinea,Senegal,Bulgaria,China,Africa,Europe,Côte d'Ivoire
Arms Proliferation and Abuse Shatter Communities in Côte d'Ivoire - AI
20 March 2013
Amnesty International (London)
Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.
The 33-page report, Communities shattered by arms proliferation and abuse in Côte d'Ivoire, documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37206
Germany,United Kingdom,France,Mexico,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,China,Russia,United States
Armed Violence Kills 66,000 Women and Girls Each Year
20 March 2013
New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has urged the world's nations to agree on a strong UN treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade in the next two weeks, saying it will save lives and make it more difficult for warlords, organised criminals and terrorists to obtain weapons.
Hopes of reaching agreement on what would be a landmark treaty were dashed last July when the United States said it needed more time to consider the proposed accord - a... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New Zealand Herald, Associated Press
37202
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: al Jazeera
37196
Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States
NRA Opposes UN Arms Trade Treaty
16 March 2013
Washington Post
The National Rifle Association, which is battling a raft of gun control measures on Capitol Hill, also has an international fight on its hand as it gears up to oppose a U.N. treaty designed to restrict the flow of arms to conflict zones.
Negotiations open Monday in New York on the Arms Trade Treaty, which would require countries to determine whether weapons they sell would be used to commit serious human rights violations, terrorism or transnational organized... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37191
Europe,China,Asia,Americas,Oceania,Kenya,Cuba,Côte d'Ivoire,Africa,Central America,Russia,United States
Women Explain Why an Arms Trade Treaty Can Save Many Lives
7 March 2013
Amnesty International (London), Media release
It is estimated at least half a million people are killed with guns every year and on average a further 200,000 men, women and children die as an indirect result of armed conflicts and violence that are frequently fuelled by the uncontrolled flow of small arms.
And for every person that is killed in an armed conflict, many more are injured and tortured, raped, abused, forcibly disappeared, taken hostage or displaced. Even more have their access to food, water, shelter,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
37175
China,Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Somalia,Angola,South Africa,Sudan,Zimbabwe,Kenya
Unknown Quantities of Chinese Arms in Africa a Concern
21 February 2013
Star (Kenya), Opinion
Much is being written and said in the media and academic circles about China's increasing engagement with Africa on many economic and other fronts.
Some see this as benefiting Africa; others as detrimental to the real needs of African countries and peoples. Some critics have used phrases like "the second scramble for Africa" and "re-colonization of Africa" to describe the new development. The debate goes on.
Yet, there is one subject that has not received the serious... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Star (Kenya)
37098
Guam,Japan
Japanese Turn 'Gun Ho' in Guam but Prefer Own Gun Culture
17 February 2013
Japan Times
TAMUNING, Guam – Their well-equipped arsenals offer everything from tiny revolvers for ladies to Berettas, Glocks, semiautomatic pistols and M16 military assault rifles. If kids can see over the counter, they're welcome too.
Forget the white sandy beaches, coral reefs and laid-back island culture. For many Japanese tourists, the biggest thrill on Guam is the chance to shoot a gun at one of its ubiquitous ranges, dozens of which are tucked between upscale shopping... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
37073
Iran,Yemen,North Korea,Libya,Somalia,Africa
UN Monitors See Weapons in Somalia from Yemen, Iran
10 February 2013
Reuters
As the United States pushes for an end to the U.N. arms embargo on Somalia, U.N. monitors are reporting that Islamist militants in the Horn of Africa nation are receiving arms from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats told Reuters.
The U.N. Security Council's sanctions monitoring team's concerns about Iranian and Yemeni links to arms supplies for al Shabaab militants come as Yemen is asking Tehran to stop backing armed groups on Yemeni soil. Last... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
37046
Japan,United States
Fact-Check: Dispelling Pro-Gun Myths in America
31 January 2013
Mother Jones (USA)
By cutting off federal funding for research and stymieing data collection and sharing, the National Rifle Association has tried to do to the study of gun violence what climate deniers have done to the science of global warming. No wonder: When it comes to hard numbers, some of the gun lobby's favorite arguments are full of holes.
Myth #1: They're coming for your guns.
Fact-check: No one knows the exact number of guns in America, but it's clear there's no practical way... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Mother Jones (USA)
37028
United States,South Korea
US Could Learn from South Korea's Gun Control
25 January 2013
Korea Times
The recent shooting tragedies in the United States and ensuing debates on gun control are shocking and almost incomprehensible to South Koreans because they don't face such issues pertaining to firearms.
There are strict laws here regarding the possession of hand guns. Citizens can only buy hunting guns and air rifles after obtaining a license from the police. They are only allowed to use guns for a limited period of time, usually during the hunting season.
At other... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Times
36991
Czech Republic,Hungary,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Guinea,Niger,Russia,South Sudan,China,Uganda,Afghanistan,Nigeria,Kenya,Iraq,Congo (DRC)
Trail of Bullet Casings Leads from Africa's Wars Back to Iran
11 January 2013
New York Times
The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan. A British arms researcher surveying ammunition used by government forces and civilian militias in 2006 found Kalashnikov rifle cartridges he had not seen before. The ammunition bore no factory code, suggesting that its manufacturer hoped to avoid detection.
Within two years other researchers were finding identical cartridges circulating through the ethnic violence in Darfur. Similar ammunition then... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36931
United States,Russia,China,Mexico
Mexico's Gun Problems Go Beyond Drug Wars
11 January 2013
Inter Press Service News Agency
MEXICO CITY - A lot of attention goes to the U.S.-made weapons in the hands of criminal groups in this Latin American country. But there is little talk of another problem: the large number of light weapons in the hands of civilians.
The Mexican Constitution establishes the people's right to "own guns in their homes for their safety and self-defence", with the exception of high caliber weapons, while the 1972 Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives stipulates the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Inter Press Service News Agency
36928
Japan
Even Gangsters Live in Fear of Japan's Gun Laws
6 January 2013
Japan Times
It's almost impossible to get to a gun in Japan, and selling one or owning one is a serious crime. Fire the gun? Possibly life imprisonment. Gun-control laws are taken so seriously that police will pursue a violator all the way to the grave — and maybe beyond.
The rationale for this is simple: "Of course, guns don't kill people; people kill people — guns just make it a lot easier to kill a lot of people. That's why Japan bans them and that's why my job was catching... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
36905
China
Restricted Guns Easily Available Online in China
5 January 2013
Olympian (Washington)
Want to buy illegal drugs in China? No problem – just go to the wild and woolly Internet here and order a $50 or $100 package of methamphetamines, ecstasy or cocaine. It'll be delivered to your door within hours!
"Our company has delivery stations in every part of China," boasts one Chinese-language website, with photos of illegal narcotics it sells. "We offer 24-hour delivery service to your door, and we have long-term and consistent supplies. If you just make one... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Olympian (Washington)
36908
China,United States,Australia,England & Wales
Opinion: The Solution to US Gun Violence is Clear
20 December 2012
Washington Post, Opinion
Announcing Wednesday that he would send proposals on reducing gun violence in America to Congress, President Obama mentioned a number of sensible gun-control measures. But he also paid homage to the Washington conventional wisdom about the many and varied causes of this calamity — from mental health issues to school safety. His spokesman, Jay Carney, had said earlier that this is "a complex problem that will require a complex solution." Gun control, Carney added, is... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
37787
United Kingdom,Japan
Why Japan Is So Safe from Guns - Opinion
19 December 2012
New York Daily News, Opinion
Everyone wants to live in a country that never has any mass shootings.
The Japanese do. So, what's their secret?
It's not hard to figure out: Japan stringently suppresses gun ownership. Even compared to the United Kingdom, whose gun controls are the most repressive of any major country in Western Europe, Japan is extreme. No rifles. No handguns. Shotguns and air guns are allowed only under a licensing system that is designed to discourage everyone but the most highly... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Daily News
36842
Japan,Scotland,Australia,United States
In Other Countries than the US, Laws Are Strict and Work
17 December 2012
New York Times, Editorial
Like other shootings before it, the Newtown, Conn., tragedy has reawakened America to its national fixation with firearms. No country in the world has more guns per capita, with some 300 million civilian firearms now in circulation, or nearly one for every adult.
Experts from the Harvard School of Public Health, using data from 26 developed countries, have shown that wherever there are more firearms, there are more homicides. In the case of the United States,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36831
China,United States
Gun Smuggling Suspects on Trial in China
29 November 2012
East Day (China) / Shanghai Daily (China)
Seventeen suspects involved in cross-border weapons smuggling went on trial yesterday at the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.
The defendants were charged with part or all of three crimes: illegal smuggling, possession and trade of weapons and ammunition.
The suspects were arrested in June after a Sino-US joint law enforcement operation cracked the arms smuggling network.
Most of the defendants are gun enthusiasts and shooting fans, authorities said. They... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: East Day (China) / Shanghai Daily (China)
36781
Somalia,South Africa,Côte d'Ivoire,Sudan,Zimbabwe,United States,China
China 'Aggressively' Supplying Africa With Guns, Military Equipment
28 November 2012
Global Post (Boston)
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — China's aggressive new strategy to sell weapons in Africa was on clear display at a recent defense exposition here.
The pavilion for Chinese manufacturers was among the three largest at the Africa Aerospace and Defense exhibition in September, surpassed only by host South Africa and the United States, the world's largest weapons maker by far.
Many of the made-in-China weapons touted by firms such as Norinco and Poly Technologies were... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Post (Boston)
36790
China,England & Wales,Nigeria
UK Man Jailed for Smuggling Weapons, Ammo to Nigeria
27 October 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
LONDON — A London court yesterday convicted a British arms dealer of organising a big illegal shipment of weapons to Nigeria.
Gary Hyde, a 43-year-old retired British volunteer police constable, was found guilty of helping to organise illegal shipment of 40,000 AK47 assault rifles, 30,000 rifles, 10,000 pistols and 32 million rounds of ammunition from China to Nigeria.
He was convicted by a jury and will be sentenced on 23 November at the Southwark Crown Court, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
36690
Hong Kong
Hong Kong Prison Officer Jailed for Cache of Unlicensed Weapons, Ammo
27 October 2012
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
The city's firearms licensing system is being reviewed after a horde of guns, silencers, grenades and almost 4,000 rounds of ammunition were discovered at a retired prison officer's flat.
The Court of First Instance was told of the review as the former guard was jailed for 18 months yesterday.
Leung Kwok-chi's arsenal was discovered after he accidentally shot himself in the thigh while cleaning a rifle in his public housing flat on the Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
36689
North Korea,Switzerland
Switzerland Sells Sports Weapons to North Korea [FR]
26 October 2012
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary - Swiss Ministry clarifies that $170,000 in weapons allegedly sold to North Korea were sports firearms intended for Olympic athletes.]
Dans la première moitié de l'année 2012, la Corée du Nord a importé des armes à feu de la Suisse pour une valeur totale de 170'000 dollars. Les livraisons étaient composées de fusils à air comprimé, de revolvers et de pièces détachées», pouvait-on lire vendredi sur le site de la radio sud-coréenne, KBS... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: 20 Minutes (Geneva)
36688
China
Chinese Police Bust Gun-Dealing Syndicate, Seize Over 6,000 Weapons
25 October 2012
Shenzhen Daily (China)
Police in Huai'an City of Jiangsu Province busted a gun-dealing ring and seized seven suspects and more than 6,000 guns from two underground workshops and two warehouses, Xinhua reported yesterday.
Police received a tip-off in March that an online dealer was selling model guns, and discovered that the guns were lethal and banned by China's gun-control laws.
The dealer, surnamed Chen, was caught March 26 in Shenyang, the capital of northeastern China's Liaoning... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shenzhen Daily (China)
36683
China,Taiwan,Indonesia
Indonesian Men Arrested for Alleged Unlicenced Replica Gun Selling
22 October 2012
Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Police arrested two men accused of selling unlicensed airsoft guns on social networking sites last week.
The men, identified only as "D" and "A.G.," were stood next to a table of realistic-looking airsoft guns in a press conference on Monday.
Police seized 187 airsoft guns, including replicas of pistols and assault rifles, in the raid.
"They sold the guns at fairly low prices, from Rp 3 million ($312) to Rp 6 million for the [assault rifles]," Jakarta... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jakarta Globe
36670
China
Online Gun-Selling Network Busted in China, Seize Over 1,000 Guns
19 October 2012
People's Daily Online (China)
BEIJING - Chinese police have busted a serious online gun and ammunition-selling network, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Thursday.
Under the direct command of the MPS, 29 provincial police departments recently conducted joint operations in the case, arresting over 530 suspects and confiscating more than 1,000 guns, over 10,000 bullets and a large quantity of accessories, the MPS said.
China enforces an extremely strict policy... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: People's Daily Online (China)
36723
China
China Police Shoot Drug Addict Hostage Taker, Gun Availability Rising
15 October 2012
Global Times (China)
A drug addict armed with a pistol held a woman hostage in Southwest China's Sichuan Province and opened fire on passersby, in a rare outburst of gun violence that shocked the nation.
Police shot the drug-crazed gunman dead on a highway in Guangyuan, northern Sichuan on Sunday after a 12-hour standoff, local police said.
One of the passersby was slightly wounded in the abdomen. The hostage was frightened but suffered no injuries, Luo Hong, a publicity official with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
36640
China,India,Nepal
Army Allege Over 100 Chinese-Made Guns Seized on Kashmir Border
27 September 2012
Hindu (Chennai)
Army on Thursday said it has found over 100 assorted weapons of Chinese make near the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of Kashmir.
"More than 100 weapons, including 98 pistols, have been seized near the Line of Control in Keran Sector of Kupwara district," an army spokesman said.
He said the recoveries included 10 AK rifles and two assault rifles of other makes.
"The weapons are of Chinese make and the packing material like newspapers are also Chinese," the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Hindu (Chennai)
36609
China,United States
Former American Soldier Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Guns to China
6 September 2012
New York Times / Reuters
NEW YORK - A former member of the U.S. National Guard on Thursday pleaded guilty to smuggling shipments of firearms from New York City to China, federal prosecutors said.
Joseph Debose, 30, formerly a staff sergeant with a unit of the U.S. Special Forces National Guard, was arrested in May in a sting operation by federal agents in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn. At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a .45 caliber pistol and 12... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times / Reuters
36534
Japan
Strong Views on Japan Exports, US Role in Global Gun Trade
2 September 2012
Japan Times, Editorial
The international trade in small arms more than doubled since 2006, growing into a stunning $8.5 billion a year industry. The latest Small Arms Survey by an independent research group in Geneva found that large-scale government spending and increased purchases by American civilians, in addition to steady sales to developing countries, contributed to the upsurge.
The reported increase can also be attributed to better information and more thorough research. The result,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Times
36519
Africa,China
Arms Exports from China Flood Sub-Saharan Africa
26 August 2012
Washington Post
UNITED NATIONS — China's arms exports have surged over the past decade, flooding sub-Saharan Africa with a new source of cheap assault rifles and ammunition and exposing Beijing to international scrutiny as its lethal wares wind up in conflict zones in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Weapons from China have surfaced in a string of U.N. investigations in war zones stretching from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ivory Coast, Somalia and Sudan. China is by no means... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Washington Post
36505
North Korea
North Korea Firearm Legislation Bans All 'Non-official' Guns
6 August 2012
Korea Times / Yonhap
North Korea has had a gun control law since 2009, recently obtained data showed Monday, in what was seen as an effort to tighten control over the society at a time of power succession.
North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un was groomed as the successor to his ailing father Kim Jong-il, with the hereditary succession plan becoming official for the first time in 2010 when the young Kim was named as a four-star general in the military.
Kim Jong-un took the helm of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Korea Times / Yonhap
36439
China,Russia,United States
US Gun Lobby Wins One, Beats Back UN Treaty to Slow World Gun Trade
29 July 2012
San Francisco Chronicle
When a global treaty to limit shady weapons sales gets swept up in the gun-control debate, it's clear that this country has a problem. A bloc of U.S. senators, chiefly Republicans with a sprinkling of Democrats, has managed to derail a U.N. treaty to restrict weapons sales between countries.
The reasoning is spurious and shameful, a political play on distrust of the United Nations and unfounded fears about a loss of domestic gun rights. But the threat was enough to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: San Francisco Chronicle
36409
Tunisia,Yemen,United States,Japan
Land Without Guns: How Japan Has Virtually Eliminated Firearm Deaths
23 July 2012
Atlantic (USA)
I've heard it said that, if you take a walk around Waikiki, it's only a matter of time until someone hands you a flyer of scantily clad women clutching handguns, overlaid with English and maybe Japanese text advertising one of the many local shooting ranges. The city's largest, the Royal Hawaiian Shooting Club, advertises instructors fluent in Japanese, which is also the default language of its website. For years, this peculiar Hawaiian industry has explicitly targeted... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Atlantic (USA)
36376
China
Deaths Show Guns Remain Available Despite Chinese Police Crack Down
11 July 2012
Global Times (China)
Early on July 1, a 48-year-old factory boss surnamed Nan was shot through the head while on the way to do his morning exercise in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. He later died in hospital. Police later announced that they found the murderer surnamed Lin who was found dead with a gun beside his body. The two were involved in a dispute over money that resulted in the murder.
The case sparked fresh concerns on gun use in China, coming so shortly after the country launched an... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Global Times (China)
36342
South Africa,United States,Russia,United Kingdom,China,France,Germany,Liberia,South Sudan,Algeria,Egypt,Iran,Venezuela,West Africa,Africa,Angola
For Africa, Ammunition Control Deserves Global Gun Trade Treaty Focus
9 July 2012
IRIN (UN News)
JOHANNESBURG — For a couple of hundred dollars or less an arms dealer can illegally source a blank end user certificate with the required signatures and stamps - needed to transfer weapons across international borders - and "if no one checks its authenticity (often the case) he can ship his wares to the world's hotspots with minimal risk, for maximum profit," a report by the Small Arms Survey (SAS) said in 2008.
Since then "not much has changed" Glenn McDonald, based... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: IRIN (UN News)
36317
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,Pakistan,Cuba,Iran,China,Russia
Arms Trade Treaty Should Cover Broad Range of Arms and Ammunition
8 July 2012
New York Times, Editorial
The world is awash in conventional weapons, like tanks, firearms and aircraft, with the market valued at $40 billion to $60 billion a year. Far too many of these arms are fueling conflicts and atrocities in Syria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. They have been used to kill countless innocent civilians, and they will be used against countless more if the international community does not find a way to keep them out of the hands of unscrupulous regimes,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: New York Times
36316
Israel,Taiwan,United States,Sweden,Germany,France,United Kingdom,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Talks Begin at UN on Global, Legally Binding Arms, Ammo Trade Treaty
4 July 2012
Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS — The world's nations began a final push Tuesday for the first legally binding global treaty that would regulate the international arms trade and try to prevent the transfer of weapons to armed groups and terrorists.
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly is expected to approve the treaty, which has been in the works since 2006, when the U.S. voted against the resolution that launched the process. The Obama administration later reversed the George W.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
36301
Russia,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,United States,Syria,Egypt,China,United Kingdom
UK to Push for Ammunition Control in Arms Trade Treaty
28 June 2012
Independent (UK) / Press Association (UK)
Britain is to push for ammunition sales to be covered by new international arms trade controls despite strong resistance from the US.
The UK sees the inclusion of ammunition as an essential element of the proposed Arms Trade Treaty and will negotiate hard for it when a month-long conference opens at the United Nations in New York next week.
But the British delegation faces opposition from a number of countries including China, Egypt and Syria but also its traditional... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (UK) / Press Association (UK)
36286
United Kingdom,Germany,Ukraine,Sudan,China,South Sudan
Amnesty Accuses Sudan, China, Ukraine of Fueling Conflict in South Sudan
27 June 2012
Sudan Tribune (France)
JUBA — Amnesty International on Thursday accused China, Sudan and Ukraine of allegedly supplying military weapons to both South Sudanese Armed Forces (SPLA) and opposition groups, triggering scores of indiscriminate attacks in parts of South Sudan.
The organization, in its latest report, entitled South Sudan: Arms supplies fueling violations in forgotten conflict, examines the impact of responsible supplies and misuse of weapons, munitions and armaments that resulted... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Sudan Tribune (France)
36281
Syria,Russia,Africa,China,India,Pakistan,European Union,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,Congo (DRC),Sudan,Chad,Colombia
NGOs Set Minimum Specifications for Arms Trade Treaty [FR]
27 June 2012
Le Monde (France), Opinion
[Translated summary: Associations, NGOs and hundreds of members of the global coalition "Control Arms" have set minimum specifications for the future Arms Trade Treaty. It will have to control all types of conventional arms and ammunition used by military as well as by law enforcement, since they can be used for serious human rights violations. ATT will include exports but also imports, transit and all types of transfers and all actors, such as arms brokers, like Viktor... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Le Monde (France)
36280
China,Pakistan
Booming Sales of Pistols and Other Small Arms in Karachi, Pakistan
16 June 2012
Pakistan Today
KARACHI - The legal and illegal sale of the light weapons in the violence-hit metropolis is skyrocketing as the target killers appear to have an inclination for using the arms that are lethal but handy. These small-sized deadly arms are: 9MM, 30 bore and .22 pistol.
According to police sources, in over 90 percent incidents of targeted killings in the city the killers had used small-size but highly sophisticated weapons during the last five months.
The sources said the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pakistan Today
36252
China
China Intensifies Effort to Eliminate Illegal Firearms
13 June 2012
International Business Times (USA)
In China, gun ownership as a percentage of the total population is very low, and urban shootings are rarely ever heard of. But authorities there are making efforts to combat illegal firearm ownership. That reveals a concern about the flow of weapons and arms to criminal organizations largely unknown to the country in the 1980s and 1990s.
Chinese authorities have stepped up efforts to combat organized crime, illicit trade, drug trafficking and border-area lawlessness... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Business Times (USA)
36239
United States,China
More Than 100,000 Illegal Guns Destroyed in 150 Chinese Cities
13 June 2012
China Daily
Police in 150 Chinese cities destroyed more than 100,000 illegal guns on Tuesday, as part of an ongoing crackdown that officials say is dramatically reducing gun-related crime across the country.
As Ministry of Public Security officials also prepared to dispose of a further 250 tons of illegal explosives in the next few days, Vice-Minister of Public Security Huang Ming said the incidence of both crimes has been declining rapidly.
Gun-related crime has fallen 46... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
36234
United States,China
China Announces 23 Arrests in Joint US-China Gun Smuggling Scheme
12 June 2012
CBS News (USA)
BEIJING — Chinese police on Tuesday announced the arrests of 23 people as part of a joint U.S.-Chinese investigation into a gun trafficking ring that smuggled dozens of firearms into the country.
The arrests announced by the Ministry of Public Security follow the detention of three men in the United States last month in connection with the scheme. They included Joseph Debose of North Carolina, a staff sergeant in a U.S. National Guard special forces unit, along with... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CBS News (USA)
36232
United States,United Kingdom,Russia,Germany,France,China,Africa
The 'Big Six' Arms Exporters - Amnesty International
11 June 2012
Amnesty International (London)
DOCUMENT
1. China
There are few official statistics on the Chinese arms trade but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that accounts for around 3 per cent of the global trade in conventional arms.
Countries supplied
Recipient countries over the past decade have tended to be developing countries with poor human rights records including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, DRC, Guinea, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Myanmar,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Amnesty International (London)
36235
Sierra Leone,Yemen,Syria,Algeria,Iran,Somalia,China,Belarus,Italy,Germany,Bulgaria,Austria,Russia,Tunisia,United Kingdom,United States,Qatar,Sudan,Africa,Libya,Egypt,France
An Arms Buyback for Libya? – Analysis
9 June 2012
Eurasia Review (EU/Asia)
The Libyan civil war of early 2011 was one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history, with an estimated 30,000 killed and 50,000 injured. While Muammar Gaddafi's death marked a watershed moment in Libyan history, the months of frenzied violence that preceded it saw a massive buildup of arms and munitions in the country. In the months leading up to and after his fall, Gaddafi's arms warehouses all across the country became unsecured; such was the level of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Eurasia Review (EU/Asia)
36228
United States,France,United Kingdom,China,Pakistan,Venezuela,Cuba,Iran,Algeria,Egypt,Russia,Syria,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
New Global Arms Treaty Must Set Tough, Legally Binding Rules - Oxfam
29 May 2012
Chicago Tribune / Reuters
LONDON - States must set legally binding global rules on weapon and ammunition sales, aid agency Oxfam said on Tuesday, ahead of a United Nations summit to agree an arms treaty to prevent arms reaching human rights violators.
Citing the example of Syria, which has continued to receive arms shipments even as it is accused of killing more than 9,000 civilians in a crackdown on a popular uprising, Oxfam said it is vital that regulations on weapons sales are... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Chicago Tribune / Reuters
36186
Russia,France,China,Oceania,United Kingdom,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Germany,United States
Arms Trade Treaty: Will World Waste an Extraordinary Opportunity?
24 May 2012
Guardian (UK)
I often write a reflective piece to accompany the publication of the Amnesty International annual report on the state of the world's human rights, and as a result I have an archive of reflective pieces which read as a chronology of progress and problems charted over the last decade. We shall see whether the 2012 report will be the one that came just months before the world secured a binding, bulletproof arms trade treaty in the negotiations due to take place in July, or... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36180
China,United States
US Agents Break Up Gun Smuggling Ring to China - Voice of America
24 May 2012
Voice of America
A U.S. federal court Thursday formally charged a Chinese national with taking part in a gun smuggling ring between the United States and China.
The court ordered Zhifu Lin to remain in jail until his next court appearance. Another Chinese national, Lilan Li, was arraigned earlier this month.
Federal agents also arrested a sergeant in the U.S. National Guard, Joseph Debose, for allegedly supplying the weapons.
The three are suspected of altered the serial numbers on... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Voice of America
36169
Hong Kong,Italy,Germany,Israel,Austria,Bulgaria,Russia,India
Over 29,000 Russian AK-47s Imported by Indian Paramilitary Forces
20 May 2012
Times of India
NEW DELHI - AK-47s continue to be the preferred assault weapon for the country's paramilitary forces deployed to neutralise terrorists and Maoists at the frontiers and in the hinterland.
Over 29,000 pieces of this Russian-origin rifle were imported by forces like CRPF, BSF and NSG over the last three years, leaving behind, by a large margin, other sophisticated assault weapons procured from the US and Israel.
The inventory of the assault weapons procured for security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Times of India
36147
Russia,China,United States,United Kingdom,Congo (DRC),Myanmar,Iran
UK Minister Calls for International Support on Arms Trade Treaty
17 May 2012
Guardian (UK)
The international arms trade has become the greatest threat to development and has to be controlled by a tough treaty to regulate weapons and munitions sales, a government minister warns.
In a speech to the Institute for Strategic Studies thinktank, Alan Duncan, the minister for international development, will urge allies such as the US to set aside their concerns and sign up to the comprehensive arms trade treaty (ATT), which will be hammered out during a month-long... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Guardian (UK)
36143
Vietnam,China
Black Market Handguns Advertised Openly in Remote Regions of China
17 May 2012
South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
Black market explosives and pistols are advertised openly in the remote, mountainous Yunnan county where a mysterious suicide bomber killed three people and injured 16 last week, the South China Morning Post can reveal.
Most advertisers claim they can arrange delivery by car within an hour in central Kunming , the provincial capital, with guns handed over outside supermarkets and post offices.
Some advertisers also said they had delivery networks in remote counties.... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: South China Morning Post (Hong Kong)
36133
Russia,China,United States
US Marines Stole, Sold Nearly $2 Million in Guns to Gangs, China, Russia
15 May 2012
International Business Times (US)
U.S. Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C., stole and sold approximately $2 million in guns and combat equipment to streets gangs and to China and Russia, military officials confirmed. The stolen guns and combat gear included assault rifles, night-vision goggles and flashlights.
More than 60 people have been implicated in the incident, the Daily News in Jacksonville, N.C., reported. 47 service members and 21 civilians have been charged so far. Several of them have already... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: International Business Times (US)
36134
United States,France,China,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Sweden
Pakistan a 'Very Gun-friendly Society,' 9 in 10 Owners Unlicensed
30 April 2012
Dawn (Karachi)
On January 25 this year, 32-year-old Waqas, a garment factory employee was hit by a bullet in New Karachi and he died. The bullet was not fired from the gun of a target killer, but by friends of a bridegroom amidst late-night wedding celebrations.
Two children aged 10 and 12, died in Sialkot in a similar incident on February 20, when the jubilant brother of a bridegroom unleashed a burst of bullets.
Such accidents, almost an every-day affair in Pakistan, never make it... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Dawn (Karachi)
36091
Macao,Hong Kong,China
700 Guns, 20,000 Replica Guns, 500,000 Bullets Seized in Guangdong
25 April 2012
Shenzhen Daily (China)
GuangdongG police seized more than 700 guns, 20,000 replica weapons, 500,000 bullets and 6,000 knives in a campaign which took place from March 1 to April 15 targeting gun-related crimes.
Police also confiscated more than 300 kilograms of explosives, 200 meters of fuse and 600 detonators during the campaign, according to Zhang Yongqiang, deputy director general of Guangdong Provincial Department of Public Security.
"Most of the guns and replica weapons that have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shenzhen Daily (China)
36075
China,Sweden
Swedish Minister 'Ignorant' of UN Gun Export Embargo on China
23 April 2012
Local (Sweden)
Sweden's enterprise minster Annie Lööf has come in for heavy criticism following a blunder about Sweden's arms exports.
In an interview broadcast on Saturday on Sveriges Radio (SR), Lööf didn't rule out exporting arms to China – despite an arms embargo having been imposed on the country since 1989.
"If we don't export weapons to China, as far as pesticides or other equipment for instance, what consequences would that have," said Lööf on the air.
When asked... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Local (Sweden)
36070
Qatar,East Africa,Russia,North Korea,China,West Asia,North Africa,Syria,Mali,Libya,Belgium,West Africa
Small Arms Manufactured in Belgium Proliferate in Libya, Mali [FR]
11 April 2012
L'Express (France) / AFP
[Translated summary: Notwithstanding risks of proliferation, small arms manufactured in Belgium circulate in Libya, Mali, and maybe tomorrow in Syria? Belgium is the biggest european exporter of small arms: in 2010, 32% of european exports of small arms to Middle East and North Africa came from this country.]
Malgré les mises en garde à Bruxelles sur les risques de prolifération, les armes légères fabriquées en Belgique circulent de la Libye au Mali. Et demain,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: L'Express (France) / AFP
36014
United States,China
Number of Gun-related Crimes Is Dropping Rapidly in China - Police
5 April 2012
China Daily
The number of gun-related crimes is dropping rapidly nationwide, despite a recent spate of armed robberies, police say.
In 2000, police dealt with about 5,000 gun-related crimes across the country. The number dropped to about 500 in 2011, down 46 percent from 2010, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Public Security.
The decrease is mainly due to China's strict policy on gun control and tougher policing measures, said Yan Zhengbin, deputy director of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35983
Europe,Asia,South East Asia,China,United States
Gun Runners 'Using Internet and Express Delivery' in China – Police
5 April 2012
China Daily
Police success at border checkpoints forces arms traffickers to change
Gun smugglers are using the Internet and express delivery networks for trafficking arms into China, a police officer said.
Police broke up 69 gun-smuggling rings nationally last year, and smashed 20 gangs, Yan Zhengbin, deputy director at the public security management bureau under the Ministry of Public Security, told China Daily.
Nineteen cases involved fully assembled guns, while the remainder... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35982
China
China Makes War on Illegal Guns, Gun Crime, Seeks 'Social Stability'
27 March 2012
China Daily / Xinhua
BEIJING - Police across China have been ordered to step up their war on crimes involving guns and explosives to safeguard social stability and public security.
Addressing a national conference on Monday, Huang Ming, deputy minister of public security, said police agencies at all levels must fully bear in mind the extreme importance of fighting gun and explosive-related crimes.
Huang urged coordinated efforts involving police in different sectors and regions to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily / Xinhua
35954
China,Sudan
Guns Used by South Sudanese Ethnic Militia Came from Army and Rebels
23 March 2012
Pretoria News (South Africa) / AFP
Guns and ammunition used by a South Sudanese ethnic militia that massacred a rival group earlier this year came from both the army and a rebel group, a report said on Thursday.
Beginning late December a marauding column of some 8 000 armed youths from the Lou Nuer people marched on the remote town of Pibor, home to the rival Murle, whom they blame for cattle raiding and have vowed to exterminate.
Analysis by the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research group,... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Pretoria News (South Africa) / AFP
35946
Panama,Liberia,Oman,Yemen,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Mauritius,Seychelles,Mongolia,Djibouti,Madagascar,United Arab Emirates,United Kingdom,Somalia,Kenya
Anti-piracy Security Firms Keep Guns in Floating Armouries to Avoid Law
22 March 2012
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya — Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say.
Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Associated Press
35956
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: ABC News (Australia)
35944
Timor-Leste,Thailand,Sri Lanka,Myanmar,Indonesia,South Asia,South East Asia,Israel,Iran,Cuba,United States,Japan,China,Brunei,Philippines,Pakistan,India,Asia
UN Urges Asian Nations to Help Curb Global Trade in Illegal Guns
6 March 2012
Jakarta Post
The United Nations is urging all nations in the Asia region to implement concrete solutions to stop illegal trading in small arms and light weapons.
"Over the past decades, trade has made this region grow so phenomenally. If you are a region where international trade is what makes you tick, you better also make sure that you are seen as doing trade in the right way," UN disarmament affairs official Daniel Prins told reporters on the sidelines of opening the Asian... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Jakarta Post
35886
Nepal,Myanmar,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,Mauritius,Libya,Morocco,Saudi Arabia,Iran,Turkey,Thailand,Indonesia,Malaysia,France,China,United States,Pakistan
Pakistan Has Achieved Self Sufficiency in Small Arms and Ammunition
5 March 2012
Indian Defence Review
After partition, Pakistan did not inherit any military production facilities. In 1951, the Pakistan Ordnance Factory was established at Wah cantonment to produce small arms, ammunition and explosives. After 1965, Pakistan, apart from shifting its overwhelming arms supplies reliance from the US to China and other western countries like France; also began to concentrate on expanding its defence production facilities. In this, it received effusive assistance from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Indian Defence Review
35895
Philippines,Trinidad & Tobago,Zimbabwe,Zambia,Uganda,Tanzania,Senegal,Congo (DRC),Pakistan,Nigeria,Niger,Namibia,Morocco,Mauritania,Malawi,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Burkina Faso,Botswana,Egypt,Angola,Algeria,South Africa,Ghana,China,United States,Austria,Russia,Israel,Bahrain,Asia,Africa,Brazil
Brazil Arms Exports: Country Preaches Peace, Sells Tons of Arms
28 February 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
A small, scratched metal can thrown on the ground created Brazil's first diplomatic embarrassment of 2012. The canister of tear gas had been collected by pro-democracy activists in Bahrain. Stamped across the can in blue was a Brazilian flag and the words 'MADE IN BRAZIL.'
One year had passed since Bahrain became the stage for pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiites against the Sunni monarchy commanded by king Hamad bin-Isa Khalifa. The protesters had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Huffington Post (USA)
35870
Southern Africa,South Africa,Swaziland,Angola,Congo (DRC),Mozambique,Namibia,Zimbabwe,Central America,South America,Caribbean,Central Africa,Europe,Asia,Africa,Americas,Oceania,Botswana,China,Czech Republic,Germany,Russia,United States,Philippines,Italy
High Gun Death Risk for Young African Men, Women at Home - UN Study
19 February 2012
Southern Times (Southern Africa)
WINDHOEK - Young men in Southern Africa are at the greatest risk of cold-blooded murder, while women in the region are more likely than others from around the world to be killed in domestic violence, a UN agency says.
The statistics from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) come as the region battles to contain the proliferation of gun-related crimes.
Experts have said gun-related crime is a major problem in South Africa and Swaziland, and is on the rise in... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Southern Times (Southern Africa)
35844
Egypt,Mexico,Iran,United States,Syria,Russia,China,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Collapse of UN Arms Trade Treaty Talks Narrowly Averted - Reuters
17 February 2012
Reuters
UNITED NATIONS - Negotiators on Friday narrowly averted the collapse of talks on a world arms trade treaty to regulate the $55 billion global weapons market, agreeing on ground rules for negotiations after days of procedural wrangling.
Delegates and advocates for tougher oversight of global arms sales said the agreement set the stage for a monthlong conference in July to draft the treaty.
Arms control campaigners say one person every minute dies as a result of armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35841
Sudan,China,Egypt,Bahrain,Libya,Germany,United Kingdom,Russia,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
At Last, the World Acts to Control Global Arms Trade, UN Talks Begin this Week
12 February 2012
Independent (Dublin)
The global arms trade, which produces two bullets for every person on the planet every year and the weapons that kill 1,500 people each day, is facing the first worldwide effort to control it. An unprecedented treaty that would attempt to restrict arms sales is expected to be drawn up at talks in the United Nations this week.
A campaign for such an agreement, begun six years ago by Nobel laureates, faces attempts by the United States and Russia to water the treaty... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Independent (Dublin)
35825
China
Alarmed by Spate of Gun Crime, China Vows to Clamp Down on Firearms
10 February 2012
China Daily
BEIJING - The government is to crack down on the illegal possession of guns and explosives following a recent spate of armed robberies nationwide.
"We will concentrate on tackling crimes involving serious violence and other prominent criminal activities in order to strengthen security in cities and maintain social order and overall stability," said Huang Ming, deputy minister of public security, announcing the campaign against gun crime.
There has been a series of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Daily
35815
Syria,Russia,China,Sudan
Russia, China Provide Guns to Violate Human Rights in Darfur - Amnesty
9 February 2012
Reuters
LONDON - Russian and Chinese arms are being used to violate human rights in Darfur region in breach of an "ineffectual" United Nations embargo, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
Amnesty said Russia and China are supplying weapons to Sudan's government despite evidence they are being used against civilians in Darfur, where the U.N. estimates as many as 300,000 people have died since 2003 from violence, hunger or disease.
"China and Russia are selling arms to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Reuters
35812
Germany,United Kingdom,China,Nigeria
British and German Arms Dealers Involved in Arms Shipment to Nigeria
8 February 2012
Daily Trust (Abuja)
British prosecutors recently vowed to pursue a legal case involving the shipment of large cache of weapons, allegedly from China and destined for Nigeria, after a London judge threw it out.
Those involved in the trade are said to be British and German arms dealers. Mr Gary Hyde, a 42-year old retired British volunteer police officer, is accused of conspiring with his German business partner Karl Kleber for the illegal shipment of 40,000 Ak47 assault rifles, 30,000... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Daily Trust (Abuja)
35808
China,United States,Ghana,Nigeria
Nigerian Civilians Hold 2 Million Guns, Security Forces 600,000
30 January 2012
Nation (Nigeria)
Members of the dreaded insurgent group, Boko Haram, armed robbers and hired assassins have done great havoc with guns acquired illegally. Where are they coming from? OLUKAYODE THOMAS and JOKE KUJENYA examine the sources of illegal arms into the country.
The ruins are still visible on the police zonal headquatres in Kano. The offices of the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) testify to the Boko Haram bombing and armed assaults of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Nation (Nigeria)
35782
Taiwan
Police Seize More Than 2,000 Guns in Buildup to Taiwan Elections
8 January 2012
Taipei Times
Law enforcement personnel nationwide seized 2,213 illegal firearms during raids conducted over the past year as part of efforts to prevent violence from marring the Jan. 14 presidential and legislative elections.
According to statistics released by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on Friday, since the National Police Agency launched its first nationwide crackdown on illegal firearms in February last year, the police have pursued 1,860 cases involving the illegal... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Taipei Times
35717
China,Europe,United States,Thailand
Firearms Only for the Rich: Bangkok Guns 'Like a Louis Vuitton for Guys'
2 January 2012
CNN
If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.
Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: CNN
35698
Japan
Police Oppose Gun Lobby Push to Slacken Law, Reduce Gun Limits in Japan
7 December 2011
Japan Today
TOKYO — Farmers in rural areas have been reporting increasing damage to their crops by wild boar, deer and other animals. To make firearms more accessible, a bill that would loosen the currently tight restrictions on hunting rifles has been proposed in the Diet. But, the Sankei Shimbun (Dec 4) reports, the police remain adamantly opposed to changes in the law.
According to data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in 2009, crop damage from... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Japan Today
35639
China
China Arrests Illegal Arms Makers: Guangdong Gun Crime Up 32% per Year
22 November 2011
China Radio International / Xinhua
Police in south China's Guangdong province have dismantled two gun-making dens in the city of Shanwei, local authorities said Tuesday.
Officials with the Guangdong Public Security Department said the raid led to the arrests of six people as well as seizures of seven guns, 107 bullets, a batch of gun parts and gun-making equipment.
Gun-related crime has surged in Guangdong this year, as 1,909 suspects in gun-related crimes were arrested during the first 10 months of... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: China Radio International / Xinhua
35565
China
Thousands of Illegal Guns and Replicas Seized, 84 Arrested in China
17 November 2011
Shanghai Daily (China)
Police in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, have smashed an illegal firearms production and trafficking ring, detaining 84 people and seizing 6,990 guns.
In late March, the discovery of three imitation guns during a routine check at a train station in Kunming put police on the trail of the gun-trading network.
Within four months they had confiscated 1,612 guns capable of firing live ammunition and 5,378 replicas.
On April 21, police found a man... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Shanghai Daily (China)
35549
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