Gun Policy News
Firearm violence, gun control and small arms
Swiss State-owned Small Arms Producer Sold to Italy
13 April 2022
SwissInfo
Switzerland's state-owned Ruag International company has sold its small-caliber ammunition division to the Italian firearm manufacturer, Beretta.
All the 2,700 employees of Ammotech in Switzerland and ten other countries, including Germany and Sweden, the United States and Britain, would be taken over by the new Italian owner, Ruag International said on Wednesday.
The main Swiss production site in the town of Thun would be maintained for at least five years, Ruag... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Referendum Background
20 May 2019
EuroNews
Switzerland — one of the most heavily armed countries in Europe — voted to comply with stricter European Union gun laws in a referendum Sunday.
While Switzerland doesn't belong to the EU, it is part of the bloc's Schengen Area which is a zone that can be visited without a visa or passport by citizens of 26 European nations.
Following terrorist gun attacks in Paris and Brussels in 2015 and 2016, the EU tightened gun rules, known as the "EU Gun Ban", the bloc... (GunPolicy.org)
Nearly 876,000 Weapons Registered in Switzerland
18 August 2017
Tribune de Genève
The Online Registry of Arms (CLRA) platform has catalogued thousands of weapons. We are far off the mark.
Some 876,000 rifles and pistols are currently listed on the Online Registry of Arms (CLRA) platform. They belong to 279,000 owners.
Asked by the ATS, Markus Röösli, head of the program "Harmonization of Swiss Police Informatics", confirmed these figures published by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung.
Military Weapons Not Included
However, they only give a partial... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Now Has National Online Firearm Registration [FR]
24 November 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Swiss Police are now able to search firearm registers online, which allows them to obtain in one place the information about all private guns owned or transferred. Before, they had to contact every cantonal office individually. Police can also use the new system before making an intervention, to learn about the firearms owned by the people involved.]
Depuis début octobre, la police peut effectuer une recherche en ligne dans les registres d'armes... (GunPolicy.org)
180 Firearms Surrendered in Gun Amnesty in Swiss Town [FR]
12 November 2016
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: 180 firearms were surrendered to the authorities in the Swiss municipality of Hinwil during a gun amnesty. Among the firearms were rifles, assault weapons, pistols, revolvers and 60 kilos of ammunition.]
Une action contre la circulation des armes à feu et des munitions a eu lieu samedi matin à Hinwil (ZH). Chacun pouvait remettre les pièces en sa possession à la police zurichoise. Au total, 180 armes à feu ont été transmises aux autorités.... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
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)
800,000 Guns, Mostly Illegal, Circulate in Honduras [ES]
20 September 2016
SwissInfo, Reuters
[Translated Summary: The International Committee for Human Rights estimates that between 800,000 and one million firearms circulate in Honduras, while about 282,000 are properly registered. Many of these are used by 60,000 security guards in private companies, while others are illegal or non-registered.]
Honduras, con más de 4 000 homicidios por año, es uno de los países más violentos del mundo y los derechos humanos, sector en el que la cooperación helvética... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Swiss Army Officers Take Guns Home, Suicides Fall [FR]
9 September 2016
Le Temps (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: According to a study from a psychiatric hospital in Bern, a decrease in the number of officers in the Swiss Army in 2003 prevented the suicide of 30 men. Removing guns from homes is the cause. In Switzerland, soldiers must store their firearms in their homes when they are on leave.]
Une étude d'un psychiatre bernois prouve que la diminution des effectifs de l'armée suisse en 2003 a diminué le nombre de suicides dans la population. La possession... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland: Gun Suicides Fall as Soldiers Leave Guns at Work
7 September 2016
The Trace (USA)
Thomas Reisch, a psychiatrist and researcher in Switzerland, was reviewing the rates of suicide in his country when he noticed something unusual. Right around 2004, the number of gun suicides substantially declined. Reisch, who serves as the medical director of a psychiatric hospital just outside of Bern, wondered why.
Switzerland, a peaceful country of about eight million people, is typically regarded for its pristine ski resorts, economic prosperity, and... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,United States,Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Switzerland
Arms Trade Treaty Conference Focused Only on Bureaucracy
31 August 2016
Stimson Center (USA)
In a meeting that symbolized a stark contrast between the humanitarian crises occurring around the world and the comfortable and scenic gathering of governments committed to stopping irresponsible arms transfers, more than 500 people representing Arms Trade Treaty States Parties, signatories, industry, and civil society representatives met in Geneva from August 22-26 for the Second Conference of States Parties (CSP2) to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATT is the first... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Protest Against EU's Plan to Tighten Gun Control
31 August 2016
Business Insider, Reuters
ZURICH -- Friction between Switzerland and the European Union over the bloc's plans to tighten gun control following a rise in militant attacks could turn into another serious snag in ties already tested by Swiss efforts to curb immigration.
The proposed directive, which applies to non-EU member Switzerland only because it is part of Europe's Schengen open border system, has raised hackles among the Swiss, who resent intervention from Brussels.
Christoph Blocher, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Republic,Austria,Switzerland,Germany
Europeans Buy More Guns in Fear of Jihadist Attacks [ES]
27 August 2016
Actualidad RT
[Translated Summary: In the Czech Republic, the number of firearm owners reached 300,000 in the first five months of 2016. Gun dealers in Switzerland and Austria say they've also seen a surge in interest towards firearms following jihadist shootings in Europe. Germans are choosing self-defence devices, like sprays and blank guns.]
El número de europeos que compra armas de fuego y dispositivos de autodefensa aumenta con cada día que pasa, informa Reuters. Las... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Switzerland,European Union,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Yemen,Bahrain,United Arab Emirates,Qatar,Kuwait,Lebanon,Jordan
Arms Trade Treaty Member Nations Flout Gun Trade Rules [FR]
26 August 2016
SwissInfo
[Translated summary: Many countries that have signed the Arms Trade Treaty continue to ignore the rules. Only Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden have been completely transparent about their trade. US, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France and Italy continue to sell arms to Egypt which translates into the torture and death of hundreds of people.]
Disposer d'un traité sur le commerce des armes, c'est bien. Encore faut-il qu'il soit respecté. Pour Amnesty International, trop... (GunPolicy.org)
EU Wants Switzerland to Tighten Gun Laws, Disarm Many [FR]
24 August 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland is going to toughen its firearm legislation, introducing psychological and medical tests for the owners. The goal is to prove that owners are not a danger for society and that they have to be supervised. Anyone that is not on active service or a member of a shooting club will not have the right to own a firearm.]
Suisse -- Bruxelles va durcir sa législation sur les armes à feu, introduisant notamment des tests psychologiques et... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Can Improve Gun Trade Transparency - Experts [FR]
23 August 2016
Le Nouvelliste (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: After signing the Arms Trade Treaty, Switzerland provided the first annual report. Experts think it can be improved, for example, by using more exact descriptions of the exported items, which would make them easier to trace. Switzerland softened its control of arms exports in 2014 and is now selling guns to Saudi Arabia].
Suite à la signature du Traité international sur le commerce des armes (TCA), la Suisse doit fournir un rapport annuel sur les... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Switzerland,Austria,Czech Republic,United Kingdom,United States,France
In Fear of Terror, Europeans Buy More Guns, Scare Devices
23 August 2016
Reuters
Europeans in a number of countries are seeking to arm themselves with guns and self-defence devices in growing numbers following a series of attacks by militants and the mentally ill. Here are some figures.
- In Germany, permits for scare devices including blank guns and those that fire pepper spray rose 49 percent to 402,301 in the year to June, federal statistics show.
However, the number of certificates to possess firearms dipped marginally to 1,894,283 from... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Europe,Spain,Germany,Switzerland,Poland
Spain, Europol Dismantle Multinational Gun Trafficking Network
26 July 2016
Europol
Europol has supported a Spanish National Police – led operation which resulted in the dismantlement of an organised crime group headed by a Polish national suspected of firearms trafficking.
Numerous house searches were carried out in several locations in the municipality of Ibiza in the last couple of weeks. Simultaneously, Europol coordinated searches in some firms located in Germany and Switzerland.
As a result, several members of the crime network were... (GunPolicy.org)
Terror Fears Trigger Swiss Run on Guns, 17% More Licences
25 July 2016
Local (Switzerland)
There has been a marked increase in applications for gun licences in Switzerland, a development police attribute to growing insecurity.
The SonntagsBlick newspaper reported new statistics showing the number of applications increased by 17 percent last year over the previous year.
The statistics from all 26 cantons showed that there were 29,146 applications for gun ownership made in 2015.
All cantons with the exception of Jura in the northwest reported an increase. In... (GunPolicy.org)
Gang Smuggling Guns from Switzerland to France Dismantled
11 July 2016
SwissInfo
An investigation by the French police has led to the arrest of two Swiss residents involved in smuggling arms to the French cities of Toulouse and Marseilles. Around 300 to 400 weapons of different calibers, including a Kalashnikov and M16 were seized.
Information on the trafficking operation was obtained after investigations in France and Switzerland in June and July, said the Marseilles public prosecutor Brice Robin at a press conference in the city on Monday.
Two... (GunPolicy.org)
Lebanon,Iraq,Jordan,Oman,Egypt,Saudi Arabia,Croatia,Israel,Kuwait,Germany,Spain,United Arab Emirates,Italy,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
World's Small Arms Trade Reached US$5.8 Billion in 2013
17 June 2016
Israel Homeland Security
The Small Arms Survey (SAS) released its annual Transfers and Transparency trade update for 2016, which reveals that the world's top and the largest of the smaller arms exporters conducted trade to the tune of $5.8bn in 2013. This represents an increase of 17 percent in small arms trade on 2012, which came in at $5bn flat.
The United States alone, the world's largest arms manufacturer and exporter, exported a record breaking $1.1bn worth of small arms in 2013. In a... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Wins EU Exemption to Keep Army Guns at Home
10 June 2016
SwissInfo
European Union countries agreed on Friday on new measures to tighten gun controls in the wake of the deadly attacks in Paris last year. Switzerland has gained a special clause to allow its militia army soldiers to keep their guns at home.
Although not an EU-member, the Swiss are obliged to follow the move as they have signed up to the cross-border Schengen agreement. This allows for passport-free travel within its 26 signatories, and thus potentially for the... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Switzerland Links Firearm Registries to Check Gun Owners [FR]
3 June 2016
Federal Council (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: From 1 July, the exchange of information about guns will be improved in Switzerland. The firearm registries in each canton will be linked to each other, making it simpler for authorities to detect gun owners who could represent a danger to themselves or to others.]
L'échange d'informations entre les autorités sur les détenteurs d'armes qui pourraient représenter un danger pour eux-mêmes ou pour autrui sera amélioré. Le Conseil fédéral a... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland to Link Gun Registries in a National Database [FR]
3 June 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland will have interconnected gun registries from 1 July. Authorities will be able to better exchange information about firearm owners, movement and transfer of private guns and authorisation denials.]
Conseil fédéral: Les autorités pourront mieux échanger leurs informations concernant les détenteurs d'armes à feu dès le 1er juillet.
Le Conseil fédéral a fixé vendredi la date d'entrée en vigueur d'une révision qui ne va pas... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Customs Confiscate More and More Guns in Switzerland [FR]
20 April 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: Switzerland reports growing possession of illegal weapons among its citizens. Although most of them are knives, sprays and airguns, customs seized 76 firearms in 2015. Police explained that in most cases, people ignore that they are illegal in Switzerland.]
Si les hommes jeunes représentent encore la majorité des cas, le nombre de femmes en possession d'armes illégales explose.
Les procédures pour infraction à la loi sur les armes affichent... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Gun Permits on the Rise in Switzerland
1 April 2016
SwissInfo
In Switzerland, anyone wanting a gun applies to their cantonal police for a permit. A survey by swissinfo.ch shows permit applications were up almost everywhere in 2015.
The small canton of Obwalden – a mountainous tourist area with around 36,000 residents - reported the biggest spike in gun permits granted, 149 compared with 100 in 2014.
Canton Aargau - one of the most densely populated regions of Switzerland – processed the most: 478 permits more than in... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Soldiers Forget Assault Rifles, Leave Them on Trains
1 February 2016
Local (Switzerland)
Safety concerns have been raised after a report revealed that Swiss soldiers left behind 18 firearms on trains in the first nine months of 2015.
The soldiers of Switzerland's conscript army apparently forgot them in different carriages of Swiss Federal Railway (SBB) trains, according to an article in ASMZ, a review for Swiss army officers.
The finding was acknowledged by Christophe Schalbetter, interim commander of the military police in his annual report.
Soldiers... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
United States,Yemen,Switzerland,Finland,Serbia
US Has 5% of World's Population, 31% of Mass Shootings
23 August 2015
EurekAlert! The Global Source for the Science News (USA) - American Association for the Advancement of Science
Chicago - Despite having only about 5 percent of the world's population, the United States was the attack site for a disproportionate 31 percent of public mass shooters globally from 1966-2012, according to new research that will be presented at the 110th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).
"The United States, Yemen, Switzerland, Finland, and Serbia are ranked as the Top 5 countries in firearms owned per capita, according to the 2007 Small... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss National Council Votes Against Retroactive Registration
3 November 2014
Le Matin (Lausanne)
Owners of firearms not listed in the cantonal registers will not be obliged to declare them retroactively. The National Council partially refused a motion.
The decision against retroactive registration was made by 98 votes to 76. In autumn, the National Council had supported the idea by 87 votes to 86. In this vote, several representatives of the bourgeois camp were absent.
In the aftermath of this decision, Jakob Büchler (PDC / SG), president of a shooting company... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Parliament Weakens Weapons Export Requirements [FR]
7 March 2014
RTS (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Following approval in the Council of States, the Swiss National Assembly voted 94-93 to weaken export requirements for weapons. Proponents of the measure argued that not approving it would "not bring peace to the world" but would cost Swiss jobs and know-how. Opponents noted ethical issues with arms exports and highlighting the use of Swiss ammunition on Kiev's Maidan Square.]
L'ordonnance sur le matériel de guerre sera assouplie. Le National a... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Move to Curb Swiss Assault Rifle, Canada Grants Instant Amnesty
3 March 2014
CBC News (Canada)
The federal government has granted a five-year amnesty to owners of Swiss Arms Classic Green semi-automatic rifles, who will be able to continue to possess their guns "without threat of criminal charges," according to a statement from the public safety minister's office.
Although the guns have been sold in Canada for a dozen years, the RCMP had been investigating a small group of rifles similar to the Classic Greens that were brought into Canada from the small arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Rumoured Ban of Swiss Assault Rifle Reignites Gun Debate in Canada
27 February 2014
CBC News (Canada), Video
The gun debate may be flaring up again over what appears to be the imminent ban of a semi-automatic military-style weapon that has been legal in Canada for a dozen years.
Gun enthusiasts got word of the ban Wednesday evening, although the RCMP has made no official announcement.
According to Solomon Friedman, a lawyer for the National Firearms Association, the PE-90 rifle, made by SAN Swiss Arms AG, a Switzerland-based small arms manufacturer, is about to be... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Moldova,Austria,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Sweden,Canada,Switzerland
Experts Help Moldova Authorities Curb Gun Theft, Smuggling [DE]
17 February 2014
Österreich Journal
[Translated summary: Austria has sent experts to Moldova to advise on small arms and ammunition storage and management under the OSCE framework. Sweden, Canada, Germany and Switzerland will participate in the programme by 2017, which aims to prevent smuggling of stolen ammunition.]
WIEN (bmlvs) - Insgesamt zehn Experten des Bundesheeres unterstützen ab dem 05.03. die OSZE-Mission in der Republik Moldau. Dort werden vorerst vier Angehörige der Heereslogistikschule und... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Maker 'Fighting for Survival': Money, Corruption [DE]
3 February 2014
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: Swiss gun maker SAN Swiss Arms, supplier of the standard Swiss military assault rifle, faces money woes, staff layoffs and allegations of corruption. SAN's German parent company SIG-Sauer has been raided by police over unauthorised gun deliveries to Kazakhstan, possibly routed via the US to avoid sanctions.]
Die SAN Swiss Arms aus Neuhausen SH produziert als Nachfolgerin der SIG das Sturmgewehr 90 der Schweizer Armee und hat derzeit Probleme an... (GunPolicy.org)
Denmark,Finland,Netherlands,Switzerland,Germany,Europe,United States,France,Israel,Spain,Austria,England & Wales,European Union
Authorities Worry 3-D Printers May Undermine Europe's Gun Laws
17 October 2013
New York Times
PARIS — The gun fired four shots into a gelatin block. Each nine-millimeter bullet punched deep into the substance, which was meant to mimic the density of a human body.
For the experts at the Austrian Interior Ministry performing the test, it was a clear sign: This was a deadly weapon.
But it was no ordinary gun. The officials had downloaded the gun's digital blueprints from the Internet and "printed" the weapon on a type of 3-D printer that any person could buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Dead, One Injured After Swiss Farm Family Shooting
7 October 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A 60-year-old Swiss farmer suspected of shooting a 44-year-old woman dead and injuring his brother with a revolver in the canton of Lucerne died on Monday after apparently turning the firearm on himself.
The shootings occurred on Sunday at 6pm on the man's farm in the rural village of Luthern, west of the city of Lucerne, cantonal police said.
The man opened fire on the woman and his brother in a shed, where they were milking cows, before pulling the trigger on... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Former Swiss Cop Convicted for Selling Illegal Machine Guns
16 September 2013
Local (Switzerland) / 20 Minutes (Geneva)
A former Basel police detective received a ten-month suspended jail sentence on Monday for using his position to acquire and re-sell illegal machine guns, firearms, hand grenades and other accessories.
The 51-year-old, who worked for the cantonal police force for 20 years, was authorized to order guns and other weapons, according to an online report from 20 Minutes newspaper.
However, he took advantage of his position to order firearms, which he paid for with his own... (GunPolicy.org)
Man Dies, Injures Wife in Swiss Toy Store Shooting
20 August 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A domestic dispute in a Toys'R'Us store in the canton of Zurich turned deadly on Tuesday when a 28-year-old man used a handgun to shoot his 24-year-old wife before pulling the trigger on himself.
The incident occurred around 1pm in an underground parking area at the store in Dietlikon, a municipality northeast of the city of Zurich, cantonal police said.
The woman, a Swiss citizen, was taken to by ambulance hospital with serious gunshot wounds.
Her husband, an ethnic... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots, Kills Brother Over Inheritance
14 August 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A 48-year-old Swiss man admits to shooting and killing his brother during a property dispute on Tuesday at the family's estate in the canton of Solothurn.
The incident occurred at around 8pm at a home in Büsserach, a town of about 2,000 people, after a dispute that led to the attacker pulling out a hunting rifle to shoot his 55-year-old brother, cantonal police said.
The victim was seriously wounded in the incident that involved a dispute between the two men and... (GunPolicy.org)
'Enduring Decrease' in Swiss Suicide Rate After Army Reduced Gun Access
30 July 2013
American Journal of Psychiatry
Objective - Firearms are the most common method of suicide among young men in Switzerland. From March 2003 through February 2004, the number of Swiss soldiers was halved as a result of an army reform (Army XXI), leading to a decrease in the availability of guns nationwide. The authors investigated the patterns of the overall suicide rate and the firearm suicide rate before and after the reform.
Method - Using a naturalistic study design, the authors compared suicide... (GunPolicy.org)
France,Syria,Germany,Libya,Qatar,Switzerland,United States
Is Anyone Counting the Guns in Syria?
18 June 2013
Pacific Standard (USA)
Last night, in a televised interview with Charlie Rose, President Obama made the case for arming anti-Assad forces in Syria. In part, Obama was responding to critics who claim the U.S. weapons, once released, will be hard to control.
Is that true? Scholars who study small arms proliferation have looked at the 2011 war in Libya as a guide and found evidence of illegal arms transfers and poor tracking of weapons. More than a year after the war ended, no overall... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Launch Manhunt After Two Injured in Swiss Shooting
30 May 2013
Local (Switzerland)
Zurich city and cantonal police are looking for a gunman who shot and injured two men on a street in the centre of Switzerland's largest city on Thursday afternoon.
Two Turkish men, aged 33 and 41, were injured in the shootout at a property at 37 Brauerstrasse shortly after 3pm, city police said.
The two men were taken to hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds but their lives are "out of danger", city police spokesman Marco Cortesi told the SDA news agency.
One of... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk Kosovo Man Shoots, Kills Wife After Divorce Request
1 May 2013
Croatian Times
A Kosovan man who shot his Swiss wife dead at the bus stop when she refused to consider changing her mind about divorcing him - and then went for a beer at a local pub - has claimed her death was her own fault.
Afrim Mujaj, 45, then sat calmly watching as ambulances sped by in a bid to try and save the life of his 35-year-old wife Mirvete in Riniken, Switzerland. And as emergency services tried in vain to keep her alive - the court heard he bought rounds of drinks for... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Police Arrest Former Pupil Over School Shooting Threat
22 April 2013
BBC News
Dutch police have made an arrest following a threat, posted on the internet, to carry out a shooting at a school in the city of Leiden.
The suspect is a former pupil of the British School, which has a site in neighbouring Voorschoten.
More than 20 schools were told to stay closed on Monday in response to the threat posted on internet forum 4chan.
The anonymous writer said they would shoot their teacher "and as many students as I can".
He or she said they would be... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots, Injures Neighbour with Rifle Over Noise
16 April 2013
Local (Switzerland)
An American expat rapper living in Biel in the canton of Bern says he is lucky to be alive after a neigbour fired at him with a gun for making too much noise in his apartment.
"I really dodged a bullet today," the man said on his Facebook page, according to a report online from the 20 Minutes newspaper.
The bearded man posted a photo showing a burn mark on his cheek about the size of a two-franc coin.
"My neighbour arrived with a pump action rifle in my apartment... (GunPolicy.org)
What's Worked, and What Hasn't, in Gun-Loving Switzerland
19 March 2013
NPR (USA)
Switzerland has an entrenched gun culture that is embraced by most of its 8 million citizens, some of them as young as 10 years old.
Every Swiss community has a shooting range, and depending on who is counting, the alpine country ranks third or fourth in the number of guns per capita.
"You can walk into a cafe in a town where there is a shooting festival and you'll see rifles hanging on the hat rack. It's just incredible. It's just proliferation all over the place,... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Americas,Asia,Europe,Oceania,United States,Russia,Italy,Germany,Brazil,Switzerland,Israel,Austria,South Korea,Belgium,Spain,Turkey,Norway,Canada,United Kingdom,Australia,France,Pakistan,Yemen,Honduras,El Salvador,Jamaica
Fact and Figures: Global Trade in Small Arms
18 March 2013
al Jazeera
Diplomats from around the world have gathered at the UN for talks on an international arms trade treaty, in an effort to stop the sale of illegal conventional arms.
Similar talks held last July failed, mainly due to the objections of the US and Russia, the world's two largest arms exporters.
Al Jazeera has compiled a list of facts related to the global production and trading of small arms.
1. Authorised international transfers of small arms, light weapons, their... (GunPolicy.org)
Sweden,Uruguay,Finland,Iraq,Saudi Arabia,Cyprus,Switzerland,Yemen,Serbia,United States
10 Nations with Highest Gun Ownership
12 March 2013
SiliconIndia
Bangalore: "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins," said novelist Ayn Rand. In an era where the misuse of guns and ammunitions are leading to massacres, it is no more a place of nonviolence. Arms and ammunitions leave bitter memories and scar the human race for ages to come. Here are the 10 countries with highest gun ownership, as listed by yahoo.com.
USA:
USA tops the list of countries with highest gun ownership and this no surprise! The... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Debates Gun Registration Law in Shootings' Aftermath
7 March 2013
Bloomberg Business Week
On a snowy late-February morning, a man walked into the cafeteria of a wood-processing plant in the Swiss village of Menznau and opened fire with a Sphinx AT .380 pistol. Four people died, including the gunman. Six others were wounded. It was Switzerland's second mass shooting in less than two months. In January a man with a history of mental illness fired a rifle from his window in the Alpine village of Daillon, killing three and injuring two. The shootings have... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Kills Three, Injures Seven in Mass Workplace Shooting
27 February 2013
New York Times
GENEVA — At least three people were killed in a shooting at a Swiss factory on Wednesday, the police said, adding that the gunman was among the dead. The episode was the second mass shooting in Switzerland this year.
The shooting occurred at about 9 a.m. in the canteen of a Kronospan wood processing factory in the town of Menznau, about 14 miles west of Lucerne, the police said in a statement. A spokesman for the police in Lucerne said that the gunman was a... (GunPolicy.org)
Three Dead, Seven Injured in Swiss Factory Shooting
27 February 2013
BBC News / Associated Press
Three people have been killed and seven injured during a shooting at a factory near the Swiss city of Lucerne, police have said.
The killer, a 42-year-old man who had worked at the factory for 10 years, is among the dead.
Shooting broke out in the canteen at the Kronospan wood processing plant in the town of Menznau at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT).
A prosecution spokesperson said the shooting took place over a few minutes.
Five of the injured are reported to be in a... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland,United States,European Union,Germany,Switzerland,Russia,South Africa,Mexico
Registry Shows Germans Fourth in World for Guns
17 February 2013
Local (Germany)
Figures compiled for Germany's new National Weapons Registry reveal that there are 5.4 million legally owned guns in the country, making it the world's fourth most-armed nation per capita.
Der Spiegel magazine reported on Sunday that the state of Bavaria topped the list with 1.1 million, followed by North Rhine-Westphalia with 1 million and Baden-Württemberg with 700,000.
The new national gun register bundles together the data from over 500 local authorities, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Guns: Living with Firearms the Swiss Way
11 February 2013
BBC News
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world, but little gun-related street crime - so some opponents of gun control hail it as a place where firearms play a positive role in society. However, Swiss gun culture is unique, and guns are more tightly regulated than many assume.
Throughout the attack, Anne Ithen kept her eyes shut.
"I didn't want to see it. I didn't want those images in my head for the rest of my life… but I remember... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,United States,France,Yemen
Three Dead, Two Injured in Swiss Shooting
8 February 2013
Washington Post
DAILLON, Switzerland — On Jan. 3, the day Sandy Hook Elementary students returned to school in Newtown, Conn., Florian Berthouzoz leaned out his window and opened fire on this tranquil Swiss village with an old military carbine and a 12-gauge shotgun.
By the time he finished shooting, three women were killed, apparently at random, and two men were wounded. Berthouzoz was brought down by a police officer's bullet in the chest.
The shooting in Daillon, on a steep... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Launches a Gun Collection [FR]
7 February 2013
Le Figaro (France)
[Translated summary: Cantons of Vaud and Geneva, Switzerland, launched a campaign of voluntary surrender of firearms to reduce the number of firearms in circulation: 230,000 firearms in civilian hands in 2012.]
Les cantons de Vaud et Genève lancent jeudi une campagne de dépôt volontaire afin de diminuer le nombre d'armes en circulation.
Sous le nom d'opération «Vercingétorix», les autorités de la métropole lémanique invitent les citoyens à se séparer de... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Saudi Arabia,Syria,Jordan,United Arab Emirates
Swiss Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Blocked on HR Grounds
23 January 2013
SwissInfo
The Swiss government has vetoed the planned sale by the firearms group KRISS of weapon components to Saudi Arabia, arguing that the weapons made from them could be used to violate human rights.
The Swiss group's application for an export licence was for items worth SFr436,000 ($468,000), according to the economics ministry.
The ministry said the application was for components for pistols to be sent to the United States for assembly, and then exported to Saudi Arabia... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,France,United States,England & Wales,Switzerland,Australia
Editorial: Three Million Guns in Australia is More Than Enough
15 January 2013
Sydney Morning Herald, Editorial
It should be troubling to Australian governments that since 1988, after more than 1 million guns have been destroyed as a result of government buyback programs, numerous amnesties, voluntary returns, the banning of semi-automatic weapons and the tightening of gun import controls, the number of guns in private hands in Australia is as large as it has ever been.
It's not hard to see why. Since 1988, while governments have been running
a variety of gun control programs,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Couple Face Charges Over Illegal Gun Cache, Drugs Haul
9 January 2013
Local (Switzerland)
A Swiss couple busted for a major pot plant growing operation in Biberist, a town in the canton of Solothurn, also harboured a large cache of weapons, cantonal police said on Wednesday.
After receiving information, Solothurn police searched the couple's house in November and uncovered a plantation of 900 marijuana plants in the basement.
Some of the hemp plants were ready to harvest, said police, who added that officers ensured the entire plantation was... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Govt Proposes National Gun Registry, Debates Other Measures
9 January 2013
Agence France Presse / Channel News Asia (Singapore)
GENEVA - A week after an apparently deranged gunman killed three women in an idyllic Swiss village, the lower house of parliament called Tuesday for the equivalent of a national gun registry.
The lower house security policy commission voted with 12 in favour and seven opposed for linking existing gun registries at a cantonal level into a national network, commission president Chantal Gallade was quoted by the ATS news agency as saying.
The commission had asked the... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Agence France Presse / Channel News Asia (Singapore)
Swiss Fondness for Guns Under Scrutiny after Shooting Tragedy
5 January 2013
Sydney Morning Herald
As much as Americans, the Swiss love their guns, seeing them as integral to their national traditions of self-reliance, independence and international neutrality, with a trained and equipped citizen-army capable of deterring any foolish invader.
Many Swiss, after serving in the army, keep their service weapons at home, and the country has no national register for firearms. In February 2011, the Swiss handily rejected restrictions on gun ownership in a national... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kills Three in Swiss Village
4 January 2013
Local (Switzerland) / AFP
A gunman has opened fire in a village in southern Switzerland, killing three people and wounding two others, police said on Thursday.
The man, who had reportedly been drinking heavily before the shooting and was armed with a hunting rifle, launched the attack in the village of Daillon late on Wednesday.
As police rushed to the scene to stop the attack, they exchanged fire with the gunman and wounded him, police said. He had been taken to hospital, they said.
"Three... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooter Uses Ex-Army Rifle, Kills 3 Women in Swiss Village Spree
3 January 2013
Bloomberg Businessweek (USA)
A gunman shot dead three people and injured another two in a mountain village in southern Switzerland, police said.
Officers were alerted to the shootings in Daillon, near the city of Sion in the Valais canton, at 8:50 p.m. yesterday by a caller, who reported seeing "several wounded people lying on the ground," the regional police force said in a statement posted on its website late yesterday.
An elite police unit deployed to the village opened fire on the gunman... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Are Very Serious about the Right to Own, Carry Firearms
20 December 2012
Time (USA)
Even as the gun-control debate rises again in the U.S. in the aftermath of the horrific school shooting in Newtown, Conn., the gun-loving Swiss are not about to lay down their arms. Guns are ubiquitous in this neutral nation, with sharpshooting considered a fun and wholesome recreational activity for people of all ages.
Even though Switzerland has not been involved in an armed conflict since a standoff between Catholics and Protestants in 1847, the Swiss are very... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Israel,Switzerland
Israel, Switzerland Have Stringent Gun Control, Fewer Guns Than US
19 December 2012
Foreign Policy (America)
Following the tragic shooting last week in Newtown, Conn., two stories leapt out at me. The first was the astonishing tale of a teacher, Victoria Soto, who hid her first-graders in closets and took a bullet rather than risking the children's lives by hiding with them. The second featured a photograph of an Israeli woman with a military-style long gun slung across her back, herding children protectively. The contrast between the powerful Israeli woman and the unarmed... (GunPolicy.org)
Yemen,Norway,Switzerland,Canada,Germany,Spain,Finland,United States,United Kingdom,Australia
Homicides Down after Tougher Gun Laws Adopted Abroad
19 December 2012
Los Angeles Times
Twelve days after the worst mass murder in Australian history, when 35 people were shot to death at Tasmania state's Port Arthur tourist mecca in 1996, the government issued sweeping reforms of the country's gun laws. There hasn't been a mass shooting since, and suicides, deaths by firearms and robberies at gunpoint have plummeted.
The results of toughened gun rules in Britain after the massacre in the Scottish town of Dunblane that same year weren't so immediate or... (GunPolicy.org)
Norway,Switzerland,Finland,Germany,Canada,Australia,United Kingdom,United States
Around the World, Gun Massacres Spurred Gun Control, Public Safety
18 December 2012
ABC News (USA) / AP
If there's anywhere that understands the pain of Newtown, it's Dunblane, the town whose grief became a catalyst for changes to Britain's gun laws.
In March 1996, a 43-year-old man named Thomas Hamilton walked into a primary school in this central Scotland town of 8,000 people and shot to death 16 kindergarten-age children and their teacher with four legally held handguns. In the weeks that followed, people in the town formed the Snowdrop campaign — named for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Canada,Japan,Switzerland,Germany,Spain,United Kingdom,Netherlands,Denmark,European Union,France
Firearms Worldwide: Really Different Laws Across Countries [FR]
18 December 2012
JOL Press (Paris)
[Translated summary: France: follows European policies - Denmark and Netherlands: total ban - United Kingdom: almost all firearms are prohibited - Switzerland: a more liberal legislation - the Japanese model: no firearm at all - Canada: the stormy debate on the right to carry firearms]
La récente tuerie de Newton a relancé une fois de plus le débat sur le port d'armes aux États-Unis. Mais quelle est la réglementation dans d'autres pays du monde ? Petit tour... (GunPolicy.org)
Israel,India,Czech Republic,Switzerland,United States,Italy
Indian Factory to Make 1 Million Rifles for Army Upgrade
16 December 2012
Sunday Standard / New Indian Express (Chennai)
NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has half a million rifles and carbines it doesn't want, and now plans to junk them all over the next five years. The dark lining is that these infantry weapons were developed and manufactured in India to equip four lakh soldiers at an expenditure of Rs 25,000 crore over two decades. So far, so bad. Now add another Rs 50,000 crore that will have to be spent over the next decade to re-equip our soldiers with the four kinds of weapons that are... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Toughens Laws to Mark All Imported Guns [FR]
22 November 2012
La Côte (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Switzerland has passed a law to ensure all imported guns are marked from July 2013 and create a new database. Unmarked guns will be confiscated and those who alter the markings will be subject to punishment.]
Dès janvier 2013, les armes à feu importées en Suisse devront être marquées.
Les armuriers auront jusqu'au 1er juillet pour se conformer à la nouvelle législation sur le marquable d'arme.
Le marquage permettra d'identifier l'armurier... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Youths Arrested over Illegal Airgun Shooting
2 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Police have issued a warning about the illegal use of replica guns after a teenager used one to shoot plastic bullets at members of the Liberal party in the canton of Valais.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening in Sierre when a youth in a car driven by a friend used an "airsoft" gun to fire on party members assembled outside a restaurant for a meeting, Valais cantonal police said.
Four people were injured by the plastic bullets, some in the face and one in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Kosovar Man Admits Shooting Brother-in-Law, Authorities Seize Gun
1 November 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Cooperation between Vaud and Neuchâtel cantonal police forces led to the arrest on Thursday of a Kosovar man suspected of murdering his brother-in-law in a Lausanne suburb earlier this week.
The 27-year-old-man was arrested in La Chaux-de-Fonds at 1.30am following an investigation by the two forces, Vaud police said.
The dead body of a 29-year-old Swiss man of Kosovar origin was found on Monday with bullet wounds in a garage in Chavannes-près-Renens, west of... (GunPolicy.org)
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)
Swiss Rail Police Officer Accidentally Shoots Own Foot
17 October 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) police only started carrying guns three months ago but already an officer has hurt himself with a firearm.
The SBB said one of its security officers accidentally shot himself in the foot with a handgun early on Wednesday while at the transport police service premises in Bern.
The bullet pierced the man's left heel, the state-owned rail company said in a news release.
The officer was taken to hospital, where his condition was "good under... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,United States,Europe
Switzerland to Block Gun Access to Some Army Recruits After Deaths
5 October 2012
Reuters
The Swiss government said on Wednesday it wants civil and military authorities to share information to try to cut gun crimes by violent recruits with access to army-issued weapons.
Control over the issue of military weapons is a growing area of concern in Switzerland, where everyone who undergoes military training has access to a firearm.
Public prosecutors and judges will alert the relevant military authorities if they believe recruits with criminal charges against... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Man Shoots Dead Estranged Wife, Injures Self in Attempted Suicide
29 September 2012
Local (Switzerland)
A 40-year-old woman was shot dead at a hairdressers in the canton of Aargau on Wednesday by a man believed to be her husband, who then turned the gun on himself.
The incident occurred around 10.30am in a hair salon in Wettingen, a town of 20,000 people.
Cantonal police said the man, aged 51, entered the salon and shot several bullets at the woman who died on the spot.
The attacker was seriously wounded by self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
He was transported by... (GunPolicy.org)
Teen in Juvenile Court in Switzerland Over Toy Gun [FR]
26 September 2012
Le Nouvelliste (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: A 15-year-old boy was arrested and went to juvenile court after police mistook his cheap toy gun for a real weapon.]
L'usage des pistolets qui ressemblent aux vrais et qui tirent des petites billes jaunes est prohibé sur le territoire public. Un jeune de la région de Sion en a fait l'amère expérience.
La fascination de certains jeunes pour les armes à feu n'est plus à prouver. Ils aiment jouer aux gendarmes et aux voleurs souvent dès le... (GunPolicy.org)
German Man Fined for Crossing Switzerland Border with Potato Gun
21 September 2012
Local (Switzerland)
A 29-year-old German cook was fined €300 and had his potato cannon confiscated after customs officers searched his car as he crossed the border from Switzerland.
In a routine check, German customs officials in Lottstetten seized the weapon, citing its owner's lack of a gun licence, newspaper Südkurier reports.
The main customs office in Singen noted that such rudimentary weapons, usually homemade, are often fashioned from metal or plastic tubes, with gas used to... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army 'Loses Track' of 10,000 Firearms
19 June 2012
Local (Switzerland)
The Swiss department of defence says it no longer knows the whereabouts of up to 10,000 military firearms issued to Swiss soldiers who have completed their service.
Over the past 12 months the department said it had retrieved 6,500 guns issued to former servicemen after checking 309,000 files.
But thousands of soldiers have failed to return information about the equipment issued to them as required after their period of service ends.
The army said this week it was... (GunPolicy.org)
According to Switzerland Firearms Act: to Be Armed Is a Right [FR]
15 June 2012
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: The shooter of Montbenon case and the homicide of a prostitue in Payerne revive gun debate in Switzerland. The ease with which one can buy a handgun and ammunition worries.]
L'affaire du tireur de Montbenon, puis le meurtre, mercredi à Payerne, d'une prostituée ravivent la polémique
«C'est manifestement un domaine dans lequel le législateur peut faire des progrès.» Le procureur général Eric Cottier a fustigé, lors du procès du tireur de... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Love Under Fire - Experts Call for National Firearm Registry
5 January 2012
Local (Switzerland)
Almost two centuries have passed since Switzerland last fought in a war, yet the country's gun ownership rate remains the highest in Europe. After a series of gun-related killings at the end of last year, The Local's Meritxell Mir looks at what's being done to get fingers off triggers.
Every year, more than 300 people die in Switzerland in gun-related incidents. In many ways, the figure is quite low, when one considers the country has about 2.5 million weapons in... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Norway,Netherlands,United Kingdom,Germany,Finland,Switzerland
Gun Attacks in Europe and Their Effect on Gun Control Laws
14 December 2011
BBC News
As more details emerge of the shooting spree and grenade attack in Belgium in which five people died, the BBC News website takes a look at other recent incidents in Europe - and the effect they have had on each country's laws.
Norway
Seventy-seven people were killed in twin attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has admitted that he planted a car bomb that exploded close to government offices in the capital Oslo, killing eight people. He then drove... (GunPolicy.org)
About 240,000 Guns Untraceable in Switzerland [FR]
5 December 2011
Le Dauphiné Libéré (France)
[Translated Summary: 240,000 of the two million guns in circulation in Switzerland are untraceable, says the Ministry of Defence. The National regulations would be a cause: in terms of Defence, Switzerland has a people's army - reservists are allowed to store their weapons at home, to carry them unloaded, and private gun sales are permitted.]
La Suisse évoque bien plus l'image de paix et de concorde civile que celle des armes à feu. Pourtant, le pays est l'un de... (GunPolicy.org)
About 116,000 Guns Registered, 20,000 Untraceable in Geneva [FR]
30 November 2011
Tribune de Genève
[Translated Summary: Following a recent shooting in Switzerland, Bernard Bersier, Chief of the Firearms Service, analyses the situation in Geneva. Last year, 115,684 firearms were registered in Geneva, one firearm per four inhabitants. Behind this official number hides a grey market that constitutes the real danger, explains Mr Bersier.]
Suite à la mort par balle d'un homme aux Cygnes, Bernard Bersier, chef du Service des armes, analyse la situation genevoise.
A... (GunPolicy.org)
Household Shootings Prompt Swiss to Rethink Army Guns Kept at Home
23 November 2011
Local (Stockholm)
Several killings in the last few weeks have led Switzerland's Security Policy Committee to take steps to remove weapons from the hands of people with a history of violence.
The parliamentary committee said confiscating firearms was a matter of urgency for individuals known to have made threats or perpetrated acts of violence.
To help avoid further tragedies, a unanimous committee called on the National Assembly to pass a motion requiring the Federal Council to combat... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting in Geneva: Airguns Turned into Lethal Weapons [FR]
14 November 2011
20 Minutes (Geneva)
[Translated summary: The gun homicide at Geneva's mall highlights new practices: turning airguns into lethal weapons that are available on the 'Grey Market'.]
Le meurtre du centre commercial des Cygnes, au coeur de Genève, met en exergue de nouvelles pratiques chez certains marginaux du canton.
«Pour 1000 francs, on trouve facilement un 9 mm. Moi j'ai mon 22 (n.d.l.r.: long rifle). Et maintenant, les Albanais ont une nouvelle spécialité, ils transforment des... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army-issue Guns Involved in 300 Civilian Deaths a Year
14 November 2011
SwissInfo
Another deadly incident involving an army-issue gun has been reported only ten days after a man shot his girlfriend with his army assault rifle.
Police in canton Neuchâtel say the latest case occurred in someone's home at the weekend when three people were handling guns.
An investigation is underway to establish the course of events and the origin of the ammunition.
Last February, Swiss voters rejected a proposal by an alliance of NGOs and centre-left political... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reopen Debate on Keeping Army Assault Weapons, Pistols in Homes
13 November 2011
SwissInfo
The army says it wants to work more closely with the cantonal authorities to prevent shootings with army-issue guns.
A spokesman told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper that army chief, André Blattmann, wants the cantonal justice departments to inform the army of any criminal investigations involving men still on active service.
Due to the set-up of Switzerland's militia army, men on active service are allowed to keep their army-issue firearms at home.
Currently, Swiss... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Soldier Kills Girlfriend with Army Rifle, Restarts Guns-at-home Debate
9 November 2011
Local (Switzerland)
Politicians, criminologists and police have called for army-issue weapons to be kept out of the hands of lawbreakers after a young man with a criminal record shot and killed his girlfriend last Friday.
The alleged murderer, a 23-year-old-man had several previous convictions for threatening behaviour and property damage before he shot his girlfriend in the head with his army assault rifle.
A heated debate has raged for years in Switzerland about firearm control and... (GunPolicy.org)
European Union,China,Germany,South Korea,Switzerland,Serbia,France,United Kingdom,Syria,Yemen,Bulgaria,Belgium,Libya,Italy,Bahrain,Egypt,United States,Russia,West Asia,North Africa,Finland,Austria,Sudan,North Korea,Spain
Tracing the Middle East Weapons Flow
19 October 2011
al Jazeera
Earlier this year, as mass popular uprisings spread through the Middle East and audiences across the world sat transfixed by images of unarmed citizens confronting iron-fisted security forces in the streets of Arab capitals, powerful governments from Russia to the United States were forced to begin accounting for the weapons they had for decades sold to the very rulers they now found themselves abandoning.
In Egypt and Bahrain, protesters held up tear gas canisters... (GunPolicy.org)
Boy Shoots, Kills Friend with Father's Police Pistol in Switzerland [Fr]
19 September 2011
Le Matin (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A teenager accidentally shot dead his friend with his father's handgun. The father, who is an experienced police officer, did not store his handgun in a secured cabinet. According to Thurgovia law, police officers do not have to comply with the Federal Law on Firearms in terms of safe storage of guns kept at home.]
Trois écoliers thurgoviens jouaient avec le pistolet de service du père de l'un d'eux, un policier. Celui-ci a été mis sous... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than a Quarter of Swiss Households Have Access to a Gun - Study
12 September 2011
Local (Switzerland)
More than a quarter of Swiss households have access to a gun, according to a study carried out by the Institute of Criminology at the University of Zurich.
In a victim study carried out on behalf of the conference of cantonal police chiefs, Martin Killias at the Institute of Criminology found that around 27 percent of Swiss homes have access to a firearm.
Furthermore, the number of gun licences has increased sharply in many cantons since 2008, the SonntagsZeitung... (GunPolicy.org)
New Firearms Database Available to Cantonal Police in Switzerland
24 May 2011
24 Heures (Switzerland) / AP
BERNE - Suite à la campagne sur l'initiative «pour la protection face à la violence des armes», une plate-forme électronique d'information sur les armes accessible aux polices cantonales vient d'être créée.
Les polices cantonales peuvent désormais accéder à une plate-forme électronique d'information sur les armes de l'Office fédéral de la police (fedpol). Une promesse faite pendant la campagne sur l'initiative «pour la protection face à la violence des... (GunPolicy.org)
The Truth About Switzerland - Gun Laws Americans Would Call 'Tyrannical'
28 March 2011
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (USA), Web page
In Switzerland — a nation in which a "well regulated Militia" still plays a leading role in national defense — guns are a hot issue. A February referendum on new gun policy proposals quickly turned into a national debate on Switzerland's gun culture and citizen/soldier tradition. The resulting dialogue in this landlocked nation of mountains and lakes has been fascinating and shed light on some long-perpetuated myths about Switzerland's gun laws.
Responding to... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote to Keep 'a Gun in Every Closet,' Reject Calls for Gun Control
15 February 2011
Time (USA)
Perhaps the great paradox of peaceful and safety-conscious Switzerland, which hasn't been under military threat since World War II, is its cherished tradition of a gun in every closet. And, as the defeat of a Feb. 13 initiative seeking to tighten the nation's liberal gun law proves, the Swiss are not willing to bid a farewell to arms anytime soon.
Early polls in the midst of what was a heated and contentious campaign predicted victory for the anti-gun lobby, but on... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Voters Firmly Reject Push to Remove Assault Weapons from Homes
14 February 2011
Wall Street Journal
ZURICH — Following an emotional debate over gun control, Swiss voters firmly rejected a referendum that would have forced soldiers to end the longstanding practice of keeping army-issue firearms at home and tightened restrictions over civilian gun ownership.
According to exit polls, 57% of voters rejected the initiative. The referendum sparked a heated debate over the right to bear arms in a country that has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Media, Lobby Groups Follow Swiss Vote to Keep Army Guns in Homes
14 February 2011
SwissInfo
The controversial initiative on restricting access to firearms – which was rejected by Swiss voters on Sunday – has been followed closely in the United States.
The US, which also has a gun-bearing tradition, is currently dealing with the fallout from a fatal gun attack in Arizona. However, gun control has not been made a political priority.
Just over 56 per cent of Swiss voters threw out a proposal to ban army-issue firearms from the home and set up a central arms... (GunPolicy.org)
Peaceful, Neutral Switzerland Cherishes Its Armed Tradition, Votes Pro-gun
13 February 2011
Canadian Press
GENEVA — Neutral Switzerland is among the best-armed nations in the world, with more guns per capita than almost any other country except the U.S., Finland and Yemen.
At least 2.3 million weapons lie stashed in basements, cupboards and lofts in this country of less than 8 million people, according to the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey.
On Sunday, Swiss voters made sure it stays that way, rejecting a proposal to tighten the peaceful Alpine nation's relaxed firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Rejects Tighter Gun Control, Keeps Army Guns in 1 in 4 Homes
13 February 2011
BBC News
Swiss voters have rejected proposed tighter controls on gun ownership, final results show.
Twenty of the 26 cantons and 56.3% of voters rejected the plan, meaning the current system allowing army-issue weapons to be kept at home will remain.
Supporters of the tighter curbs wanted to have weapons kept in armouries and were demanding stricter checks on gun owners.
Opponents said the move would have undermined trust in the army.
For the proposal to succeed, it required... (GunPolicy.org)
Emotional, Polarising Swiss Gun Safety Referendum Faces Voters' Verdict
12 February 2011
SwissInfo
Following an emotional campaign the Swiss on Sunday have the final say on a proposal to restrict access to firearms, including a ban on keeping army-issue guns at home.
The nationwide ballot pits urban citizens against the more traditional voters in rural Switzerland; the centre-left challenges the centre-right and rightwing majority, while women could tip the balance.
The initiative, launched four years ago, seeks to introduce stricter rules for gun possession,... (GunPolicy.org)
Cherished Tradition of Swiss Army Guns at Home Now Faces Referendum
12 February 2011
Wall Street Journal
ZURICH — Switzerland is in the midst of an emotional debate over a proposal to limit weapons in a country that cherishes its right to bear arms, echoing the U.S. reflection on the issue in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Arizona last month.
Gun ownership has long enjoyed strong support in Switzerland, both for national defense and cultural reasons, and the country has one of the highest arms rates in the world.
That is because of a longstanding tradition for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Culture, Assault Weapons at Home Under Fire in Referendum
9 February 2011
Associated Press
BUEREN AN DER AARE, Switzerland — The neutral Swiss do love their guns and their frequent, citizen-inspired referendums. Those two deeply cherished rights collide this weekend as Swiss voters decide whether to impose far-reaching restrictions on firearms.
The nationwide vote Sunday pits critics of Switzerland's high rate of firearms suicides against those who fear tighter rules may hurt the country's beloved village shooting clubs or cripple its citizen... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote Pre-poll Leans Toward Banning Military Guns in the Home
19 January 2011
Miller-McCune (California)
While the assassination attempt on Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona revived a predictable and unchanging round of gun control debate in the U.S., a referendum in Switzerland — Europe's best-armed nation — is showing a shift of opinion away from private gun ownership.
Every third household in Switzerland has a firearm, normally government-issued, because every male citizen under about 50 is also a reserve soldier. Instead of a standing professional army, the government... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Switzerland,Russia,Norway,Mexico,Japan,Italy,Germany,Austria,Czech Republic,India,China,Canada,Brazil,Australia,United States
How Gun Control Laws Vary in 16 Countries Around the World
10 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Australia
Ownership is strictly prohibited unless there are "genuine reasons" such as licensed sport, animal control or employment requirements.
Brazil
If you are over 25 and have registered a weapon, you are free to keep it indoors. The country has the second-highest gun-related death rate after the US.
Canada
Significantly stricter than the neighbouring US. To acquire a licence, applicants must undertake a safety course, pass a criminal records check and be... (GunPolicy.org)
To Save Lives, Swiss Doctors Back Ban on Army Machine Guns at Home
9 January 2011
SwissInfo
Swiss doctors consider it their professional duty to back an initiative aimed at restricting access to firearms to be voted on in a nationwide ballot on February 13.
The Swiss Medical Association, which represents the overwhelming majority of practising doctors, considers the initiative an important part of suicide prevention.
"It is about public health and suicide prevention. This is our core business, to save lives," said the association's president, Jacques de... (GunPolicy.org)
To Reduce Domestic Killings, Swiss Vote Would Ban Army Guns in Homes
22 December 2010
SwissInfo
Supporters and opponents of a proposal aimed at limiting access to guns have launched their campaigns ahead of a nationwide vote in February.
Switzerland has the highest number of arms per capita, with estimates varying between 1.2 million and 2.3 million. But exact data are not available as there is no central arms register.
Shaken by a number of high-profile killings over the past decade a broad alliance of human rights groups, churches, women's organisations, trade... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Yemen,Finland,Switzerland,United Kingdom,Japan,Pakistan,Saudi Arabia
Civilians Own 74% of All Guns Globally, Firearm Laws Differ Greatly
15 December 2010
Times of India
The 'Gun Debate' has engaged many parts of the world for decades and both public opinion and lawmakers in different countries differ considerably on this question. Interestingly, 74% of all firearms globally are owned by civilians.
The right to own a firearm is a major issue in US politics and many Americans consider the possession of firearms a time-honoured custom. Strong gun-supporting lobbies like the National Rifle Association spend millions of dollars to fight... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Guns Kill 300 a Year, Govt Rejects Ban on Small Arms at Home
6 December 2010
SwissInfo
The Swiss government has come out against an initiative to ban Swiss men from keeping their military-issue guns at home.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said on Monday that the current gun law was sufficient to protect against misuse and that the initiative would be difficult to put into practice.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party – Sommaruga's own party – as well as pacifist and doctors' organisations, will be put... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Parliament Rejects Tougher Gun Laws, Ban on Army Guns at Home
18 July 2010
SwissInfo
The House of Representatives, like the cabinet, is urging Swiss voters to reject a people's initiative that aims to ban military weapons from households.
The initiative will now go to the Senate, ahead of a national vote in February 2011. New figures show that Switzerland's militia soldiers seem to prefer to keep their military guns at home rather than deposit them free at local army bases.
Launched in February 2009 by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a... (GunPolicy.org)
Machine Gun-toting Gang of Robbers Raids Swiss Casino, Escapes
29 March 2010
Associated Press
BASEL, Switzerland - An armed gang of masked men raided a casino packed with about 600 guests early Sunday and made off with hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Swiss prosecutors.
In a statement, prosecutors in Basel described a scene like an action-film heist: About 10 men dressed in black arrived in two cars at the Grand Casino near Basel shortly after 4 a.m.
One smashed the front door with a sledgehammer, and the others ran inside with machine guns and... (GunPolicy.org)
Army-issue Guns at the Heart of Family Violence in Switzerland [Fr]
9 February 2010
24 Heures (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: 76% of the homicide-suicide cases in Switzerland involve firearms, very often a gun kept at home by Swiss army reservists, according to a new university study.]
Une étude criminologique le démontre: en Suisse, les auteurs de drames familiaux recourent trois fois sur quatre aux armes à feu et, très souvent, il s'agit d'une arme de service. Voilà qui apporte de l'eau au moulin des adversaires de l'arme détenue à la maison.
En avril 2006,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Service Firearms Often Used in Murder/Suicide [Fr]
8 February 2010
Journal (Geneva)
Translated summary: Swiss army military guns are often used in family violence, particularly in murder-suicide cases where a male shooter kills a female partner.]
Les auteurs de drames familiaux ont le plus fréquemment recours à une arme à feu. Quant aux armes de service, elles tuent dans un quart des cas, selon une étude de l'hôpital universitaire de Lausanne (CHUV) publiée en janvier.
L'étude publiée en janvier et dont le résumé est paru dans la revue... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reconsider Keeping Army Guns at Home, Cite Frequent Shootings
27 November 2009
SwissInfo
Swiss soldiers who do not want to keep their military-issue guns at home are to be allowed to store them for free at an army logistics centre.
The new rule, which comes into force on January 1, was adopted by the Swiss government on Friday as part of its amendments to the regulations on firearms.
The cabinet also called for earlier detection of soldiers who represent a potential threat.
Under another amendment, men who wish to keep their gun after completing their... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Accused of Careless Gun Exports, Cabinet Aims for Clearer Law
24 November 2009
SwissInfo
Questions are being raised in Switzerland over exports of weapons and war material — and not only by the pacifists behind the nationwide vote on November 29.
The government in its official information brochure for voters describes its policy of trading war material as restrictive, transparent, tough and not open to frequent abuses.
Throughout its campaign the pacifist group for a Switzerland without an Army has tried to undermine the clean Swiss image. It has... (GunPolicy.org)
Central Armouries Store Swiss Army Guns in 'Hot' Crime Areas [Fr]
21 September 2009
20 Minutes (Switzerland)
[Translated summary: Almost one-third of military weapons stored centrally in the Geneva canton come from neighbourhoods with high break-in rates. The Mayor of Vernier calls for all firearms to be centrally stored.]
Près d'un tiers des armes de service déposées à l'arsenal viennent des quartiers sensibles du Lignon, des Libellules et des Avanchets.
«Entre 180 et 200 armes sont actuellement en dépôt volontaire à l'arsenal», a détaillé lundi Guy Reyfer,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Soldiers to Carry Unloaded Guns, Avoid Shootings [Fr]
31 August 2009
Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports, Media release
[Translated summary: To avoid unintentional shootings, Swiss army soldiers on guard duty will carry unloaded firearms.] Dès le 1er septembre 2009, le service de garde s'effectuera en cas normal et sur base réglementaire avec une arme non chargée au sein de l'Armée suisse. Le service de garde avec une arme chargée constituera une exception. L'armée applique ainsi définitivement les compléments au service de garde décidés au mois d'octobre 2008.
Les directives... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Département fédéral de la défense, de la protection de la population et des sports
Swiss Soldiers on Guard Duty Must Now Carry Unloaded Weapons
31 August 2009
Geneva Lunch (Switzerland)
GENEVA — Swiss guards will carry unloaded firearms starting 1 September thanks to a new measure covering Swiss army soldiers on guard duty.
This does not mean the soldiers will carry arms without bullets: the new ruling allows the magazine to be fully loaded but it may not be put in action mode. The commanding officer may, given the circumstances, order exceptions to this rule.
The measure was approved in October last year after several incidents where guns were... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe,Germany,Portugal,Belgium,Finland,Switzerland
European Countries Tighten Gun Laws But More Needed, Say Experts
12 March 2009
Associated Press
School shootings and other gun crimes have spurred European governments to tighten their gun laws but the measures have been uneven across the continent, experts said Thursday.
Dramatic incidents, such as Wednesday's rampage by a 17-year-old gunman who killed 15 people at his former school in Germany, often jolt authorities into action.
Finland announced plans Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on firearms, including raising the minimum age for handgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Europe,Finland,Belgium,Switzerland,Portugal,Denmark
Europe Hurries to Tighten Gun Laws After Mass Shooting Attacks
11 March 2009
Associated Press
HELSINKI — Several European countries have restricted gun laws in the wake of school massacres, gang violence and other gun-related crimes:
- Finland announced plans Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on firearms, including raising the minimum age for handgun ownership from 15 to 20. The proposal was prompted by two school massacres within a year in which lone gunmen opened fire on classmates and teachers.
- Germany, where a gunman killed at least 11 people... (GunPolicy.org)
Geneva Family of Four Found Shot Dead in Swiss 'Domestic Incident'
7 March 2009
Associated Press
A family of four were found shot dead in their home near Geneva on Friday in what Swiss police suspect was a domestic incident.
Officers discovered a 52-year-old man and his 47-year-old wife along with their sons, ages 16 and 19, in an apartment in the suburb of Carouge. Neighbors had alerted the authorities after becoming concerned about the family's whereabouts.
A handgun was found inside the apartment, police said. Police declined to provide further information on... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Vote to Remove Guns from Homes, Ban Some Firearms, Register All
24 February 2009
Associated Press
GENEVA — Switzerland's part-time soldiers traditionally store their guns in the attic, in a cupboard or under the bed. They see it as their honor and duty to keep their weapons close at hand.
But critics say the proliferation of firearms has led to both suicides and homicides throughout the neutral nation, and they are seeking tighter firearms controls.
Campaigners said Monday they have collected around 120,000 signatures to force a nationwide referendum on whether... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Force Referendum to Prevent 1.5 Million Guns Being Stored in Homes
24 February 2009
CNN
Switzerland's part-time soldiers could lose the right to store their weapons at home.
A coalition led by the country's Social Democrat party and the Greens has collected nearly 120,000 signatures to force a national referendum on whether the weapons should be stored at military bases.
The coalition of 74 groups says the weapons are involved in too many suicides and murders in the country and tighter controls are needed.
Switzerland's armed forces consist of just a... (GunPolicy.org)
Suicide, Domestic Killings Bring Vote to Ban Million Guns from Swiss Homes
23 February 2009
SwissInfo
Anti-gun supporters have collected enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on banning more than one million military weapons from Swiss households.
Guns are stored in homes under Switzerland's militia system, but opponents say the practice is too dangerous, pointing to deaths and domestic violence cases involving army weapons.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a number of pacifist organisations, was handed in to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Referendum Gathers Pace to Ban Army Guns Being Stored in Swiss Homes
23 February 2009
SwissInfo
Anti-gun supporters have collected enough signatures to force a nationwide vote on banning more than one million military weapons from Swiss households.
Guns are stored in homes under Switzerland's militia system, but opponents say the practice is too dangerous, pointing to deaths and domestic violence cases involving army weapons.
The people's initiative, launched by the centre-left Social Democratic Party and a number of pacifist organisations, was handed in to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Referendum to Remove Military Guns from Private Homes [Fr]
23 February 2009
24 Heures/ATS (Lausanne)
[Translated summary: A 107,000-name petition calling for a referendum on possession and secure storage of military fireams has been presented to the Swiss government. The initiative also calls for a national firearm registry and the prohibition of automatic firearms and pump action shotguns. Of the 2.3 million firearms in Switzerland, 1.7 million are military firearms].
LAUSANNE — Le peuple suisse se rendra sans doute aux urnes pour dire s'il souhaite bannir l'arme... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland,Yemen,Switzerland,United States,United Nations
Global Gun Ownership: Finland, Yemen, Switzerland, USA - Keith Krause
23 October 2008
Chicago Public Radio, Audio
Last month, a 22-year-old student walked into his trade school in Finland and opened fire. He killed 10 people before shooting himself. The school massacre was the second Finland experienced in less than a year.
Keith Krause is the Program Director of the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Switzerland.
The Small Arms Survey puts out an annual study on the production,... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations,Finland,New Zealand,United States,Australia,Canada,France,Belgium,Sweden,Switzerland,South Africa,Austria,Israel,Brazil,Germany
Comparison of Key Handgun Restrictions in 14 Industrialised Countries
25 September 2008
Economist
Finland's government is introducing tougher regulations on handguns following a mass shooting at a school on Tuesday September 23rd, the second in under a year.
The country had been among the most lenient in the world, allowing 15-year-olds to keep a handgun under parental supervision, requiring no medical or psychological tests and no minimum wait for those buying weapons.
The gun-death rate (whether murder, accident or suicide) in rich countries is highest where... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Reject Old Habit of Keeping Army Guns, Ammo at Home [Fr]
29 August 2008
La Liberté (Fribourg), Poll
[Translated summary: A Swiss Federal Institute of Technology poll finds that support for keeping military weapons at home has dropped to 34%, with opinion led by women and young people].
Le sentiment de sécurité des Suisses culmine de nouveau à un niveau record avec un taux de 90%, selon un sondage de l'Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich (EPFZ). Près de 80% des sondés affichent en outre leur confiance dans l'avenir du pays.
Par contre, la tradition pour... (GunPolicy.org)
Poll Shows 76% of Swiss Want to Rid Homes of Army Guns [Fr]
29 August 2008
SwissInfo, Poll
[Translated Summary: Poll shows only 34% of Swiss support storing military guns at home, down from 57% in 1989. Link to poll results in German, English, French and Italian].
Avec un taux de 90%, le sentiment de sécurité des Suisses culmine de nouveau à un niveau record, selon le sondage 2008 mené par l'Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Zurich (EPFZ). Et près de 80% des sondés ont en outre confiance dans l'avenir du pays.
La hausse est particulièrement marquée... (GunPolicy.org)
Only 1 in 3 Swiss Want to Continue Storing Army Guns, Ammo at Home
29 August 2008
SwissInfo, Poll
The long-standing tradition of keeping army weapons at home is increasingly losing support among the population, security experts say.
An overwhelming majority of Swiss feel secure and trust the army, police and justice authorities, according to the 2008 Security Study of the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.
Thirty-four per cent of respondents said they were in favour of maintaining the tradition of keeping the standard issue military weapon at... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Access to Guns Gives Highest Gun Suicide Rate to Swiss Youth
3 August 2008
SwissInfo
The percentage of young people who use a gun to kill themselves is higher in Switzerland than any other European country, according to an international survey.
This is directly connected to liberal Swiss gun laws and the easy availability of weapons, said researchers from the European Alliance Against Depression, whose study is published in the current edition of the Journal of Affective Disorders.
Almost half (43.6 per cent) of suicides in Switzerland committed by... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Named as One of the Most Transparent Exporters of Guns
16 July 2008
SwissInfo
The diversion of small arms and light weapons is a major source of firearms for criminals and insurgents around the world, says an international report.
However, Switzerland was named one of the most transparent small arms exporters in the latest Small Arms Survey, published annually by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS).
"The score for Switzerland on transparency has improved dramatically, partly because there's been a strong effort... (GunPolicy.org)
Germany,Switzerland,Italy,United Kingdom,Australia,South Africa
Gun Laws in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, UK, Australia, South Africa
26 June 2008
Associated Press
GERMANY:
Requires license to obtain and use firearms and stipulates a check on the "reliability and suitability" of holders at least once every three years. Under-25s must undergo psychological screening. Buyers must justify why they need a gun.
Would-be buyers of recreational firearms must produce proof of regular membership in shooting club for at least one year. Legal age for owning recreational firearms is 21. That was raised from 18 in 2002, the year an alienated... (GunPolicy.org)
New Recruit Gets Swiss Army Assault Rifle, Shoots 16yr-old Girl at Bus Stop
27 November 2007
SwissInfo
A soldier has confessed to the killing of a 16-year-old girl last Friday in Zurich in what appeared to be a random shooting.
The incident comes amid a heated debate over Switzerland's gun laws. Army issue weapons are involved in the death of more than 300 people a year in the country.
The Zurich prosecutor's office said on Tuesday that the 21-year-old soldier, who was arrested two days after the shooting, admitted to committing the crime.
The authorities have not... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland,Bosnia & Herzegovina,Iraq
Swiss Gun Dealer Investigated for Trafficking Weapons from Bosnia to Iraq
18 November 2007
SonntagsZeitung (Switzerland)
ZURICH — Swiss business man Marius Joray may have illegally moved thousands of small arms and huge quantities of ammunition from Bosnia to Iraq. The Swiss State Prosecutor has become involved. The Prosecutors spokesman Peter Lehmann says . "We have requested the Federal Police to enquiries."
The research of the SonntagsZeitung shows that goods that were acquired through the Swiss business man were transferred with the help of Serbian arms smuggler Tomislav... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Islamic Centre Shooter Used Army Assault Weapon Kept in His Home
13 November 2007
SwissInfo
A lone gunman has used his military assault rifle to fire on a dozen fellow worshippers at an Islamic centre in western Switzerland, seriously injuring one.
The latest in a series of incidents involving army weapons — which all enlisted Swiss men have to keep at home with ammunition — will add fuel to the heated political debate over reforming the country's gun laws.
A 23-year-old local man, described by police as a practising Swiss Muslim, was detained on Monday... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Gun Victims Push for Ban on Military Firearms at Home
28 September 2007
Bloomberg (USA)
Tanja Vollenweider and her family had just built a house near Zurich when her husband lost his job at an insurance company. Two weeks later, the militia officer took his army-issued pistol into the forest and killed himself.
"It was Friday, we had had guests at home," Vollenweider, 35, said at her home in Daellikon. "My daughter saw him leaving with the weapon. She woke me up. We heard the shots."
Four and a half years later, Vollenweider and other gun control... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Criticised for Poor Data on Gun Ownership, Weapon Exports
28 August 2007
SwissInfo
Civilians in Switzerland own an estimated 3.4 million guns — putting the country in fourth place for weapons possession per capita, according to a report.
The latest Small Arms Survey, published by the Geneva-based Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS), criticises Switzerland's lack of transparency over reliable statistics on firearms.
Switzerland ranks behind the United States, Yemen and Finland, but ahead of Iraq in the per capita count, and in... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Mull Gun Control to Curb High Rates of Gun Suicide, Family Shootings
29 July 2007
Deutsche Welle
Switzerland's the only country that requires its soldiers to keep guns at home. But concerns over high suicide rates and killings within families have caused some to ask whether having them there is simply too dangerous.
All Swiss men must do military service — they all learn to shoot — and when they go home, they take their assault rifles and 50 rounds of ammunition with them.
"For me it's just routine," said Philippe Schaub, heading home after his latest stint... (GunPolicy.org)
Historic Decision Bans Ammunition for Swiss Army Guns Kept in Homes
21 June 2007
Tribune de Geneve (Geneva)
Federal lawmakers approve historic new regulations requiring army ammunition to be kept in arsenals, while stopping short of a ban on firearms in Swiss residences.
The Swiss government is tightening regulations for weapons while the senate has approved a general ban on the storing of army ammunition at home. The measures fall short of a ban on keeping military guns in private residences, although left-wing campaigners are planning to launch an initiative to achieve... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Weapons in Homes Kill 300 a Year, Senate 'No' to Law Change
20 June 2007
SwissInfo
The Swiss Senate has approved a revised law on weapons which forbids the carrying of dangerous objects and the anonymous purchase of arms over the internet.
The chamber, which represents Switzerland's cantons, followed the example of the House of Representatives. A ban on keeping military weapons at home was rejected.
Anonymous sales of guns over the internet or by advertisement are to be banned, but there are exceptions for hunters and members of Switzerland's... (GunPolicy.org)
Pressure Grows to Abandon Swiss Tradition of Keeping Army Guns at Home
20 June 2007
Neue Zürcher Zeitung / SwissInfo, Poll
Switzerland is preparing for a lively debate this summer over its long-standing tradition of keeping army guns and ammunition at home.
Opposition to its guns-at-home culture seems to have gained momentum and critics are launching a people's initiative on the issue. On Wednesday parliament will discuss a compromise proposal — a ban on storing army ammunition at home.
Attitudes towards firearms may be changing in Switzerland, which is well known for its militia army,... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Enthusiasts Fight Trend to Remove Weapons from Homes
11 June 2007
SwissInfo
Guns have long been a fixture of life in Switzerland, with its militia army, strong traditions and liberal laws. Up to 20 million are kept in cellars and attics.
As the national gun debate hots up, swissinfo tests the temperature of opinion among gun fans with a visit to a gun dealer and stop-off at the "world's biggest shooting festival".
It's 10am and the tiny premises of Poyet gun shop in the middle of the capital Bern are a hive of activity.
A... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Mull Tighter Gun Laws, Ammo Ban Has 'Good Chance of Success'
2 May 2007
Der Spiegel (Germany)
With its militia-based approach to national security, Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world — not to mention one of the highest rates of gun-related deaths. Now gun-control advocates are calling for restrictions on keeping guns and ammunition at home.
When most people think of Switzerland, they imagine a sleepy — even boring — country of beautiful Alpine vistas and tranquil cows, where the most exciting thing that could happen... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland Considers New Gun Laws, May Prohibit Ammunition in Homes
2 May 2007
United Press International
BERNE, Switzerland — Recent acts of gun violence have led Swiss politicians to consider tightening the country's traditionally lax gun safety laws.
All men between ages 20 and 30 in Switzerland are members of the state militia, and as such they are issued weapons and ammunition. However, a Swiss Senate committee last month voted to ban to keeping of ammunition in private residences, and the issue now goes to the country's Parliament, The Independent reported... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Lawmaker: 'Keeping Guns at Home is Outdated and Dangerous'
1 May 2007
Time (USA)
Each September the hills around Zurich are alive — with the sound of gunfire. Nobody is alarmed, however, because they know it emanates from a bunch of teenagers doing what comes naturally to nearly every Swiss: sharp-shooting. And there's nothing random about it: The 12- to 16-year-olds are participating in Knabenschiessen, the world's largest youth rifle competition, which blends the jarring report of rifle fire with the melodious ringing of cow bells.
The Swiss... (GunPolicy.org)
Easy Availability of Guns Contributes to Switzerland's High Suicide Rate
1 May 2007
Reuters
ZURICH — Switzerland is one of the world's richest and most tranquil countries, but it also has more suicides than most. This may show that money doesn't buy happiness, but some Swiss also blame the guns.
Guns are omnipresent in this Alpine country — some estimates run to at least one for every three of its 7.5 million inhabitants. Many are stored in people's attics, a legacy of its famed policy of arming its men to defend its neutrality.
Now the country is... (GunPolicy.org)
Rise in Gun Crime Forces Swiss to Reconsider Right to Bear Arms
1 May 2007
Independent (UK)
Switzerland, an island of gun culture at the heart of Europe, is agonising over whether to introduce controls on possessing guns and ammunition as alarm spreads about the number of gun deaths in the country.
The latest incident occurred on the evening of Friday 13 April in the restaurant of a hotel in the northern city of Baden — three days before Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people at Virginia Tech in the United States.
In the Baden eruption one man was killed and four... (GunPolicy.org)
Armoury in Gun-Shy Europe: Switzerland Weighs Curbs on Gun Culture
29 April 2007
Washington Post Foreign Service
ZUG, Switzerland — Evening rush hour at the train station: men in suits, a woman carrying a cello, kids lugging snowboards. Markus Marschall, a university engineering student, walked through the bustle wearing an orange T-shirt, leather jacket and aviator sunglasses — and a Sturmgewehr 90 automatic assault rifle slung over his shoulder.
"It's perfectly normal," said Marschall, 25, who carried the olive-green rifle, issued to him by the Swiss military, on a canvas... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Laws Challenged, Though 'Arms Fetishists Dominate Parliament'
23 March 2007
SwissInfo
Pacifists and centre-left parties want voters to have the final say on breaking with a long-standing Swiss tradition of storing personal army rifles and pistols at home.
They said they would launch a people's initiative to ban such weapons in households. The announcement came a day after parliament refused to take action over the issue.
Supporters of the ban are expected to launch a bid to collect the necessary signatures for the vote within the next few months.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Army Rifles and Pistols 'Kill 300 People a Year,' Even in Peacetime
17 December 2006
SwissInfo
More than 300 people are killed every year by army guns, according to a study led by the Swiss criminologist Martin Killias.
These weapons play a central role in suicides and Switzerland's grim history of family killings, said the research, published on Saturday ahead of a parliamentary debate on the subject.
The study revealed that private guns and army weapons were used in 36 per cent of domestic murders.
The majority, 60 per cent, of murders outside the home on... (GunPolicy.org)
In 'Timber for Guns' Swap, Switzerland Lifts Arms Export Ban to Liberia
1 December 2006
Business in Africa (Johannesburg)
MONROVIA — An embargo by the Swiss government on the importation of Liberian timber and related products has been lifted, a diplomatic source said on Thursday.
The source also said that from December 1, policy would also be modified to allow Liberia to import arms for use in security and police forces.
The modification was in line with a UN Security Council resolution that softened an international arms embargo to allow the West African nation to import weapons for... (GunPolicy.org)
Tightened Gun Controls Remain Controversial in Switzerland and Belgium
27 September 2006
SwissInfo
Parliament has been discussing changes to Swiss gun laws exactly five years after the country's worst shooting incident.
But observers warn the changes, which will bring Switzerland in line with European Union guidelines and which were approved by the Senate in June, are unlikely to prevent future gun attacks.
The EU's Schengen accord on cross-border crime lays down minimum requirements for acquiring and possessing firearms. Swiss voters agreed to sign up to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Women's Magazine Delivers Petition to Ban Military Guns in Homes
19 September 2006
SwissInfo
A women's magazine has collected 17,400 signatures in a bid to rid Swiss households of hundreds of thousands of weapons.
The petition comes amid discussions in parliament over whether to scrap the country's militia army tradition requiring guns and ammunition to be kept at home.
Staff at Annabelle handed over the signatures to a parliamentary committee in Bern on Tuesday.
The petition, "No weapons at home", is calling for a ban on shotguns at home, for army rifles... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Delay Gun, Ammunition Home Safety Move as Gun Owners Protest
18 September 2006
BBC News
GENEVA — The Swiss parliament has decided not to vote on a motion which would ban the distribution of ammunition to soldiers in the Swiss army.
Every Swiss man has to serve in the army, which means that millions of assault rifles and ammunition are stored in homes across the country.
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of suicide in the world and a high rate of family killings.
However, parliamentarians say they need to know more to make a decision.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Defence Minister Says Suicide Risk No Bar to Army Guns at Home
2 September 2006
SwissInfo
Swiss Defence Minister Samuel Schmid says family tragedies and suicides are not valid reasons to stop soldiers from keeping their army weapons at home.
Schmid rejected calls for the weapons to be kept in military storage to reduce Switzerland's high rate of suicide by firearms.
In an interview in Saturday's Tages-Anzeiger newspaper of Zurich, Schmid said storing soldiers' rifles away from their homes "would not solve the underlying social problem" of suicide.
"The... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Links Switzerland's High Gun Suicide Rate to Easy Firearm Access
29 August 2006
SwissInfo
Tighter gun laws would lead to fewer suicides involving firearms in Switzerland, according to a study by Zurich University researchers.
Every day, one person kills himself or herself with a gun, more often than not a military weapon — a fact the authors say is directly connected to lax Swiss firearms legislation.
According to the study, published in the current edition of the American Journal of Public Health, Switzerland and the United States have the highest... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Suicide, Violence Prevention Groups Demand Tougher Gun Laws
13 July 2006
SwissInfo
A group of non-governmental organisations has called for tougher gun laws, pointing out that firearms are responsible for one suicide a day in Switzerland.
The NGOs, representing branches of psychiatry, violence prevention and human rights, said on Thursday that the introduction of a central arms database would avoid much pain and grief.
They pointed out that Switzerland's suicide rate at just under 1,500 a year was high compared with other countries.
The president... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations, Switzerland Hope to End Illicit Gun Trade
28 June 2006
Swissinfo
Efforts to curb the illegal small arms trade are being assessed at an international meeting in New York. Switzerland has played a leading role in these endeavours.
The United Nations Small Arms Review Conference is examining what has been achieved in the past five years to eradicate this "global scourge" — and what remains to be done.
The conference, which started on Monday, is the first opportunity to take stock of progress since 170 member states adopted in 2001 a... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Senate Backs Revision of Gun Law, But Not National Registration
8 June 2006
SwissInfo
The Swiss Senate has come out in favour of slightly stricter rules for purchasing and keeping firearms, but a significant tightening of the law was not on the table.
It supported a ban on offering weapons anonymously through advertising or on the internet but the draft falls short of introducing a central database of all weapons in circulation.
If supported by the House of Representatives, the legislation would include baseball bats, soft air guns and bicycle chains... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Tighten Gun Control Laws, Reject Firearm Registration
7 June 2006
Neue Zürcher Zeitung / SwissInfo
The Senate is due to launch a review of the country's firearms legislation this week as part of parliament's regular summer session.
The draft law foresees a slight tightening of regulations for purchasing and keeping guns and rifles, but it falls short of introducing a central database of all weapons in circulation.
Despite a long tradition of bearing arms and fairly responsible attitudes towards guns, Switzerland is not immune to tragedy and the gun law is a... (GunPolicy.org)
In Geneva Meeting, Nations Look to Limit Law of the Gun
7 June 2006
SwissInfo
GENEVA — The damage caused by armed conflict to the economies of poorer countries is to be highlighted at an international conference in Geneva on Wednesday.
Hosted by Switzerland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the meeting also aims to inject momentum into global efforts to restrict small arms that are responsible for at least 300,000 deaths a year.
According to the UNDP, per capita Gross Domestic Product falls by 15 per cent and the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Question Guns at Home After 14 'Family Slaughter' Shootings
9 May 2006
BBC News
GENEVA — The murder last week of one of Switzerland's most famous skiers has forced the Swiss to look long and hard at a crime that is worryingly common in their society.
Corinne Rey-Bellet was shot by her husband Gerold Stadler just days after the couple had agreed to separate.
Stadler also shot and killed Rey-Bellet's brother Alain, and seriously wounded her mother, before finally killing himself.
The Swiss media tend to call cases like this "family dramas",... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Ski Star, Brother Killed With Army Gun, Husband Found Shot
4 May 2006
BBC News
The husband of murdered Swiss skiing star Corinne Rey-Bellet, suspected of killing her and her brother, has been found dead, Swiss police say.
Gerold Stadler's body was discovered in a forest near the southern town of Ollon late on Wednesday.
A gun was found near the body, but police declined to speculate on the precise circumstances of his death.
Rey-Bellet, who won silver in the 2003 World downhill, and her brother Alain were shot dead on Sunday in a chalet.... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Cabinet Says Yes to Owner Licensing, No to Gun Registration
11 January 2006
SwissInfo
The Swiss government on Wednesday recommended to parliament that all gun owners must obtain a permit.
Bowing to resistance from lobby groups, the cabinet decided against a plan to create a central national weapons register.
The cabinet said it was opposed to the database on the grounds that the time and effort it would require would greatly outweigh the benefit.
If accepted by parliament, the amended law will bring Switzerland into line with the European Union's... (GunPolicy.org)
90 per cent of Swiss Favour More Restrictive Gun Controls: Poll
22 September 2005
SwissInfo
The Swiss do not feel less safe despite a rise in crime. But according to a new study, a growing number want to see the death penalty introduced.
The Univox study released on Thursday also found that around 90 per cent of those surveyed are in favour of a more restrictive gun control policy.
Asked whether they felt safe walking alone at night in their neighbourhood, six per cent of the men surveyed said they did not — twice as many compared with 2003.
One in five... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Owners Shooting Their Families: Ten Times in Past Year
28 June 2005
SwissInfo
A man kills his child or wife in their house before turning the gun on himself — this has happened at least ten times in the past year in Switzerland.
Each time, newspaper headlines have spoken of a domestic drama but such tragedies may have been caused by a man's inability to deal with his perceived failure as the family's principal breadwinner.
The latest tragedy took place in Wangen near Olten earlier this month. A 43-year-old man shot his 14-year-old son dead... (GunPolicy.org)
7 June 2005
Washington Times, Opinion
A week in which the French and Dutch "No" votes to the European Union constitution rocked the whole project of European unification and left its future uncertain ended with a bizarre twist. On Sunday, in famously neutral, non-EU, non-European Economic Area Switzerland, the people voted by a 53-precent referendum majority to accept the Schengen and Dublin agreements. It was a move which, in the assessment of the Center for European Policy Studies in Brussels, now renders... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gun Lobby Fears Looming Firearm Registration
12 May 2005
Swissinfo
Shooting is more than just a sport to many Swiss, who believe a whole way of life would be under threat if the nation signs up to the Schengen accord.
Geared to improve cross-border security, the European Union agreement also lays down minimum requirements for acquiring and possessing firearms.
"The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great freedom," wrote Machiavelli in 1532.
Many Swiss today see a causal connection between the two, with three million firearms in... (GunPolicy.org)
Troops Pay to Keep Latest Assault Rifle at Home
11 March 2005
SwissInfo
Soldiers who have completed military service can hold on to the army's latest assault rifle from April 1, but they will have to pay for the pleasure.
The government says the weapons must first have their fully automatic capability disabled — and owners have to foot the bill.
Friday's ruling means Swiss soldiers can, for the first time, take home the SIG 90 assault rifle.
Previously, they had only been allowed to keep the older SIG 57 rifle and regulation... (GunPolicy.org)
Private Sale of Army Weapons Triggers Heated Debate
20 October 2004
SwissInfo
In Switzerland, soldiers who have completed military service are allowed to hold on to their guns.
A legal loophole allows these weapons to be traded freely, causing embarrassment to the authorities and provoking protests from those who fear dire consequences.
A review of the present law promises tighter gun controls, but already the market is awash with ex-military rifles and pistols at knockdown prices.
A militia army — the principle, whereby every able-bodied... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Criticised for Gun Exports to Sudan
3 July 2004
SwissInfo
Switzerland exported small arms valued at $4.3 million (SFr5.3 million) to war-torn Sudan in 2002, according to a report presented to the United Nations.
The report, from Geneva's Institute of International Studies, claims that Switzerland was the second-largest supplier of such weapons after Iran.
The Small Arms Survey 2004 describes the deliveries from Switzerland as "military weapons".
Swiss legislation forbids the export of war materiel to countries at war or to... (GunPolicy.org)
Army Rifles Remain Racked at Home
15 May 2004
SwissInfo
Switzerland's long-standing tradition of soldiers keeping their rifles at home looks set to continue — at least for the time being.
Despite the use of an army-issue rifle in a massacre in a local Swiss parliament in 2001, the defence ministry says it will maintain the practice.
"Everybody who has served in the army is allowed to keep their personal weapon, even after the end of their military service," the defence ministry said in a statement.
The ministry... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Leads United Nations Efforts Against Illegal Arms Trade
16 January 2004
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland)
A Swiss diplomat has been appointed to head a United Nations group working against the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons.
The body's main aim is to curb the spread of small arms, which are responsible for one death per minute worldwide.
Anton Thalmann, currently Swiss ambassador to Canada, was nominated for the post of president of the Group of Governmental Experts on Tracing Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons on Thursday in New York. He was the only... (GunPolicy.org)
Zug Massacre Fades from Public Memory
25 October 2003
Neue Zürcher Zeitung (Switzerland) / Swissinfo
Switzerland has marked the second anniversary of an attack on the cantonal parliament in Zug, which left 15 people dead.
Switzerland's worst-ever massacre prompted a review of public security and led to calls for a tightening of the gun laws.
For fifteen minutes from midday on Saturday, bells rang out in churches across the canton of Zug, in memory of the Zug massacre and also of all victims of violence.
In the evening, prayers were said at a private service in St... (GunPolicy.org)
Final Report: Zug Gunman Was 'Cold-Blooded' Killer
23 October 2003
SwissInfo
The final report came a month after the second anniversary of the massacre (Keystone)
The man behind Switzerland's worst-ever massacre acted in cold blood when he killed 14 people in Zug's cantonal parliament in 2001.
Friedrich Leibacher also operated alone and died after turning a gun on himself, according to the final report into the bloodbath.
The publication of the findings by the canton Zug authorities comes a month after the second anniversary of the tragedy,... (GunPolicy.org)
John Lott: Policymakers Aiming in the Wrong Direction
2 October 2003
National Review (USA), Opinion
Two years ago — on September 27, 2001 — a lone gunman shot and killed shot 14 people in the cantonal parliament in Zug, near Zurich. To the Swiss justice minister, Ruth Metzler, the country's liberal gun laws were responsible. Joined by the Swiss People's party, the Radical party, and the Swiss business federation, Metzler has called for registering guns, banning others, and tightening controls on buying guns as obvious solutions to make sure nothing like that... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Model for Gun Rights Going Soft?
25 September 2003
World Net Daily (USA), Opinion
Switzerland's minister of justice has called for national gun registration in a country held up by U.S. gun-rights advocates as a model for armed societies.
The call by Ruth Metler comes just a week before the second anniversary of Switzerland's worst multiple gun homicide. Nearly two years ago, a lone gunman armed with a fully automatic military rifle stormed the parliament building in Zug and killed 14 elected officials. A similar number were wounded, said reports.... (GunPolicy.org)
Security Worries Persist as Zug Marks Anniversary of Massacre
22 September 2003
SwissInfo
A key problem has been balancing tighter security with civil rights.
On September 27, 2001 a lone gunman walked into the parliament in canton Zug and opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon. He killed 14 people — three members of the cantonal government and 11 lawmakers — before turning the gun on himself.
Inevitably, security was tightened at public buildings, and ministers were given better protection. But in the wake of the shooting, the country faced a... (GunPolicy.org)
Justice Minister Calls for Tighter Gun Controls
22 September 2003
SwissInfo
The Swiss justice minister, Ruth Metzler, has called for stricter gun controls in order to boost public security. In a newspaper interview, Metzler said all firearms should be centrally registered.
There are between one and three million guns in Switzerland, according to the justice minister, who described the situation as "worrying".
Metzler said a central register would be a step towards increasing public security.
She said it would better distinguish people who... (GunPolicy.org)
24 January 2003
Radio Netherlands
Patrons of the Dynamik snackbar, take note: "No firearms in this restaurant." But that does not apply to Dynamik owner and arms dealer Ricardo Teixeira. Two .44 Magnums are in full view on the bar and Ricardo totes a Czech CZ pistol and a 9 mm Heckler & Koch in side holsters. Outside, the shooting range reverberates with the staccato of small-arms fire.
A Hollywood film stage in Texas? Not exactly. Dynamik is a canteen-plus-armoury in the Geneva countryside, and there... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Sets its Sights on Gun Law
28 September 2002
SwissInfo
The Key Facts:
- A 1999 law regulates the sale and licensing of private guns.
- 500,000 men have a gun at home in Switzerland.
- 350,000 firearms are kept by demobilized soldiers for summer shooting practices.
- Last year 47 homicides were recorded and police say in all cases privately owned firearms were involved.
The government wants to revise Switzerland's gun laws one year on from the worst-ever shooting spree in which a gunman killed 14 people in Zug.
It has... (GunPolicy.org)
Erfurt Murders Prompt Soul-Searching in Switzerland
4 May 2002
SwissInfo
A week after a student shot dead 16 people in a German school, Swiss teachers are seeking new measures to prevent violence in schools.
Swiss cantonal education directors said they were considering additional measures to defuse violence among pupils.
The statement was in response to last Friday's shootings at Gutenburg Gymnasium in the German town of Erfurt, where a former school pupil gunned down 13 teachers, two students and a policeman before committing... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Laws Under Scrutiny in European
26 April 2002
Associated Press
LONDON — Recent multiple shootings in France and Switzerland, and the slaying of 17 people in a German school Friday is prompting re-examination of gun laws in Europe, where restrictions are generally tight.
European politicians have begun discussions of existing gun laws, and concerned groups in Austria and Britain have called for outright weapons bans.
In Germany, two hours after a 19-year-old expelled student began killing teachers and students in Erfurt, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Nanterre Shooting Rekindles Memory of Zug Massacre
28 March 2002
SwissInfo
On Thursday, local parliamentarians in Zug held a minute's silence in memory of the victims, who were shot dead on Wednesday by a lone gunman as a council meeting in the French town of Nanterre was drawing to a close.
The attacker later committed suicide while being held in custody by French police.
We know only too well what this attack means for those who have been left behind by the massacre, said Christoph Staub, the elected speaker of Zug's cantonal... (GunPolicy.org)
30 October 2001
National Review (USA), Opinion
At about 10:30 A.M. on September 27, a 57-year-old man from Zurich (we won't give the killer publicity by mentioning his name), burst into the regional parliament of Zug — a canton in central Switzerland, near Lucerne — and opened fire, killing 14 people, including three elected officials. He then appears to have committed suicide.
Fourteen more were wounded. The killer thought he was on a vendetta against government and law enforcement. He had brought charges... (GunPolicy.org)
Majority of Swiss Favour Tighter Gun Laws
4 October 2001
SwissInfo / Swiss Radio International
A majority of Swiss favour tighter restrictions on the sale of guns, according to a survey published on Thursday. The findings come a week after a lone gunman opened fire on delegates inside the parliament building in canton Zug, killing 14 people.
According to the survey, commissioned by the Swiss weekly news magazine, "Facts", 77 per cent of the 600 Swiss polled said they wanted to see a tightening of the country's laws concerning the sale of weapons.
The survey... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Gov't Plans More Gun Control
30 September 2001
Associated Press
GENEVA — Three days after a gunman stormed a regional government meeting and killed 14 people, Switzerland's Justice Minister said Sunday that the country's gun control rules needed tightening.
"There are deficiencies in the 1999 gun control law. We are preparing changes," said Ruth Metzler in an interview with the Zurich-based SonntagsBlick weekly.
Metzler said Swiss authorities planned more controls on the buying and selling of guns by private individuals, but did... (GunPolicy.org)
Killings of 14 Lead Swiss to Reconsider Love of Guns
30 September 2001
New York Times
GENEVA — Its reputation as a peaceable country under siege, Switzerland has begun to examine its national love of firearms.
The deaths on Thursday of 14 lawmakers and government officials in a hail of bullets fired by a man with a standard Swiss Army-issue rifle caused newspapers and legislators to call for a review of gun possession policies here, which are among Europe's most relaxed.
Mandatory military service for the male population means that nearly every Swiss... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss Massacre Spurs Calls for Gun Law Reform
30 September 2001
Telegraph (UK)
The murder of 14 people by a deranged salesman in Switzerland last week has prompted politicians and police officers to call for a review of the country's firearms laws, among the most liberal in the world, and the custom of conscripts keeping weapons at home.
Switzerland has one of Europe's largest land-based armies. Nearly every male aged between 20 and 42 is a conscript. They are required to keep their weapons at home.
Swiss households are stocked with an estimated... (GunPolicy.org)
'Forgotten' Row May Have Led to Swiss Massacre
29 September 2001
Telegraph (UK)
Filed photo: The killer's fake police uniform and the weapons he used during the massacre
The massacre in a Swiss regional government building in which 14 people died and 15 were injured was a carefully planned act of revenge, police said yesterday.
They said the killing of three local government ministers and 11 parliamentarians at Zug, near Zurich, may have been prompted by a dispute the gunman had with the local authorities which started three years ago. This in... (GunPolicy.org)
Toy Guns No Longer Welcome on Shelves of Children's Store
28 September 2001
Swiss Radio International
Switzerland's leading chain of toy stores, Franz Carl Weber, has announced it will no longer be stocking toy guns and related weapons on its shelves. The company said the decision was made in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11.
Franz Carl Weber, which operates 23 stores across Switzerland, said the decision to remove stocks of plastic weapons was not a temporary measure and customers should not expect to see such goods on sale again... (GunPolicy.org)
The Nation of Peace Where Soldiers Take Their Guns Home
28 September 2001
Telegraph (UK)
Switzerland is one of the most law-abiding nations in the world, but it is also one of the most heavily armed. The country has one of Europe's largest land-based armies and prides itself on a military system under which nearly every man between 20 and 42 is a reservist.
Soldiers are required to keep their equipment at home, including uniforms, weapons, live ammunition and other supplies. A recruit is legally and financially responsible for maintenance and has the right... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Nation Where the Sound of Gunfire Fills the Valleys at Weekends
28 September 2001
Independent (UK)
Switzerland is "an armed nation", proclaims the country's federal constitution dating back to 1848. Almost every adult male is issued with a gun, to be kept at home oiled and ready for any possible foreign invasion.
The weapon, these days a semi-automatic, is supplied with 24 rounds. The ammunition comes in a sealed box, but it is easy to buy more on the open market.
For shooting is Switzerland's national sport. Swiss expertise with weapons dates back to the Middle... (GunPolicy.org)
Zug Massacre Doesn't Faze Swiss Love of Guns
28 September 2001
Reuters
ZURICH, Switzerland — The crack of automatic rifle fire fills the air in Switzerland. It must be Saturday afternoon.
That is when thousands of people-mostly men, but also teen-agers as young as 16 — pull their guns out of the closet and head to the local shooting range to blast away at targets.
The sight of uniformed soldiers toting assault weapons on trains and trams merits hardly a second glance in a country where guns are commonplace.
That is hardly likely to... (GunPolicy.org)
Switzerland shocked as lone gunman kills 15
27 September 2001
Financial Times (UK)
Switzerland's reputation as one of the safest countries in the world was rudely shattered on Thursday after a gunman ran amok killing 15 people, including himself, in Zug, a small town whose low taxes and penchant for secrecy have attracted leading multinationals and wealthy international tax exiles.
A gunman, apparently disguised as a policemen, entered the local Cantonal parliament in the centre of Zug at 10.30 on Thursday morning and began firing into the crowded... (GunPolicy.org)
Zug Killings Trigger Debate About Gun Laws
27 September 2001
SwissInfo
The killing of 14 people by a lone gunman in the Zug cantonal parliament has forced the authorities to reassess the security needs of public buildings and officials, and is likely to spark debate about the nation's gun laws, which are among the most liberal in the world.
The gunman used a standard Swiss army issue assault rifle — a 5,6 mm SIG "Sturmgewehr 90" — to kill his victims, before turning the weapon on himself.
At the same time, another army issue assault... (GunPolicy.org)