Gun Policy News
Firearm legislation, regulation and gun control
Western Australia to 'Rewrite' its Firearm Laws
22 March 2022
Sydney Morning Herald
Premier Mark McGowan and Police Minister Paul Papalia on Tuesday announced an overhaul of the state's gun ownership laws.
It has been revealed the number of licensed firearms in the state had soared by 60 per cent, with a gun owner on close to every suburban street.
A WA Police map showed around 3.4 per cent of the population, or 89,000 people, hold gun licences. They possessed, on average, four firearms each – which reflected national figures.
And while the number... (GunPolicy.org)
Western Australia to Rewrite State's Gun Control Law
21 March 2022
West Australian (Perth)
Western Australia's outdated firearms laws will be completely rewritten by the McGowan Government, as shocking new maps reveal the true scale of gun ownership in suburban Perth.
The maps -- provided to The West Australian from the WA Police Force database -- show how prolific the potentially lethal weapons have become in every corner of the city.
Each green dot represents a house where a handgun - such as a revolver or pistol - is being stored, while the thousands... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Australia,New Zealand,United Kingdom,Falkland Islands,Mexico
How US Gun Culture Stacks Up With the World
26 November 2021
CNN
Ubiquitous gun violence in the United States has left few places unscathed over the decades. Still, many Americans hold their right to bear arms, enshrined in the US Constitution, as sacrosanct. But critics of the Second Amendment say that right threatens another: The right to life.
America's relationship to gun ownership is unique, and its gun culture is a global outlier.
As the tally of gun-related deaths continue to grow daily, here's a look at how gun culture in... (GunPolicy.org)
Effective Control of Illegal Weapons in Nigeria
23 September 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
The recent transmission by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of two executive bills to the National Assembly to control arms proliferation and regulate the importation of explosives into the country appears in order. But deeper scrutiny exposes the regime's tactless approach and the helplessness of security forces in curbing arms smuggling into Nigeria. The biggest problem is that in many parts of the country, the Nigerian state has lost its... (GunPolicy.org)
China's position on Gun Control
20 September 2021
CNN
Last week, a 47-year-old man stormed into a law firm in China's Wuhan city and shot dead a lawyer who he had 'some disputes with,' according to Chinese state media. He then stuffed his gun, just under 20 inches (50 centimeters) long, into a tennis racket bag and left.
The fatal shooting shocked many in China, which has some of the world's strictest gun control laws -- so much so, that some people thought initial reports were about yet another American shooting.
'When... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria's Buhari Transmits Bills on Gun Control,
15 September 2021
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted to the senate two bills that seek to control the proliferation of arms and regulate the importation and exportation of explosives in the country.
They are: the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill 2021; and Explosives Bill 2021.
Buhari transmitted the bill in two separate letters dated the 26th and 27th August 2021 and read during the commencement of plenary by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday.
Buhari, in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina,Brazil,Chile,Colombia,Mexico
Gun Laws in Latin America's Largest Economies
26 August 2021
Council of the Americas (COA)
Countries may adopt stringent gun control laws, but their efforts are complicated by international arms smuggling. We explore policies in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.
For government across Latin America, reducing violence and providing security are top agenda items. AS/COA Online looks at gun-related legislation in Latin America's largest economies, identifying regulations for arms licensing. In Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Tightening Gun Control In South Africa
19 August 2021
Conversation (South Africa)
Statistics produced by the police and mortuary surveillance systems in South Africa have consistently shown that firearms are the most commonly used weapons to commit murder and other violent crimes, such as carjacking and house robberies.
With this in mind, the Civilian Secretariat for Police Services which serves as the technical advisory agency to the Minister of Police, wants to have the Firearms Control Act amended to introduce more stringent firearm licensing... (GunPolicy.org)
Plymouth Shootings: Police Asked to Review Gun Licence Process
17 August 2021
BBC News
Police forces in England and Wales are being asked to review their current firearm application processes, in the wake of the Plymouth mass shooting.
Questions remain over why Jake Davison, who killed five people and himself on Thursday, had a shotgun licence.
The Home Office is preparing new guidance to ensure higher standards of decision making around applications.
There will be advice on carrying out social media checks on people wanting to own a firearm or... (GunPolicy.org)
Fewer Guns Will Save Women's Lives in South Africa
16 August 2021
Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
Fifty-eight percent of South Africa's domestic violence murder victims from April to June 2020 were women, according to national police statistics. Sixty-seven percent of these women were killed by a current or ex-intimate partner. In such cases, femicide is the final act in a pattern of chronic and escalating abuse. South Africa's rate of femicide has been estimated at six times higher than the global average.
Research has consistently shown that having access to a... (GunPolicy.org)
What Are the Rules on Firearms Licences in the UK?
13 August 2021
Guardian
A gunman has killed five people, including a three-year-old child, in Plymouth, in Britain's worst mass shooting in more than a decade.
Police said the perpetrator, Jake Davison, 22, was a licensed firearm holder, but it is not yet known whether that gun was used. The UK has some of the toughest restrictions on firearms ownership in the world. Here is a look at how authorities determine who can get a licence.
Who can own a firearm?
The possession of firearms and... (GunPolicy.org)
How are the rules on weapons in Italy
22 July 2021
Il Post (Italy)
On Tuesday evening, the councillor in charge of security in Voghera, the Lega Nord member Massimo Adriatici, shot and killed Youns El Bossettaoui, a 39-year-old Moroccan citizen, in a square in the town centre. It seems that Adriatici had a gun licence, but the episode prompted some politicians - including the secretary of the Democratic Party Enrico Letta and some members of Italia Viva - to question the rules that allow private individuals to keep and carry firearms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Alleged killing of migrant by far-right politician prompts Italy gun control row
22 July 2021
Guardian
A row over privately owned guns has been ignited in Italy after a councillor with the far-right League party allegedly shot dead an immigrant.
Massimo Adriatici, a councillor for security in Voghera, is under house arrest after the shooting outside a bar in the Lombardy town on Tuesday night. Youns El Bossettaoui, a 38-year-old man from Morocco, was shot in the chest and later died in hospital.
Matteo Salvini, the leader of the League and a key partner in Mario... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Reps Move to Tighten Gun Control Laws
13 July 2021
Premium Times (Nigeria)
In a bid to address the proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country, the House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Firearms Act.
The bill, which also seeks to provide strict penalties for illegal possession of firearms and to allow the production of arms and ammunition by private entities, was passed for second reading on Tuesday.
The sponsor of the bill, Adejoro Adeogun (APC, Ondo), said in his legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Amends Domestic Firearms Control Legislations
12 July 2021
All Africa (Liberia)
The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) continues to make significant gains to ensure the domestication of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Liberia.
Of recent, and having attracted funding and technical assistance from Expertise France, the leadership of the Small Arms Commission has been meeting, in constructive sessions with influential government institutions, mainly relevant Committees of the national legislature, civil society stakeholders and the... (GunPolicy.org)
Permanent Gun Amnesty Declared in Australia
1 July 2021
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Australians will be able to surrender their illegal or unregistered firearms without fear of being fined or prosecuted under a new nationwide permanent amnesty that begins on Thursday.
The first rolling program of its type will allow anyone in possession of an illicit or unwanted firearm to hand it over to authorities in a renewed attempt by state and federal law enforcement agencies to reduce the tens of thousands of illicit weapons that fall into criminal hands.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Adopts Tougher Penalties for Illegal Firearms
1 July 2021
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill which provides for three years jail term or N3 million fine or both, as penalties for anyone caught illegally possessing or dealing in firearms in Nigeria.
Titled 'Firearms Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021', the piece of legislation amends section 35 (2) of the Principal Act which previously provided a fine of just N1000 as penalty.
The amendment to section 35(2), which is captured in Clause 4 of the bill, provides for stiffer... (GunPolicy.org)
Is the Possession of Weapons Sufficiently Regulated in France?
10 June 2021
BFM.TV (France)
As cases of feminicide and gun assaults have increased in recent weeks, many questions have arisen around the sale and control of guns.
Handguns and long guns
At the end of a search carried out on Wednesday at Arthur C.'s, the second man arrested as part of the investigation into the slap given to Emmanuel Macron the day before, in the Drôme, the investigators seized this "booty", as well as a copy of Mein Kampf. This discovery raises many questions about the... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Embarks on a Five-year Strategic Plan for Arms Control
8 June 2021
Analyst (Liberia)
The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) has concluded three-day stakeholders' validation sessions to endorse a five-year Strategic Plan (2021-2025) that has been formulated to provide strategic direction for the Commission. The Plan will essentially guide management decisions, planned programs and activities in the accomplishment of its general and specific mandates and institutional sustainability. The five-year Strategic Plan builds and improves on... (GunPolicy.org)
Togo Conducts Heavy Weapons Firing Campaign
3 June 2021
TogoWeb (Togo)
He who wants peace prepares for war. Faure Gnassingbé seems to have understood this quote from Julius Caesar. After the promulgation of the law on military programming and the acquisition of military equipment in Togo, the Togolese head of state has seen fit to test his weapons.
If the information does not appear on any official government website, it is rather abundantly relayed on the web. On one of the photos published by some news sites, we can see the Togolese... (GunPolicy.org)
LiNCSA Proposes Mandatory Registration of Hunting Guns
27 May 2021
Smart News Liberia
The Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA), through its Chairman has submitted a proposal to the Government of Liberia to begin the conduct of mandatory registration of single barrel hunting guns throughout Liberia within 180 days commencing July 2021 and granting full amnesty for the offense of illegal possession of single barrels hunting guns during the said period.
In a communication to His Excellency President George Manneh Weah dated May 25, 2021, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Merchants Of Death: Tactics Criminals Use to Smuggle Firearms Into Nigeria
21 May 2021
Punch (Nigeria)
Criminals are hell-bent on making Nigeria unsafe with the diverse methods being used to smuggle firearms into the country. The country is currently battling insurgents, killer herders, robbers, kidnappers and bandits using sophisticated weapons to cause mayhem across states in the country. The security agents have been able to bust some of the gangs and their methods of smuggling firearms into the country while others albeit escaped their eagle eyes. There are viral... (GunPolicy.org)
Lest We Forget Massacre Victims
28 April 2021
The Australian
Twenty-five years after the Port Arthur massacre, which triggered national firearm controls, the number of gun owners and gun deaths has fallen dramatically, amid claims that states are eroding the landmark laws.
Wednesday marks a quarter of a century to the day since Martin Bryant's shooting spree on the Tasman Peninsula left 35 people dead and 18 wounded, shaking Australia from its gun culture complacency.
The National Firearms Agreement, brokered by then-prime... (GunPolicy.org)
The Legal Loophole of 'Ghost Guns'
8 April 2021
Al Jazeera
What you need to know about 'ghost guns' Biden wants to regulate
Biden aims to close loopholes in the production of untraceable firearms with kits and 3D printing after mass shootings.
US President Joe Biden has issued actions aimed at regulating "ghost guns" – weapons that can be produced without serial numbers and other identifiers making their tracking difficult – seen as a growing threat by US law enforcement and watchdog groups.
Ghost guns can be produced... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia to Amend the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015
31 March 2021
Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
Liberia is leading the reform efforts within in West Africa to conform to provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) by ensuring the validation to amend the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2015 and the Act creating the National Small Arms Commission of Liberia.
The new Arms Commission Act when enacted by the National Legislature will expand its mandate to regulate all categories of conventional arms including small arms, light weapons their ammunition and related... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
New Zealand Sees a Rise In Gun Crime Despite Government Clampdown on Guns
15 March 2021
RNZ (New Zealand)
The government's clampdown on firearms and seizures of high-powered semi-automatic weapons has had no impact on a rise in gun crime and violence in New Zealand.
Today marks the second anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks, in which military style semi-automatic weapons, purchased legally, were used to gun down 51 innocent worshippers.
That sparked tougher gun laws and the much debated firearms buy-back.
But in 2020, gun crime hit a new peak.
Police figures... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian State Vows to Prosecute Herders with Firearms
2 March 2021
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
Herders and livestock owners in Bayelsa State who are caught with firearms will be arrested and prosecuted by the state government when the anti-open grazing bill before the House of Assembly is passed into law and assented to by Governor Douye Diri.
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo SAN, stated this while speaking at the public hearing on the legislative document titled, 'Livestock Breeding and Marketing Regulation Bill, 2021' at the House... (GunPolicy.org)
Reports indicate financial costs of gun violence, MA gun laws effective
25 February 2021
Boston Globe
For gun-safety activists or everyday Massachusetts citizens concerned about gun violence, it doesn't get much better than this.
Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show Massachusetts is the state with the least amount of gun violence per capita, while a new study by Everytown for Gun Safety concludes that the Commonwealth has the lowest-in-the-nation per capita costs from gun violence. Building on that good news, US Senator Ed Markey... (GunPolicy.org)
Forthcoming ASW Buyback Campaign and Ban in Canada
11 February 2021
CBC News (Canada)
Voluntary program will provide compensation to gun owners who give up firearms on blacklist
The Liberal government is expected to table a bill in the coming days that will set up a program to buy back assault-style weapons that were blacklisted last spring, Radio-Canada has learned.
The voluntary program will provide financial compensation to gun owners who give up their banned weapons, with the aim of taking them out of circulation.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair... (GunPolicy.org)
The Roots of Pre-Election Carnage by Uganda Security Forces
20 January 2021
Conversation (Uganda)
For two days in November 2020, Uganda witnessed some of the most violent riots in a decade. The riots were triggered by the arrest of opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, who is challenging the incumbent Yoweri Museveni in the February 14 2021 election. Authorities alleged that Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, had consistently disregarded COVID-19 related election campaign guidelines limiting gatherings to no more than 200 people.
In the violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria: Police Warn Against Unlawful Gun Possession
6 January 2021
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
As a result of various violence and attacks, kidnapping and other vices across Oyo State, the State Police Command has warned against possession of illegal firearms in the state.
The warning was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Oyo State Command, Fadeyi Olugbenga, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu.
According to the statement, "It has come to the attention of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Insecurity and the Right to Bear Arms in Nigeria
4 November 2020
Guardian (Nigeria)
One of the cardinal responsibilities of government is the safeguard of lives and properties, provided under Section14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. So paramount is this responsibility that the entire economic, social and political progress of any society depends on it.
Nigeria for the past decade has witnessed unprecedented amount of bloodshed, destruction of properties and displacement of people from their native homes and places of business. The level... (GunPolicy.org)
Biden pushes the most expansive gun regulation in US history
26 October 2020
Trace, Media release
Joe Biden's Evolution on Guns
Early in his career, Biden said gun regulation was ineffective. Several decades — and one notorious crime bill — later, he's pushing the most expansive reform platform in history.
On the night of August 25, 1994, a complicated package of legislation championed by then-Senator Joe Biden looked like it had gathered enough votes. Along with Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, Biden stood in front of television cameras and reporters... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Police Give Deadline for Submission of Illegal Firearms
17 September 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
As part of efforts to curb the proliferation of firearms, the Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has issued an ultimatum for submission of illegal and prohibited firearms.
"The Niger State Police Command hereby calls on members of the public who are in possession of illegal and prohibited firearms such as single barrel, double barrel, automatic pump action and locally fabricated gun etc to render such firearms to a nearby Police Division, Area Command or... (GunPolicy.org)
The Do's and Don'ts of Gun-handling in Uganda
11 September 2020
Daily Monitor (Uganda)
On the morning of September 5, a video clip showed State minister for Labour Mwesigwa Rukutana grabbing a gun from a police officer before aiming it at people in a car.
What followed is a long story. I review this safety and security incident by questioning and trying to answer to the question. This article tries to show what should be followed when one has or uses a firearm.
Firearms have different sizes and they include pistols, AK47, machine guns, anti-aircraft... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Establishes Centre for Control of Arms
28 August 2020
Premium Times (Nigeria)
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a national centre for the control of small arms and light weapons, the national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, said.
The centre will be domiciled under the office of the NSA and efforts are on to give it a legal backing, Mr Monguno told State House reporters Thursday.
He added that the centre will be similar to the counter terrorism centre and the cybersecurity centre, both of which are domiciled under... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian State Sets Up Special Squad on Illegal Firearms
21 August 2020
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mike Okoli, has set up a special squad to mop up illegal firearms in the state.
A statement on Friday by Mr Asinim Butswat, the Police Public Relations Officer, quoted CP Okoli as saying that the initiative was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu.
He said the IGP had specifically directed "commissioners of police to initiate appropriate actions to identify, isolate, disarm,... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia: Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms
14 April 2020
Front Page Africa (FPA)
The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform has called on the Liberian Government to adopt a national guideline that will specify the role of state securities in the fight against COVID-19 amid the observance of the state of emergency imposed to stop the spread of the virus.
The CSO Human Rights Platform's statement comes in the wake of reports of violence meted against peaceful citizens by state securities in several parts of the country including Bong,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Firearm Registry 'Crucial' to Any Gun Law Reform
3 March 2020
Newsroom
Since countries the world over began regulating firearm ownership in the 19th century, there have been three central pillars of gun control policy common to almost every nation: seeing ownership as a privilege instead of a right, a licensing system for owners, and a registry of weapons.
New Zealand never followed through with all three. While no judge in the country would ever overturn precedent to insist firearm ownership is a right, the nation has generally had... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Launches Civilian Arms Registration Exercise
3 February 2020
Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
In fulfillment of its mandate, the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA), has ended the second phase of its Direct Community Engagements on the Civilian Arms Registration for hunters Campaign with stakeholders in Sinoe, Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties respectively. The essence of the campaign was to raise awareness amongst relevant authorities and the general public in those counties with specific focus on the hunting population.
The Community Engagement... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA)
Liberia Wants Hunters to Register their Guns
3 February 2020
Front Page Africa (FPA)
As part of its core function to control, regulate and prevent the proliferation of Small and Light Weapons in Liberia, and pursuant to Parts II, III & IV of the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act of 2016 relating to the possession, registration, licensing and use of the single barrel hunting guns, the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LiNCSA) in collaboration with the Liberia National Police has officially launched the Civilian Arms Registration Exercise... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Security Bans Display of Firearms in Public
29 January 2020
Daily Independent (Nigeria)
The Commandant General of the corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu of NSCDC, has banned members of the Civil Defence armed squad from the display of firearms, especially in public places.
He said this when he paid a condolence visit to the former governor of Imo state and serving Senator Rochas Okorocha to commiserate with him on the demise of an illustrious son of the state.
Abdullahi maintained that the order was necessitated by the need to prevent future occurrences of... (GunPolicy.org)
Ethiopia Passes New Gun Law to Combat Ethnic Violence
9 January 2020
Reuters
ADDIS ABABA - Ethiopia's parliament passed legislation on Thursday aimed at curbing gun ownership after a surge in regional ethnic violence blamed on a proliferation of small arms in private hands.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government said last April that it had seized 21 machine guns, more than 33,000 handguns, 275 rifles and 300,000 bullets in different parts of the Horn of Africa country over the previous year.
In October security forces confiscated a further... (GunPolicy.org)
Illicit Arms Sales: Togo Receives Help From France to Combat Illicit Trafficking
7 January 2020
TogoWeb (Togo)
[Translated content]
Togo, through the National Commission for the Fight against the Proliferation, Circulation and Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons, has been receiving technical support from France in the area of controlling the illicit arms trade since Monday 6 January 2020. At the end of the meeting, the participants will formulate recommendations to strengthen Togo's legal arsenal in terms of controlling the international arms trade.
"This... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Ban on Most Semiautomatic Weapons Takes Effect
20 December 2019
New York Times
A sweeping nationwide ban on most semiautomatic weapons took effect in New Zealand on Saturday, as a monthslong gun buyback and amnesty program ended amid debate over its success.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had announced a temporary ban just days after a terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in March that left 51 people dead and was streamed live on Facebook. Weeks later, all but one of Parliament's 120 lawmakers voted to make the ban permanent. It outlaws... (GunPolicy.org)
Bougainville Secures Strong Independence in Referendum
11 December 2019
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — The region of Bougainville, a collection of islands in the South Pacific, has voted overwhelmingly to become independent from Papua New Guinea, aiming to become the world's newest nation.
In a referendum linked to a peace agreement that ended a civil war between separatists and Papua New Guinea security forces nearly 20 years ago, nearly 98 percent of those who voted supported becoming an independent nation.
Excited voters gathered in Buka to... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigerian Governor Illegally Imported 1,000 Ak-47 Guns, Two Million Bullets
8 November 2019
Premium Times (Nigeria)
The Nigerian government has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that a former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, did not get approval to import weapons into Nigeria.
Mr Amosun, a serving senator, requested and received approval for a duty waiver to import only 13 armoured personnel carriers for police operations in Ogun State in 2012, Ben Akabueze, the director-general, Budget Office of the Federation, told PREMIUM TIMES in a recent letter.
The federal government's... (GunPolicy.org)
Next Phase of NZ Gun Reform to Include Revival of Firearm Registry
14 October 2019
The Conversation
Following the Christchurch mosque shootings, the New Zealand government's first response was to ban the firearms the alleged gunman had used to murder 51 people.
Seven months later, the second tranche of this process is underway. This new law which emphasises that the possession and use of firearms is a privilege (as opposed to a legal right), aims to ensure that people in lawful possession of their firearms act responsibly in the interests of personal and public... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooting in Sydney Raises Questions About Gun Control
2 October 2019
New York Times
SYDNEY, Australia — A gunman was shot dead by the police on Wednesday after an hourlong shooting spree across western Sydney that targeted a home and two police stations.
The police said the man, firing a shotgun in the middle of a busy suburb, wounded several officers, including one who suffered a head injury.
The shooting comes at a time of rising concern among gun control advocates in Australia who have been arguing for years that the country's strict gun laws... (GunPolicy.org)
Bygone US Assault Weapon Ban Was Effective
4 September 2019
New York Times, Blog
Recent mass shootings have revived demands for meaningful gun control. But many opponents of a renewed federal ban on assault weapons, led by the National Rifle Association, say the earlier ban, from 1994 to 2004, made no difference. Our new research shows otherwise.
We found that public mass shootings — which we defined as incidents in which a gunman killed at least six people in public — dropped during the decade of the federal ban. Yet, in the 15 years since the... (GunPolicy.org)
John Howard Rejects NRA Criticism of Australian Gun Laws
31 July 2019
Sydney Morning Herald / The Age
John Howard has rejected claims by the new president of America's National Rifle Association that the gun law reforms that he championed as prime minster after the Port Arthur massacre are ineffective and unpopular.
"I was in Australia not long after the tragedy in 1996 that led to that nation's repressive gun-control laws. In looking back, we must be careful to isolate and weigh the facts," Carolyn Meadows wrote in her column for the NRA's official gun rights journal... (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)
PM Ardern on Gun Control in US and NZ
15 May 2019
Washington Post
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke out this week about a matter that has long puzzled many foreign observers of the United States: the country's inability to rein in gun violence.
Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the prime minister said: "Australia experienced a massacre and changed their laws. New Zealand had its experience and changed its laws. To be honest with you, I do not understand the United States."
Ardern was referring both to a 1996... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump ATT Decision Was Built On an NRA Lie
29 April 2019
Washington Post, Opinion
President Trump announced on Friday — during a speech that pandered to special-interest groups and was symbolic of his administration's disdain for multilateral agreements — that the United States would "unsign" the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a landmark agreement that regulates the international trade in conventional arms.
It took more than five years of negotiations to develop the ATT, and I spent those years as a consultant in the treaty process, working with... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Law Change Fast-track has 'Outpaced' Gun Lobby
2 April 2019
Radio New Zealand
The speed with which the government has fast-tracked changes to firearms laws has left the gun lobby in a spin, according to an Australian academic.
By the end of next week, politicians expect the Arms Amendment Bill to come into force.
It will ban semi-automatic weapons and military style semi-automatics, with the exception of shotguns and low-calibre rifles.
Parts, magazines and ammunition which can make a gun illegal will also be banned, and there will be tougher... (GunPolicy.org)
No Other Party Has Hammered Our Gun Laws Like This One
1 April 2019
Sydney Morning Herald, Opinion
Last Friday the leader of the Shooter, Fishers and Farmers Party, Robert Borsak, headed a press conference seeking to distance his party from One Nation. Borsak claimed his parties' gun policies are not as extreme as One Nation's and are more "dead centre".
Yet one only has to look at the impact the party has had on Australia's gun laws and the party's current and past gun policies to see that a different story emerges. In October 2017, Borsak told the Herald that he... (GunPolicy.org)
Consensus on New Zealand Gun Control
29 March 2019
Policy Forum (Canberra)
In the wake of the worst terror attack in New Zealand's history, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has shown outstanding leadership on gun control, building a consensus for reasonable reform that other leaders have much to learn from, Michael Picard writes.
New Zealand's response to the Christchurch mass-shooting shows that a country can find unity, rather than division, on gun reform. Strong and definitive leadership, a balanced approach to reforming gun laws, and... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Culture and Data in Thailand
12 March 2019
Channel News Asia (Singapore)
Gun homicides in Thailand are striking. To prevent them we should look beyond the numbers and headlines at what is fuelling these incidents, says research director for the University of Sydney's Gunpolicy.org, Michael Picard.
BANGKOK: Thailand arguably has a gun problem, but sensational headlines about the country being a regional, even global, leader of gun violence are misleading and dubious.
Though it's difficult to know the extent of the issue for sure, both... (GunPolicy.org)
Jordan Promotes Gun Control Law
3 March 2019
MediaLine
King said to be concerned by festive firing at celebrations, but others cite terrorism
Members of Jordan's lower house are working to push forward a bill that would prevent citizens from purchasing automatic or semi-automatic firearms, even if they are to be used for hunting. The legislation does not grandfather in those who already own such weapons, forcing people with legal permits to hand them over to the authorities.
It is said that a big reason for this reform... (GunPolicy.org)
Liberia Tackles Trafficking of Illicit Small Arms
17 February 2019
New Republic (Liberia)
In the midst of rumors, claims and counter claims regarding assassination plot of President George Weah, the chairman of the Liberia National Commission on Small Arms (LINCSA), Marvin Sarkor has assured Liberians that the country's borders will not be used for trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons.
According to Sarkor, the people of Liberia have no reason to fear as the commission, he noted, is working tirelessly with her international partners to include... (GunPolicy.org)
Firearm Prohibition Orders Soar But Gun Crime Remains Stable
27 November 2018
Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs) have exploded more than 650 per cent in the past three years [In NSW] but have had little discernible impact on gun offences, analysis of crime data reveals.
[Subscription-only article: refer to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Central Coast Gosford Express Advocate and Daily Telegraph
Pro-gun Groups Used Ministerial Advisory Panel to Lobby Against Tighter Laws
20 October 2018
Guardian
Groups wanted former justice minister to recognise that 'lawful use of firearms can also have benefit to society'
Pro-gun groups used a ministerial advisory panel to lobby against mandatory 28-day cooling-off periods for firearms owners and to call for changes to the "genuine need" provisions which make up the backbone of Australia's gun laws.
Documents obtained by Guardian Australia under freedom of information laws reveal the former justice minister Michael Keenan... (GunPolicy.org)
NSW Vetting Process in Question After Family Murder
9 July 2018
Australian (Sydney)
The man who shot his two teenage children dead before killing himself in Sydney's northwest last week would have been individually interviewed several times to get two "quite powerful" handguns, experts say, as the NSW Police Minister comes under pressure to review gun control laws.
John Edwards would have been interviewed by a shooting club, a pistol club and police before he could buy the two firearms he used in last Thursday's attack, in which the 67-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Profile on Life and Work of Rebecca Peters
7 July 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
Flory Teletor was 17 when she began living with her boyfriend, Santo, in a cramped apartment in Guatemala City. Santo, who was 20, worked as a security guard. He was violent and controlling. He gave Flory a daily allowance of 20 quetzals ($3.50). She had to account for every cent; when she failed to do so, he would beat her. Sometimes, he would brandish the pistol he used for work, even shooting above her head. Flory was terrified, but she had already fled an abusive... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Gun Laws Can't Work in America – For Now
30 March 2018
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Thirteen mass shootings in 18 years, 112 victims shot dead. While this may seem to describe contemporary America, it actually describes a late 20th-century period in Australia. The country's final slaughter occurred in Tasmania in 1996 – the Port Arthur massacre. A lone, "pathetic social misfit" – as described by the judge – killed 35 people. The first 29 bullets from this young man's AR-15 rifle ended the lives of 20 innocents in just 90 seconds.
For... (GunPolicy.org)
Repeal the Second Amendment - John Paul Stevens
27 March 2018
New York Times, Opinion
Rarely in my lifetime have I seen the type of civic engagement schoolchildren and their supporters demonstrated in Washington and other major cities throughout the country this past Saturday. These demonstrations demand our respect. They reveal the broad public support for legislation to minimize the risk of mass killings of schoolchildren and others in our society.
That support is a clear sign to lawmakers to enact legislation prohibiting civilian ownership of... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Laws Successful, Study Finds
13 March 2018
Australian (Sydney)
The gun laws enacted after the Port Arthur Massacre have unequivocally prevented mass shootings, a new study says.
The National Firearms Agreement was enacted after the 1996 tragedy in which 35 people were killed. The legislation included uniform gun registration, banned private gun sales and civilian ownership of semiautomatic weapons, removed self-defence as a reason to hold a firearm license and standardised penalties.
The University of Sydney study analysed... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Gun Destruction Prevented 16 Mass Shootings - Study
13 March 2018
Annals of Internal Medicine
Background: In 1996, after the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, the National Firearms Agreement was enacted across Australia. Provisions included uniform gun registration, repudiation of self-defense as a legitimate reason to hold a firearm licence, locked storage, a ban on private gun sales and civilian ownership of semiautomatic rifles and pump-action shotguns, and standardized penalties (1). Two buyback programs and 26 uncompensated amnesties between 1996 and 2015... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa,Yemen,China,Israel,Russia,Brazil,United Kingdom,Germany,India,Canada,Austria,Australia,Mexico,United States,Japan,South Africa
How to Buy a Gun in 15 Countries
2 March 2018
New York Times
Many Americans can buy a gun in less than an hour. The process takes months in some countries. Here are the basic steps for how most people buy a gun in 15 of them. Many countries have exceptions for specialized professions, and local laws vary.
United States
1) Pass an instant background check that considers criminal convictions, domestic violence and immigration status.
2) Buy a gun. Many states have additional buying restrictions, including waiting periods and... (GunPolicy.org)
How South Korea Got Rid of Its Gun Problem
27 February 2018
Korea Exposé
In the aftermath of yet another mass shooting in the United States, international and domestic media have published articles touting South Korea as a model of gun regulation. But contrary to popular belief, freedom from gun violence is a relatively new development in the country.
It's true that South Korea is a good place to visit these days if you're trying to avoid guns. According to the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), there were just five gun homicides in... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump & Turnbull: US to Consider an Australian Model on Guns?
23 February 2018
New York Times
WASHINGTON — One of the most powerful moments during President Trump's meeting with survivors and relatives of the Florida school shooting this week came when a student pleaded with the president to do what Australia did after a similar tragedy.
As it happened, Mr. Trump had an opportunity on Friday to get a firsthand report on Australia's crackdown on guns when he hosted the country's prime minister at the White House. But both men quickly discounted any... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida Shooting Survivors Are Fighting Back
21 February 2018
Guardian
The students who survived a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school are aiming to reshape America's gun control debate.
"You're either with us or against us," senior Emma González told politicians on Sunday, following a viral speech to gun control advocates the day before when she promised, "We are going to be the last mass shooting."
Many people see the American gun control debate as a helpless stalemate dominated by the intransigence of the National Rifle... (GunPolicy.org)
Tougher Gun Laws Pass Vic Upper House
6 February 2018
Australian Associated Press
Tougher gun laws targeting gang members, bikies and terrorists have passed Victoria's upper house.
Under the laws, police will be able to impose a firearm prohibition order on someone as young as 14, banning them from acquiring or carrying a gun and meaning they can be searched without a warrant.
The orders would target those with a history of crime, criminal association or who posed a risk to public safety.
The Andrews Labor government bill passed the Legislative... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns Than Adults in Some Hunter, NSW Towns
31 January 2018
Sydney Morning Herald
The Hunter is gun mad - and proud of it - with shooters stockpiling almost 100,000 registered firearms.
A Fairfax Media investigation can reveal that the number of registered firearms in the region has increased by about 30,000 - or a third - in the past five years.
In 2012 there were almost 70,000 registered firearms in the Hunter, compared to 99,502 in July last year. This equates to, on average, an additional 16 guns per day.
In the same time, the number of people... (GunPolicy.org)
US Virgin Islands Shows Registration-Confiscation Link
30 October 2017
NRA Publications (USA)
If there were ever a perfect example of the endgame of the gun-ban crowd and their ultimate weapon -- registration of firearm owners -- it comes with the order by the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands to confiscate registered firearms from law-abiding citizens as a response to the impending devastation of Hurricane Irma.
Gov. Kenneth Mapp, in a toxic Sept. 4 order, proclaimed that the activated National Guard "is authorized and directed to seize arms,... (GunPolicy.org)
Interview on Illicit Firearms in Myanmar
21 October 2017
The Irrawaddy
Ye Ni: Welcome to Dateline Irrawaddy. This week, we'll discuss the current talk of the town—the arrest of U Phyo Ko Ko Tint San who was found with firearms and illegal drugs at Naypyitaw Airport. Lawyer U Than Zaw Aung (TZA) and The Irrawaddy Burmese editor U Yan Paing join me to discuss this. I'm Irrawaddy Burmese editor Ye Ni…
TZA: There were gun licenses issued under the BSPP government starting from 1977 but only to those who were fully-fledged party members... (GunPolicy.org)
The Gun Nuts In Our Parliament
14 October 2017
Saturday Paper (Australia)
While Australian gun laws are lauded as the world's most stringent, fringe political parties and lobbyists are doing their best to erode them.
Of course David Leyonhjelm is troubled by what happened in Las Vegas two weeks ago, when Stephen Paddock, with his arsenal of 23 guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition, carried out America's worst modern-day mass killing. Of course he finds it "disturbing".
From a distance of several hundred metres, high in the Mandalay... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Ban Lowered Australian Firearm Deaths by Two-thirds
7 October 2017
Australian (Sydney), Fortune (USA), Opinion
Yet again, expressions of outrage about the Las Vegas massacre predictably are being matched by national despondency that no US government will lift a finger to prevent more of these happening.
Neither the largest gun death toll in US modern peacetime history (273 gun mass shootings in 275 days) culminating in the events of this week, nor the bullet-butchering of 20 six and seven-year-old children in Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut in 2012 apparently cut... (GunPolicy.org)
The Killer Quirk Hiding in Australia's Gun Laws
7 October 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
It has become part of the script of the larger American mass shootings. Amid the public expressions of grief and disbelief, the utterances of prayers and the tributes to the dead, Australian-style gun laws become, for a time, part of the American national debate.
The effectiveness of Australian-style gun laws has even crept into the diplomatic conversation. After she spoke with her American counterpart Rex Tillerson this week, Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Julie... (GunPolicy.org)
Better Gun Laws? Australia Lacks That Calibre of MP Today
6 October 2017
Australian (Sydney), Opinion
The mass murder in Las Vegas this week was so horrific that Australians naturally responded with grief for the victims, revulsion toward the killer and despair at America's national paralysis on gun violence. Yet there was a secondary theme, understandable but unhelpful, in the fury at the inability of someone else's political system to reach a national agreement on a chronic problem. Some of the Australian voices sounded a little too smug.
Two decades after Australia... (GunPolicy.org)
Lobbyists Say States Should Be Allowed to Personalise NFA
6 October 2017
Queensland Country Life
There has been immediate condemnation of the findings of a report into Australia's gun laws, commissioned by Gun Control Australia.
The report, authored by Philip Alpers, an associate professor of public health at the University of Sydney, claimed that Australia's tough gun laws had been significantly watered down by state governments since they were introduced under the National Firearms Agreement in the days after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996.
As well as... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Tough Gun Laws Weakened by the States - Report
5 October 2017
Sydney Morning Herald
Australia's tough gun laws have been significantly watered down by state governments since they were introduced under the National Firearms Agreement in the days after the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, a new study has found.
According to the research by Philip Alpers, an associate professor of public health at the University of Sydney, all Australian states have succumbed to pressure from gun owners or the parties that represent them to water down some aspects of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Czechs take legal action over EU rules on gun control
9 August 2017
Reuters
The Czech Republic filed a lawsuit on Friday against a new European Union directive tightening gun ownership, aimed at limiting access to semi-automatic and other weapons after deadly Islamist attacks in western Europe.
The European Parliament and EU interior ministers gave a final nod to the changes earlier this year despite the Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Poland voicing opposition.
The Czech Interior Ministry said the directive was too harsh, affecting for... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Knowledge of Gun Laws 'Unacceptable' - NZ Police
28 July 2017
NewsHub
Newshub has obtained an internal police document that shows a number of failures in the way police deal with firearms.
It shows their knowledge of the law around firearms is at an "unacceptable level", the licensing system is "no longer fit for purpose" and police and customs processes are "obsolete" and "leaving gaps".
Two women were shot dead on Wednesday by Whangarei man Quinn Patterson, who was amassed by an arsenal of illegal guns.
An admission by police chiefs... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech parliament moves to legalise firearm ownership
29 June 2017
BBC News
The lower house of the Czech parliament has agreed to alter the constitution so that firearms can be held legally when national security is threatened.
The amendment gives Czechs the right to use firearms during terrorist attacks.
It was passed by the lower house by a big majority, and is likewise expected to be approved by the upper house.
The move by parliament is a challenge to EU gun control rules which restrict civilians from possessing certain kinds of... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Lower House Passes Gun Amendment
28 June 2017
PragueTV
The lower house of Parliament approved a constitutional amendment that would allow legally registered owners of guns to intervene if the security of the Czech Republic was at stake.
Some 139 of the 168 deputies present were in favor of the amendment, and nine were against.
For the amendment to pass the Chamber of Deputies, it needed 120 votes, or three-fifths of the 200 parliamentary deputies.
The proposal was supported by Social Democrats (40 voted for, three... (GunPolicy.org)
Finland Streamlines Firearms Registration
26 June 2017
Sputnik News
While possession of firearms has long provoked heated discussions across the globe, for Finland it doesn't seem to be a matter for debate. With new gun laws, the Nordic country has simplified gun procurement to the extreme, effectively allowing firearm permit applications online and abolishing psychological evaluations and police interviews.
Starting from 2018, the process of applying for a gun permit in Finland will be as easy as shelling peas. Gun aficionados... (GunPolicy.org)
At What Age Is a Child Permitted to Fire a Gun in Australia?
4 May 2017
ABC News (Australia)
Despite the National Firearms Agreement which passed in just 12 days in response to the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, there is no one national gun law and no single age at which a child can use a firearm across the states and territories.
Roanan Cornish was 12 years old when he first used a firearm.
The thirteen-year-old, who lives on a farm just outside of Bendigo in central Victoria, learned how to correctly handle a .22 calibre rifle as part of a firearm safety... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Lobbyists Push for Higher Calibre IPSC Pistols
28 April 2017
Canberra Times (Australia)
A firearms group will lobby the ACT government to allow sport shooters to use larger calibre target pistols in official competitions.
Australian Firearms Management Lobby Group recently registered on the ACT's lobbyist register.
Its head, William John Wilcher said the registration was unrelated to the ACT's recent move to restrict rapid fire lever action shotguns.
"The lobby group is not engaged in an way, shape or form to lobby in respect to lever action shotguns,... (GunPolicy.org)
Government Raises Firearm Licence Fees in Uganda
25 April 2017
Observer (Kampala)
Government has increased license fees for individuals and companies importing firearms into the country.
Estimates of non-tax revenue (NTR) rates tabled before Parliament by the finance ministry show that gun importers and owners will part with Shs 5 million each.
Currently, any company which seeks a permit to acquire or import a firearm pays Shs 1 million per year. A private security company also pays Shs 200,000 for an application to import or acquire firearms.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Shop Loses 130 Handguns to Thieves in Western Australia
24 March 2017
ABC News (Australia)
Western Australia's Police Commissioner is calling for tighter regulations affecting gun stores and owners following the "highly organised" theft of 130 handguns from a Perth store.
But gun lobby groups have dismissed his comments, saying WA is already the most regulated state in Australia and any further controls would be overkill.
It comes after police revealed 130 handguns including revolvers and semi-automatics were stolen from Barry and Son Firearms in Beckenham... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Group Targeted Ruling Parties With $45,000
19 March 2017
Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)
A pro-gun group appointed to advise the federal government on its national firearms agreement donated more than $45,000 to the Liberal and National parties last year.
Less than a year after the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) was established, the group was appointed to the government's Firearms Industry Reference Group (FIRG) to provide advice on technical elements of the National Firearms Agreement.
Adler shotgun importer Robert Nioa, the... (GunPolicy.org)
Shooters Union of Queensland Analysis of NFA 2017
10 March 2017
Shooters Union Australia, Blog
Following the release of the 2017 version of the National Firearms Agreement, Shooters Union had a look at the document, comparing it to the 1996 version, understanding what the clauses mean and looking at what legislation has to change to enact the NFA.
Being largely a re-hash of the 1996 NFA, all of the restrictive, discriminatory clauses remain and then some. Even the provisions from 1996 that have been proven to be unworkable in the intervening years, have been... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Lifts Ban on Hunting with Semi-automatic Guns
27 November 2016
Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh)
It isn't a sense of power in his hands, or the thrill of having the ability to kill. It's not even the ear bursting BANG, BANG, BANG at the shooting range.
"People who don't have guns never understand why we shoot," said Stephen Ambrose of Washington, Pa. "For me it's the accuracy, the control. When I can punch five holes within the size of a quarter with a semiautomatic tactical rifle, it's a skill most people don't have. I go out to the shooting range and work on it,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Boom in America's 'Black Friday' Shopping Spree
25 November 2016
CNN
The Black Friday weapon sales are not driven by the Christmas spirit since gun laws in many states prohibit buying guns for someone else. The sales are driven by sharp discounts.
Not far from New York City, hundreds of shoppers packed into RTSP, a gun shop and firing range in Randolph, New Jersey, lured by Black Friday discounts of 5% to 10% for guns, ammunition and accessories.
Dr. Joseph Feldman, a surgeon from neighboring Montville, was buying a $500 Sig Sauer... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Killing Sparks New Gun Rules in Morocco [FR]
25 November 2016
Yabiladi (Morocco)
[Translated summary: Following human rights protests after police killed two criminals in Morocco, the General Directorate for National Security has given new instructions regarding the use of service firearms. Guns must be the last resort and police officers must aim for the limbs, except in the case of terrorist attack or resistance to the authorities.]
Suite au décès de deux « délinquants » tombés sous les balles de la police à Béni Mellal et Salé, les... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Plans More Control Over Disabled Firearms [ES]
24 November 2016
Vanguardia (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: After establishing that firearms used in terrorist attacks came from the black market, Spain's Congressional Defence Commission will enforce tighter controls so firearms cannot be modified for use in terrorist attacks. In collaboration with EU states, Spain will standardise techniques to permanently disable guns.]
La Comisión de Defensa del Congreso ha aprobado una iniciativa del grupo popular por la que, previa trasposición de una directiva... (GunPolicy.org)
US Needs Better Laws to Protect Mentally Ill from Guns [ES]
24 November 2016
El Nuevo Herald (US), Editorial
[Translated summary: Loopholes in US law allow mentally ill people to purchase firearms. Most gun shops operate with caution but some don't perform background checks. It is urgent to reinforce background checks for all transactions, but, at the same time, it is necessary to not generalise saying that all mentally ill people are violent.]
Hace cuatro años, una mujer que padece esquizofrenia paranoide llamada Colby Sue Weathers mató a su padre disparándole por la... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Law in Cameroon Bans Homemade Firearms [FR]
23 November 2016
237 Online (Cameroon)
[Translated summary: The National Defence and Security Committee of Cameroon has examined a new firearm and ammunition bill. The new regulations include the prohibition of homemade firearms and mandatory marking for better tracing.]
L'Economie du projet de loi examinée à la Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité.
La Commission de la défense nationale et de la sécurité a, vendredi dernier, en présence du ministre de la Défense, examiné le... (GunPolicy.org)
Pentagon Beats Trump to Allow Private Guns on Military Bases
23 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump vowed to use his executive authority to immediately scrap a longstanding rule that bars military personnel from carrying their own firearms on bases and at recruiting centers. Late last week, the Department of Defense took its own steps to loosen restrictions on private gun carry in new rules issued by the Pentagon.
A November 18 directive, approved by Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work, says base commanders "may grant... (GunPolicy.org)
How America's Gun Violence Research Ban Hurt Science
23 November 2016
Huffington Post (USA)
In 1996, Congress passed the Dickey Amendment, effectively banning government research on gun violence. But these days, former Republican representative Jay Dickey sees his namesake amendment for what it was: A mistake.
"I wish we had started the proper research and kept it going all this time," Dickey told The Huffington Post last year. "I have regrets."
Now, a research letter published as part of a series on firearm violence in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine... (GunPolicy.org)
Traffickers Flood Mexico with Easily Bought American Guns [ES]
22 November 2016
Vice News (US)
[Translated summary: Although Mexico has some of the strictest gun legislation in the world, with only one shop where guns can be bought legally, there are more than 15 million guns in circulation and 85% are illegal. One of the main reasons is the proximity of the USA, where guns are easily available. Almost 100,000 Mexicans died of gun wounds in the last decade.]
Es casi la media noche del 11 de octubre y la policía recibe una llamada de emergencia alertando de una... (GunPolicy.org)
US National Institute of Justice Encourages 'Smart Guns' [ES]
22 November 2016
Actualidad Gadget (Spain)
[Translated summary: Although 'smart guns' are already on sale in the US, the National Institute of Justice has just created specific regulations for this kind of firearms. The specifications are not mandatory, they are designed to boost the growth of gun safety technology.]
Aunque parezca que el desarrollo de sistemas de inteligencia artificial básicamente se está llevando a cabo por empresas como Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM… lo cierto es que cada vez hay más... (GunPolicy.org)
Pentagon Relaxes Gun Carrying on US Military Premises [FR]
22 November 2016
Le Journal de Montréal
[Translated summary: The Pentagon has softened the rules that restricted military personnel carrying guns, as a consequence of a shooting in Chattanooga that left five soldiers dead. According to the new rules, military officers will be able to carry a private gun on their base or place of work but they will need authorisation from their superiors.]
Le Pentagone a assoupli les règles restreignant le port d'armes des militaires sur le territoire américain, une... (GunPolicy.org)
Private Gun Carrying Rules Eased on US Military Premises [ES]
22 November 2016
La Información (Dominican Republic)
[Translated Summary: After a fatal shooting at a recruiting centre, the Pentagon has softened its regulation of gun carrying by military personnel in American territory. The new regulation will allow commanders to authorize military personnel to carry "personal firearms (hidden or in sight) for protection and when the firearm is not linked to any official duty or activity."]
El Pentágono flexibilizó las reglas que restringían el porte de armas para los militares en... (GunPolicy.org)
Background Checks May Affect Suicide Prevention Efforts in US
22 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
There is one question Carol Runyan considers vitally important to ask the parents of suicidal teens: Is there a gun in the house?
Runyan, the director of Program for Injury Prevention, Education, and Research at the Colorado School of Public Health, knows the presence of a firearm in a home increases the odds that someone who lives there will take his or her own life. Guns are reliably lethal — research indicates that suicide attempts involving a firearm result in... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control 'Eroded' in Canada, Now More Guns on the Streets
20 November 2016
Toronto Star (Ontario)
Weakened gun laws and how they're enforced have led to a spike in the number of restricted firearms in the hands of Canadians — and ultimately in hands of criminals, a leading gun-control advocate says.
Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, said relaxed licensing processes and legislative changes under the past Conservative government "eroded strict controls" that limited access to certain firearms.
The number of restricted firearms — a... (GunPolicy.org)
The Steps to Own a Firearm Legally in Mexico [ES]
19 November 2016
24 Horas (Mexico)
[Translated summary: Mexican law allows civilians to own a firearm for security and self-defence but only inside their own homes. The gun has to be registered and can only be a semi-automatic handgun with a calibre not higher than .38. Carrying hidden handguns is restricted to special cases.]
Aunque la iniciativa de reforma a la Ley Federal de Armas de Fuego y Explosivos no ha sido dictaminada al no encontrar respaldo de las fracciones parlamentarias en el Senado, el... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump Softens Gun Promises, Gun Rights Not a Priority [ES]
18 November 2016
Newsweek (USA)
[Translated Summary: During his presidential campaign Donald Trump promised to swiftly "unsign" the executive actions President Obama issued in January regarding background checks and to abolish gun-free zones at schools and on military bases. In addition, he promised to allow Americans to carry hidden handguns across all 50 states. However, after the election he softened his tone and it now appears that gun rights are mo longer a priority.]
A lo largo de sus casi 17... (GunPolicy.org)
Over Two Thousand Firearms Destroyed in El Salvador [ES]
18 November 2016
El Mundo (El Salvador), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: El Salvador's Ministry of Defence destroyed 2,864 seized firearms. They also destroyed another cache of firearms that were not claimed by their owners after seizure, and others used in crimes. Among the destroyed firearms were 1,386 handguns, 333 long guns and 156 home-made firearms. Between January and September, 2016, 80% of homicides were committed using a firearm and 1,987 guns were seized.]
El Ministerio de la Defensa destruyó 2,864 armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Bolivia Registers 11,000 Guns, Extends Program Deadline [ES]
18 November 2016
Correo del Sur (Bolivia)
[Translated summary: The Bolivian government has expanded the deadline of its firearm registration program for 180 days. In the last period, 10,982 firearms were registered.]
El Gobierno amplió, por segunda vez, el plazo para el registro de armas de fuego, informó ayer el ministro de Gobierno, Carlos Romero. Los que no alcanzaron a registrar su arma de fuego, tienen otros 180 días.
"El Decreto Supremo 2977 es el que reglamenta el plazo para este registro. Este... (GunPolicy.org)
Connecticut's Gun Seizure Law Prevented Suicides: Study
18 November 2016
CT Post (US)
Dozens of suicides have been prevented by the state's 1999 gun-seizure law, according to a new study by researchers from Duke, Yale and the University of Connecticut.
The 17-year-old law allowing for the temporary removal of firearms from potentially suicidal or violent people is a model for the nation, based on the review of 762 gun seizures through 2012.
The study's authors, speaking Thursday to the Connecticut Criminal Justice Policy Advisory Commission in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Background Checks Work, May Hamper Suicide Prevention
17 November 2016
Channel News Asia (Singapore), Reuters
Gun control laws that mandate a background check before a gun can be temporarily transferred to a friend or family member may interfere with suicide prevention efforts, researchers say.
The research team looked at what happens when people want to temporarily remove firearms from their home because they fear someone in the house might be considering a suicide attempt. In some states, they found, gun control laws may actually hamper the ability to easily transfer a gun... (GunPolicy.org)
Attempted Illegal Gun Possession Unpunished in Washington
16 November 2016
King 5 (US)
Thousands of people attempted to buy guns this year in Washington state, even though court orders prohibited them from owning firearms.
In all of these cases, the attempt to purchase a firearm was halted because the buyers failed the required background check.
But none of those people needed to fear punishment; their gun crime was one the justice system will let them get away with.
An investigation by KING 5 shows that police and prosecutors rarely pursue criminal... (GunPolicy.org)
Education to Reduce Gun Incidents in US Instead of Regulation
16 November 2016
Dallas Morning News (Texas), Opinion
I have had the privilege of competing in shotgun clay target tournaments across America and Europe for the last 40 years. I'm routinely in the company of hundreds of people, all carrying firearms and ammunition. I've fired several hundred thousand rounds in practice and competition. In all that time and experience, I have never seen nor heard of anyone being injured in a firearm- or shooting-related incident.
National data reflects that there are rarely firearm-related... (GunPolicy.org)
Stiffer Sentences for Illegal Gun Possession in Argentina [ES]
16 November 2016
La Nación (Argentina), Agencia DyN
[Translated Summary: Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved a bill that sets more severe sentences for gun carrying and possession. For illegal possession, sentences can go from six months to eight years if the firearm has been modified from its original condition. And for illegal carrying, sentences can be from four to eight years, depending on the case.]
Cámara de Diputados aprobó hoy y giró al Senado un proyecto impulsado por el Frente Renovador y apoyado por... (GunPolicy.org)
Stricter US Gun Laws Linked to a Reduction in Homicide [FR]
16 November 2016
Tribune de Genève
[Translated summary: An analysis of 30 studies published since 1970 has concluded that stricter gun laws are linked to a reduction in homicide in the United States. Background checks and licensing are specially effective. Another study published by JAMA linked a Florida law that gives citizens the right to use a firearm if they feel in danger to an increase of 24% in the rate of homicide.]
Des lois plus strictes sur le contrôle de la circulation des armes à feu sont... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Deaths in Uruguay Spark Ammunition Calibre Debate [ES]
14 November 2016
Espectador (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: Uruguay has registered 604,678 firearms since 1944 and is considered one of the most armed countries in the world. Recent deaths and injures caused by shots in the air generated a debate about which ammunition the police should use. The Interior Ministry advocates for the use of bullets with greater destructive power and less rebound, while the Ministry of Defence thinks it's better to use "full metal jacket" ammunition.]
Un joven murió por una... (GunPolicy.org)
Malaysia Reports 445 Gun Homicides Since 2008 - Minister
14 November 2016
Free Malaysia Today (Malaysia)
There have been 445 murders using firearms over the last eight years, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
In a written reply in the Dewan Rakyat today, he said the highest number of murders took place in 2013 with 95 cases, while the lowest numbers were recorded in 2011 with 36 cases.
He was asked by Sim Chee Keong (DAP-Bukit Mertajam) on the number of firearm-linked murders.
Zahid said there were 38 firearm-linked murders in 2008, 45 in 2009, 53 in 2010, 68 in... (GunPolicy.org)
One Gun for Every Eight Inhabitants in Ourense, Spain [ES]
14 November 2016
Faro de Vigo (España)
[Translated Summary: There are almost 3 million firearms circulating in Spain. In the city of Ourense there are over 37,000 firearms registered, an average of one gun for every eight inhabitants. Most of them, over 31,000, are shotguns and rifles for hunting. There are 26,000 licences on issue, but 10,000 more registered firearms.]
España no es, ni de lejos, Estados Unidos, cuya Segunda Enmienda de la Constitución brinda el derecho a portar armas y donde un lobby... (GunPolicy.org)
Stronger US Gun Laws Linked to Lower Gun Homicide Rates
14 November 2016
EurekAlert (New York)
Stronger firearm laws are associated with reductions in firearm homicide rates, concludes a narrative review published in the November 14 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.
Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital reviewed all available articles published in peer-reviewed journals from January 1970 to August 2016 that focused specifically on the connection between firearm homicide and firearm laws. Of the 582 abstracts found, only 34 met the criteria for inclusion.... (GunPolicy.org)
US States with Tighter Gun Laws Have Fewer Homicides [ES]
14 November 2016
La Información (Dominican Republic)
[Translated Summary: According to a US study, states with tighter firearms laws show a higher decrease in firearm deaths. The most successful laws are those ones which improve background checks for potential buyers and require a permit to buy a firearm, among others.]
Leyes más estrictas para controlar la circulación de armas de fuego están relacionadas con una reducción de los homicidios en Estados Unidos, concluye un análisis de más de 30 estudios publicados... (GunPolicy.org)
Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' Law Linked to Homicide Increase
14 November 2016
Time (USA)
Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which gives widespread legal immunity to people who use lethal force in self-defense, may be responsible for an increase in homicides in the state, according to a new study released Monday.
Since the controversial law was implemented in 2005, Florida's overall monthly homicide rate has increased 24.4% and the homicide by firearm rate is up 31.6%, according to the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun-carrying Restrictions May Be Wiped Out Under Trump
14 November 2016
Guardian
With Donald Trump in the White House, tourists from other states may soon be able to bring their guns to shops of Fifth Avenue, the plaza at Rockefeller Center and other New York City sights.
Advocates say they expect Congress to finally pass a sweeping gun rights law that could dismantle local gun-carrying restrictions in states including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, California and Hawaii.
These changes could come soon. If Congress passes a federal right-to-carry... (GunPolicy.org)
Marianas to Register Firearms After Court Nixes Gun Controls
14 November 2016
Guns (US)
Despite a federal ruling issued in September that struck down a handgun registration scheme in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, local lawmakers have passed another.
After a series of lawsuits ended the U.S. territory's total ban on handgun ownership, the local government adopted the Special Act for Firearms Enforcement earlier this year. The law imposed sweeping gun control measures, licensing schemes and strict rules regarding how one carries and... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras Gun Control Law Still Stalled After Two Years [ES]
13 November 2016
La Prensa (Honduras)
[Translated summary: The Possession, Carrying and Control of Firearms, Explosives and Ammunition Law has been stalled for more than two years in Honduras. Deputies explain that the new legislation is stricter than the old law and aims to register all legal guns and remove illegal arms from circulation. Official data indicates that Honduras has 400,000 registered and more than 1 million illegal guns.]
Tegucigalpa -- La Ley de Tenencia, Portación y Control de Armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
South America,Central America,United States,Mexico
A Third of the World's Gun Deaths Are In Latin America [ES]
11 November 2016
La Jornada (Mexico)
[Translated summary: International reports show that with 8% of the global population, Latin America has 33% of the world's firearm homicides. Violent deaths in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil represent 20% of the total, Brazil having the highest numbers. The US has 70 times more homicides and 35 times more suicides than the UK.]
Ciudad de México. En el foro "El Control de Armas y su Gestión de la Violencia y la Delincuencia, una Mirada desde Brasil y México", la... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Trump's Victory Just Wounded US Gunmakers
9 November 2016
Bloomberg (USA)
For all of President-Elect Donald Trump's warnings that Hillary Clinton was coming for America's guns, it turns out that it was his surprise victory that came with immediate pain for the firearm industry. Shares of gunmakers were tanking on Wednesday morning as investors prepare for a gun-friendly Trump presidency. The somewhat counterintuitive thesis goes like this: With the threat of stronger gun control laws fading under a Trump administration, fewer people will rush... (GunPolicy.org)
President Trump: What Can He Do About US Gun Laws? [FR]
9 November 2016
La Croix (France)
[Translated summary: Trump has said that he supports more freedom in the purchase of firearms. But, there already are specific gun control laws in several states, and it is not going to be possible to decree "total freedom" in purchases on a federal level. For example, California has just passed a law that makes background checks mandatory for buying ammunition.]
Ce qu'il a dit
Donald Trump a défendu une liberté totale sur les ventes d'armes, quitte à exercer son... (GunPolicy.org)
Donald Trump's Election is a Disaster for US Gunmakers. Really
9 November 2016
Vox (US)
Most Democrats want stricter gun laws, and most Republicans oppose them. So you might expect the election of Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress to be great news for the nation's gunmakers. But surprisingly, the opposite turned out to be the case.
Two of the nation's biggest gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger, saw their stock prices fall by double digits this morning in the wake of Trump's election victory.
Here's one theory for what's... (GunPolicy.org)
Background Checks on All Gun Sales Now to Be Law in Nevada
9 November 2016
Las Vegas Review Journal (Nevada)
Nevadans voted in favor of expanded background checks for private gun sales by the thinnest of margins Tuesday.
The "Yes" vote on Question 1, which would require in-person background checks for all guns sold among friends, online and at gun shows, was approved by a 50.45 percent to 49.55 percent margin, which amounted to less than 10,000 votes statewide.
Starting Jan. 1, Nevadans looking to conduct a private sale or transfer of a gun will have to go to a federally... (GunPolicy.org)
Costa Rica Regulates Gun Use by Private Security Guards [ES]
8 November 2016
Info Defensa (Spain)
[Translated summary: A new resolution by the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Court of Costa Rica will allow the Public Security Ministry to regulate the use of firearms by private guards. Private security employees will be able to use permitted firearms while transporting valuables and merchandise and for the protection of people.]
La Sala de lo Constitucional de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Costa Rica respaldó el uso de armas para los vigilantes privados.... (GunPolicy.org)
Many Australian Domestic Abusers Get Their Guns Back
8 November 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Scores of Victorians who had firearm licences revoked after being accused of stalking and beating their partners were handed their guns back last year, raising fears women are being put at real risk of harm or death at the hands of violent ex-partners.
According to previously unpublished data, 87 people who'd previously been banned from owning or using a firearm were granted approval by the courts to have their firearm licences reinstated in 2015-16, a rate of more... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Measures Expected to Win in Four US States
8 November 2016
Reuters
Gun control-related ballot measures in four states are expected to pass on Tuesday, opinion polls showed, after gun safety advocates poured a massive amount of money into backing the initiatives.
In Maine and Nevada, residents are voting on whether to mandate universal background checks for firearm sales, including private handgun transactions.
If those two measures pass, half of all Americans would live in states that have such expanded checks. Eighteen states and... (GunPolicy.org)
California to Pass Background Checks for Purchase of Ammo
4 November 2016
New York Times, Editorial
While Congress shamefully fails to face up to the toll of gun carnage, California's lawmakers and voters are forging ahead with innovative safety measures, including mandatory background checks for the purchase of ammunition, not just guns.
The focus on ammunition sales, for which there are no federal controls, is a creative addition to Proposition 63, a ballot initiative that polls indicate should pass on Tuesday. It is being watched as a barometer of the re-emergence... (GunPolicy.org)
More Guns: 1.1 Million Legal, Illegal Firearms in Uruguay [ES]
4 November 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: The Legal and Social Studies Institute of Uruguay explains that in 2007, Uruguay issued 5 or 6 licences for firearms everyday. In 2012, that daily average increased to 15. The Institute calculates that there 1.1 million firearms in the country, legal and illegal.]
El instituto de Estudios Legales y Sociales del Uruguay (Ielsur) se mostró preocupado por el "alto incremento" en los últimos años de la emisión de permisos para portar armas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Senegal Has Issued 1,000 New Gun Licences This Year [FR]
3 November 2016
Senxibar (Senegal)
[Translated summary: To own a firearm in Senegal, applicants must provide a copy of their national ID, criminal record, health certificate, 4 photographs, pay a fee of 2,000 francs and pass an interview to see if their activities are dangerous and establish their need for a firearm. According to official data, 1,000 licences have been issued so far in 2016.]
La sécurité oui,… la tradition et le prestige aussi
La sécurité est le premier motif invoqué pour... (GunPolicy.org)
Washington's Gun Control Initiative Is Unfair to the Mentally Ill
3 November 2016
Crosscut (US), Opinion
It was with mixed emotions that I approached the writing of this article against Initiative 1491, a measure that seeks to limit gun violence but does so at the expense of stereotyping the mentally ill and unnecessarily short-circuiting due process under the law. I knew, when Crosscut requested it, that it would be the last I would write for this campaign. Honestly, I had become very discouraged with the media bias I had encountered and felt like I was living the story... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Cross-Party MPs Form Gun Control Group
3 November 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Federal MPs from both sides of the political divide have pledged to protect John Howard's legacy through the establishment of the Parliamentary Friends of Gun Control.
Liberal John Alexander, who occupies Mr Howard's former seat of Bennelong, and Labor's Andrew Leigh have formed the group just weeks after the issue of guns was thrust back into the political spotlight via the uproar over the lever-action Adler shotgun.
The group was the idea of the Alannah & Madeline... (GunPolicy.org)
New Research Confirms Guns on Campus Don't Stop Shooters
2 November 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Eight states currently have laws that allow people to carry guns on college campuses. In 24 others, individual colleges can decide whether to allow firearms on the premises. The primary rationale for these laws, according to their supporters, is safety: School shooters, they say, are less likely to succeed in their attacks if students and teachers are armed and able to fight back.
But a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that campus carry laws are unlikely... (GunPolicy.org)
In China, Life Sentence or Even Death for Replica Firearms [ES]
2 November 2016
W Radio (Colombia), EFE News Agency
[Translated Summary: China's strict legislation on firearms can cause firearm replica owners to be accused of trafficking, and go to jail. Even a life sentence or the death penalty are possible in severe cases. The definition of a firearm includes any weapon that can shoot with a force of more than 1.8 joules per square centimetre. This prohibits many replicas.]
La estricta legislación china sobre armas de fuego puede provocar que los propietarios de réplicas sean... (GunPolicy.org)
Five US Gun Violence Researchers Get $3.3 Million in Grants
2 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
Federal dollars for research into gun violence are hard to come by, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reluctant to step over a 20-year Congressional restriction on funding firearms studies.
A rare bright spot emerged last week, however, when the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) awarded more than $3.3 million to five private institutions for firearms research. The funding will support inquiries into some of the most pressing questions regarding gun... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Control Groups Aiming Their Money at State Ballots
2 November 2016
NPR (USA)
Gun control has been a minor theme of this year's presidential election, as Hillary Clinton promises to close "loopholes" in the background checks for gun purchasers, and Donald Trump pledges "unwavering support" for the Second Amendment.
The real battle over guns, though, has been waged at the state level this year — with a new emphasis on ballot initiatives.
Washington is a prime example. Like many western states, it has a tradition of permissive gun laws; there's... (GunPolicy.org)
Puerto Rico Reaffirms the Constitutionality of Its Gun Law [ES]
1 November 2016
Primera Hora (Puerto Rico)
[Translated summary: The Supreme Court of Puerto Rico reaffirmed the constitutionality of the Firearms Law. Last year, a judge intended to declare as unconstitutional the articles related to licensing, in an attempt to eliminate background checks and lower the minimum age to own firearms. The Secretary of Justice explained that eliminating these articles would have allowed anyone to own firearms indiscriminately.]
El Tribunal Supremo de Puerto Rico reiteró ayer la... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraguay Stores Thousands of Smuggled, Seized Guns [ES]
1 November 2016
La Nación (Paraguay)
[Translated summary: In the warehouse of Paraguay's War Material Direction (Dimabel) there are 10,000 seized firearms. Around 50% are revolvers and pistols and the rest are shotguns and machine guns that can pierce armored vehicles. Authorities explain that illicit firearms come from the US disassembled, are re-assembled in the country and then sold at the border.]
Una ametralladora capaz de perforar camiones blindados, así como escopetas y pistolas, son algunos de... (GunPolicy.org)
Gaps in Washington Gun Law: US Attorney General's Report
1 November 2016
Northwest News Network (US)
A new white paper by the Washington state attorney general's office finds the state's system of conducting background checks for gun purchases to be fragmented, complex and inconsistent.
In Washington, rifle purchases are fairly straightforward. A licensed gun dealer conducts an instant background check and if approved the sale can go through. But pistol purchases are different. That system relies on 260 local law enforcement agencies and can involve several databases... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton #2 Tim Caine: US Gun Violence Is a Public Health Crisis
1 November 2016
Time (USA)
In every elected office I have held over the past 20 years, gun violence has been a serious issue. When I was mayor of Richmond, Virginia, our city had one of the highest homicide rates in the country. When I was governor, our commonwealth experienced the worst campus shooting in U.S. history. And as I serve in the U.S. Senate and our country falls victim to one mass shooting after another, Congress has yet to pass any commonsense gun safety legislation. Like many... (GunPolicy.org)
California Gun Control to Licence All Ammunition Buyers - NYT
1 November 2016
New York Times
California has the nation's strictest gun laws. There is a waiting period, a written test and a number of restrictions on guns and gear. Some voters pondering Proposition 63 have asked: Haven't we done enough?
Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor, says no. He's developed the initiative that would push the state's gun limits even further.
Under Proposition 63, ammunition purchasers would be treated similar to gun purchasers. Before a Californian could buy even a... (GunPolicy.org)
Over 1.5 Million Legal, 4 Million Illicit Guns in Argentina [ES]
31 October 2016
Noticias y Protagonistas (Argentina)
[Translated summary: There are 1,541,497 registered firearms and 979,508 licensed gun owners in Argentina. The country has four gun factories that manufactured 74,983 firearms between January and August 2016. 13,940 firearms were imported and 45,836 exported in the same period. It is estimated that there are between 1.5 million and 4 million illicit firearms. Between 1997 and 2013 there were 38,002 gun homicides and 13,672 suicides. In 2013, 71.1% of homicides were... (GunPolicy.org)
UK County Launches Gun Amnesty - Essex Police
31 October 2016
East Anglian Daily Times (UK)
Essex Police today launched a two-week firearms amnesty where members of the public can surrender unlicensed or unwanted guns or ammunition without fear of prosecution.
The amnesty will run from 8am today until 5pm on Friday, November 11, and during this time people are encouraged to hand in firearms, ammunition, imitation firearms and air or gas-powered weapons to one of eight police stations in the county.
Anyone surrendering firearms during this period will not... (GunPolicy.org)
1,868 Firearms Destroyed in Venezuela [ES]
31 October 2016
El Nacional (Venezuela)
[Translated Summary: Venezuela's Public Ministry supervised the destruction of 1,868 firearms in Caracas. The cache of firearms had been seized in 11 states nationwide by the police since July this year.]
El Ministerio Público, a través de la Fiscalía Superior del Área Metropolitana de Caracas (AMC), supervisó este lunes 31 de octubre el acto de destrucción de 1.868 armas de fuego, las cuales fueron incautadas en 11 estados del país en el segundo semestre del... (GunPolicy.org)
Why US Domestic Abusers Often Get to Keep Their Guns
31 October 2016
The Trace (USA)
Last month, Rashied Mitchell shot and killed a Seattle mother, Tabitha Apling, in front of their two young children. At the time, Mitchell was subject to a court order barring contact with Apling, his ex-girlfriend. Mitchell had a rap sheet of at least 12 prior similar convictions, and had been arrested for an alleged domestic violence attack against Aplin just days before her death.
This scenario is not unusual. Under federal law, anyone convicted of domestic violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Too Bad, NRA: Even Your Members Want Background Checks
31 October 2016
Las Vegas Sun (Nevada), Editorial
When you see a political ad that opens with a burly guy cleaning a pistol with a rack of rifles in the background, you'd be excused if you braced yourself for yet another blast of NRA paranoia.
The Second Amendment is under fire! Don't let the government infringe on your rights by _________ (fill in the blank with any action aimed at reducing gun violence, regardless of how pragmatic it might be.)
We've heard the NRA's over-the-top rhetoric for years, and the result... (GunPolicy.org)
11 Million Illegal Guns in Mexico, Only 234,738 Seized [ES]
31 October 2016
Milenio (Mexico)
[Translated summary: 234,738 firearms were seized in Mexico in 18 years. In the same time there were 111,453 gun homicides. A report by the Chamber of Deputies estimates that there are 11 million illegal firearms in the country, most of them trafficked from the US, while between 2.8 and 4 million firearms are legally owned.]
Desde la administración de Vicente Fox y hasta el gobierno de Enrique Peña Nieto han sido decomisadas 234 mil 738 armas de diferente calibre en... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Election Day Ballots to Advance Gun Control in US States
31 October 2016
Christian Science Monitor
Voters in four states will decide on Election Day whether to enact more stringent firearms laws, as gun control activists outspend gun rights groups in an aggressive policy-shaping strategy that some have likened to the nationwide push for same-sex marriage.
Unlike past elections, there are no state initiatives to expand gun rights anywhere in the United States. The only ballot measures are designed to keep firearms away from people deemed dangerous in Maine, Nevada,... (GunPolicy.org)
Trump or Clinton, Stricter Gun Control Is Inevitable in America
31 October 2016
CNN, Opinion
It's impossible to run for President without having a firm position on gun control. For every candidate in every election campaign, it inevitably becomes a dividing line.
And 2016 is no different. At various stages, Donald Trump has held differing positions on the matter, but has been sufficiently in favor of protecting the second amendment to secure the support of the NRA. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, while claiming to respect the second amendment, has made clear that... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Ghana Regions Main Hubs of Illegal Gun Possession
30 October 2016
Ghana Web
The three Northern Regions and the Ashanti Region have been identified as the hub for the haulage of large cache of illegal weapons in the country with the Ashanti region serving as a major user and transit point across the country and beyond, a baseline study on the proliferation of small arms in the country has revealed.
The study further revealed that while analysis of the distribution of ownership of these arms with respect to age was more concentrated in ages... (GunPolicy.org)
4 US States to Weigh Tougher Gun Control in Nov. 8 Election
30 October 2016
Fortune (USA), Associated Press
The last time voters in Maine were asked about gun rights, they easily passed a constitutional amendment creating a right to own firearms that "shall never be questioned."
Three decades later, the state known for its hunting tradition will vote on whether to tighten restrictions on gun sales and transfers.
Maine is one of four states, along with California, Nevada and Washington, where voters will decide Nov. 8 whether to enact tougher firearms laws. In a change from... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Police Destroy 23,000 Illegal Firearms [ES]
29 October 2016
Prensa Latina (Havana)
[Translated summary: Around 23,000 seized, illegal firearms have been destroyed by South African police. It is estimated that 9,200 of these guns were related to crime. Each day, an average of 18 people die by gunshot in South Africa. The minimum age to own a firearm is 21. The number of guns per person is limited and a firearm licence must be periodically renewed.]
Pretoria -- Unas 23 mil armas de fuego ilegales confiscadas por la Policía sudafricana fueron... (GunPolicy.org)
Support for Assault Weapon Ban at Record Low in US - Gallup
26 October 2016
Gallup (US)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The fewest Americans in 20 years favor making it illegal to manufacture, sell or possess semi-automatic guns known as assault rifles. Thirty-six percent now want an assault weapons ban, down from 44% in 2012 and 57% when Gallup first asked the question in 1996.
Assault rifles have been a contentious issue in American life for decades. Two years after President Bill Clinton signed a federal assault weapons ban in 1994, Gallup found that a solid... (GunPolicy.org)
Vital Details Missing from New York's Gun Trafficking Report
26 October 2016
The Trace (USA)
A new analysis of the provenance of 53,000 crime guns by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office is a stark reminder of the limitations of state firearm restrictions — and of the public's ability to obtain detailed information about the flow of guns within the United States.
The report, released Tuesday, reveals that three out of four firearms recovered by police in the Empire State were purchased somewhere else — most often, Virginia, the Carolinas,... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain Licences 8,000 Civilians to Carry Hidden Handguns
25 October 2016
El País (Colombia)
Sitting on a terrace having breakfast, Fernando glances around, and then opens his jacket to reveal a small pistol in a brown leather holster. It is a Glock 9mm and he carries it for protection. A jeweler by trade, he was the target of a number of violent attacks several years ago, and was subsequently declared "at risk" and issued a B license by Spanish police – a license that allows him to carry a firearm for self-defense.
Fernando is not particularly pleased to be... (GunPolicy.org)
In New York, 74% of Crime Guns Come from Other States [ES]
25 October 2016
El Diario (US)
[Translated Summary: Although New York has strong gun control legislation, other states have less restrictive laws. As a result, 74% of the seized guns in New York come from the "Iron Pipeline" states. Authorities seized nearly 53,000 guns from crime between 2010 to 2015. The firearms most used by criminals are handguns, 83% of those seized.]
Pese a que el estado de Nueva York tiene leyes de control de armas muy fuertes, estas no frenan a los traficantes que facilitan... (GunPolicy.org)
New York Official Study: Weak-Law States Flood NY With Guns
24 October 2016
New York Times
The .40-caliber pistol used to kill a New York City police officer last year was bought in South Carolina on Feb. 28, 2008.
A 9-millimeter pistol used in a murder-suicide in a Buffalo neighborhood had been bought in Georgia on June, 12, 2010, just 102 days before the double shooting.
And a 9-milimeter pistol used to fatally shoot a couple on Long Island in 2010 was bought in South Carolina on April 10, 2009.
Those are among the 52,915 guns used in crimes that law... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentina Extends National Gun Amnesty for Another Year [ES]
24 October 2016
Hoy (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Argentina's government extended the deadline for the national disarmament program until the end of 2017. In the country there are 1,200,000 registered firearms, but it's estimated that there are 3 million more undeclared and in the hands of criminals. According to official data, since 2007 the program received 175,000 handguns and shotguns that were disabled and destroyed.]
El Gobierno promulgó la ley sancionada en el Congreso que extiende la... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Makers Ban New Handgun Sales in 'Too Strict' California
24 October 2016
LA Times, Editorial
When someone shoots up a neighborhood with a semiautomatic weapon, the shooter usually leaves evidence behind — not only the bullets fired, but also the spent casings ejected from the gun as a fresh round loads. Ballistics experts can match distinctive marks the firing process leaves on the bullets and the casings against fresh samples fired from a gun that investigators believe may have been used in the crime. But first, of course, they must have the gun.
But... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Justice Minister Said Consulting Only With Gun Lobby
24 October 2016
Guardian
A group of 30 domestic violence groups, gun control advocates, politicians and prominent Australians has criticised the federal justice minister, Michael Keenan, for holding "one-sided" meetings in 2015 with the firearms lobby on changes to Australia's gun laws.
Minutes from the firearms reference industry group obtained by Guardian Australia show Keenan told firearms lobby groups in a private meeting in September 2015 that the government wanted to cut "red tape" from... (GunPolicy.org)
California on Brink of US Election Upset Over Gun Control
24 October 2016
Los Angeles Times
Proposition 63 would enact the toughest gun controls in the United States. But it also would do something else: represent an astonishing historical milestone.
And if passed as expected, the ballot measure would illustrate a textbook example of how public policy can be radically changed in a democracy laden with competing checks and balances.
How is that? Through the long, slow process of taking incremental steps over decades. By pushing hard and steadily, but with... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Gun Law Inconsistent, Says Gun Rights Group [ES]
23 October 2016
Radio Formula
[Translated summary: The director of a Mexican gun rights forum explained that there are 5 million registered firearms and 15 million in total, but there are only 3,500 citizens with licences to carry. This is due to a 1972 law that limits citizens' right to self-defence.]
Luciano Segura Álvarez, director de la zona centro de "México Armado", afirmó que el foro está a favor de la iniciativa propuesta por el senador panista Jorge Luis Preciado, sobre permitir la... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil's Merchants of Death: Unchecked Gun Exports Kill - NYT
23 October 2016
New York Times, Opinion
RIO DE JANEIRO — As Brazil weathers the worst political and economic crises in living memory, Brazilians can hardly be blamed for being distracted. But there is a subject that the country's politicians — and citizens — are not discussing, even though it risks tarnishing Brazil's international reputation as an advocate of peacebuilding and diplomacy: an unchecked arms industry and its involvement in foreign conflicts around the globe.
The fingerprints of Brazil's... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handguns on Campus Will Increase Tragedies in Texas
21 October 2016
Washington Post, Opinion
Texas this year became the eighth state to require state colleges and universities to allow civilians with permits to carry concealed guns in public places. As a result, the University of Texas at Austin — a school that 50 years ago suffered the trauma of the nation's first campus mass killing — must allow guns to be brought onto campus.
To those behind the campus-carry movement making such inroads in Austin and other state capitals, that's a good thing. This... (GunPolicy.org)
Europe's Pro-gun Lobbies Dilute Planned EU Gun Control Law
21 October 2016
Deutsche Welle
The European Commission's attempts to ban the most dangerous semi-automatic weapons, such as AK-47 assault rifles, are being watered down thanks to pressure from a pan-European alliance of gun associations, according to documents leaked to "Der Spiegel" magazine.
The Commission's proposal, drawn up in the wake of last year's terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, is due to be finalized over the coming weeks by the European Parliament, the Commission,... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'National Dialogue Has Changed' on Guns - 130 of the Worst
21 October 2016
New York Times
John R. Houser was dangerously mentally ill, too ill to carry a gun. Of that, there is little doubt.
Over 16 years, Mr. Houser, 59, had been charged with hiring a man to burn down a lawyer's office and named in a domestic violence complaint. In 2008, after Mr. Houser threatened to kill his daughter's fiancé, a judge issued a temporary restraining order and ordered him hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation. In 2014, he threatened to shoot law enforcement officers who... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Gun Laws: Which Way Will We Go? - Guardian OpEd
21 October 2016
Guardian, Opinion
On Friday, the state police ministers will meet to finalise the review of the National Firearms Agreement (NFA) including the fate of the Adler A110 lever-action shotgun.
The importance of this meeting should not be underestimated. In summary, the ministers are deciding the future direction of Australia's gun laws. A future that could see the demise of Australia's strong gun laws and the continual rise of the pro-gun lobby.
One issue which the states and commonwealth... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Owners Stockpiling Extra Weapons in Australia
21 October 2016
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Licensed gun owners are stockpiling extra weapons and more than a million guns have been registered since 2012 – about the same number that were destroyed in the wake of Port Arthur, The Advertiser can reveal.
The official figures come amid fierce debate on guns in Canberra yesterday, where embattled Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull strongly rebuked his predecessor, Tony Abbott.
Senator David Leyonhjelm threw a grenade by saying he had a deal with the Coalition to... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia,Afghanistan,Russia,Central Asia,Pakistan,China,Turkey,Brazil
UN Rule of Thumb Suggests 600,000 Illegal Guns in Australia
21 October 2016
Age (Melbourne)
As many as 600,000 illegal guns could be circulating in the Australian underworld, but national efforts to control the spread is being hampered by inconsistencies between states, a firearms intelligence report has found.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission report on guns - to be released on Friday, the same day as state and federal government representatives meet to thrash out a way to combat illegal firearms - also backs a national amnesty.
Chris Dawson,... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Maker to Release Second Smart Gun in US
20 October 2016
Computer World (Singapore)
German firearms manufacturer Armatix LLC is planning to release its second smart gun in the U.S. next year after sales of its first model -- the .22 caliber iP1 -- were quashed by pressure from some gun owners and gun rights advocates who saw it as a threat to Second Amendment freedoms.
Unlike the iP1, which used RFID technology, the new iP9 9mm semi-automatic pistol will have a fingerprint reader. The iP9 will be available in mid-2017, according to Wolfgang Tweraser,... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Extends Ban on Adler Rapid-fire Lever Action Shotgun
20 October 2016
ABC News (Australia)
Police ministers met in Melbourne this morning to consider a new classification for the lever-action shotgun.
There is currently a ban in place on Adler shotguns that have a magazine capacity of more than five rounds.
The ABC understands concerns were raised that tightened restrictions on the seven-shot Adler would struggle to pass Parliament in certain states.
The Australian Federal Police and Justice Minister Michael Keenan said there was a "majority" view but that... (GunPolicy.org)
Six out of 10 Favour Carrying Hidden Handguns in Mexico [ES]
19 October 2016
Lopez Doriga
[Translated Summary: According to a study, 59 out of 100 Mexicans think government should allow them to carry hidden handguns in public, in private vehicles and in shops for self defence. When asked, 41% said they would buy a gun.]
A 59 de cada cien mexicanos les parece que las leyes deben permitir la posesión de armas más allá del hogar para emplearlas en legítima defensa y creen que deben autorizarse en el auto o negocio para defenderse de la criminalidad.
El... (GunPolicy.org)
Hidden Handguns a Risky Option for Civilians in Mexico [ES]
19 October 2016
Excelsior (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: An expert sociologist, René Jiménez Ornelas, notes that firearm possession in shops and legal hidden handguns in private vehicles will only generate more violence among civilians in Mexico. In an environment where firearms are common,"there will be more aggression, fights and incidents with guns"; similar to what happens in the US.]
René Jiménez Ornelas, integrante del Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales de la UNAM, destacó que la iniciativa... (GunPolicy.org)
New Australian Gun Ban Hits Rapid-fire Shotgun - NY Times
19 October 2016
New York Times, Associated Press
Australia's tough gun controls will be further tightened to restrict access to new rapid-fire shotguns, the prime minister said Wednesday.
But a pro-gun independent senator warned Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that the move will add to the government's difficulty in getting legislation through the Senate.
Turnbull was commenting on the fate of the Adler A110 shotgun, a Turkish-manufactured lever-action weapon that was banned from importation last year as an... (GunPolicy.org)
Adler Shotgun Explainer: Lever Actions and the Law in Australia
19 October 2016
Guardian
Gun control in Australia has been thrust into the political spotlight once again as reports emerge that Malcolm Turnbull may be willing to consider relaxing Australia's firearms laws.
The reports appear to focus on softening restrictions on lever-action shotguns in exchange for support from the Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm to pass industrial relations legislation.
National firearms laws created after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 set out how weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Tough Gun Laws Averted Massacres - Another Ex-Australia PM
19 October 2016
Guardian
Tony Abbott has challenged Malcolm Turnbull directly on gun regulation, warning Australia has avoided a mass casualty event because "it is very hard to get guns".
Abbott's intervention came as the West Australian premier, Colin Barnett, said he did not support lifting the ban on the Adler lever-action shotgun, putting him at odds with New South Wales, which is backing a push to allow the importation of a seven-shot version of the firearm.
The persistent standoff... (GunPolicy.org)
Winding Back Gun Laws a Risk to Australia, Says Foundation
19 October 2016
Guardian
One of Australia's most prominent children's charities has urged the attorney general, George Brandis, and police ministers across the country not to wind back gun restrictions that could allow people to obtain an "unlimited" number of pump action or semi-automatic shotguns.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which was established by Walter Mikac in memory of his two children Alannah and Madeline who were killed in the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, has written an... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian PM Under Fire As 'Guns For Votes' Row Explodes
19 October 2016
Australian (Sydney)
A political storm over "guns for votes" has forced Malcolm Turnbull to rule out weakening import bans on lethal weapons after the release of emails showing the government raised the prospect of phasing out a ban on a controversial shotgun in return for a key vote in the Senate.
The damaging row overshadowed Mr Turnbull's push in parliament for curbs on union power as Labor accused the government of destroying the legacy of John Howard's tough gun controls, imposed two... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Wakes Up, Begins to Fear Trump Threats
17 October 2016
Guns (USA), Opinion
On the opening night of recent gun writers' conference in Orlando, Jason Wilson, founder and CEO of Wyoming-based Lucid Optics, made a statement that would be brought up in quiet, side discussions for the duration of the event.
"No matter who wins, it will cost the industry," said Wilson, whose once-small business now has distributors in 14 countries. He might be onto something.
Wilson isn't shy about saying that some components of his products are made overseas.... (GunPolicy.org)
New Gun Licence and Hidden Handgun Fees in Gabon [FR]
16 October 2016
Gabon Review
[Translated summary: There are an estimated 190,000 firearms (licit and illicit) in the hands of civilians in Gabon. Recently, the government adopted a new decree that sets the fee for firearm licences and hidden handgun carry permits. The aim is to reduce the number of homicides, which was 148 in 2012.]
L'utilisation des armes à feu par des civils dans certaines localités du pays lors des émeutes postélectorales fait réfléchir le gouvernement. Avec un arsenal... (GunPolicy.org)
At Least One American Child Dies by Gunshot Every Other Day
14 October 2016
USA Today, Associated Press
Hours earlier, he was a happy 4-year-old who loved Ironman and the Hulk and all the Avengers. Now, as Bryson Mees-Hernandez approached death in a Houston hospital room, his brain swelling through the bullet hole in his face, his mother assured the boy it was OK to die.
"When you are on the other side," his mother, Crystal Mees, recalls telling him, "you are going to see Mommy cry a lot. It's not because she's mad. It's because she misses you."
And this: "It's not your... (GunPolicy.org)
US Agency Badly Undercounts Children Killed with Guns [ES]
14 October 2016
Euronews (France)
[Translated Summary: The real number of children killed with guns is underestimated in US official statistics. According to research, between January, 2014 and June this year, there have been 326 deaths by accidental shooting related to children. Yet only 74 were documented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the agency responsible for keeping count.]
Es la cara oculta de la proliferación de armas de fuego en Estados Unidos: el numero real de niños muertos por... (GunPolicy.org)
Landmark US Mass Shooting Gun Maker Law Suit Dismissed
14 October 2016
New York Times
A Connecticut judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack, delivering a blow to an ambitious effort to hold accountable the makers of the assault rifle used in the 2012 massacre before the case ever went to trial.
The judge, Barbara N. Bellis of State Superior Court, had surprised even some of the plaintiffs by allowing the case to move toward trial this year, despite a 2005 federal law that offers firearm... (GunPolicy.org)
Amazingly, There Is No US Federal Law Against Gun Trafficking
13 October 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
Rep. Caroline Maloney (D-N.Y.) first learned that there is no federal law against gun trafficking at, of all places, a Fast and Furious hearing. In June 2011, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform convened to scrutinize the gunrunning sting known as Fast and Furious, which had flown off the rails when agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) allowed assault weapons to land in the hands of Mexican drug cartels. Much of... (GunPolicy.org)
Argentine Disarmament Group Deplores Lack of Gun Control [ES]
13 October 2016
Sputnik News (Russia)
[Translated summary: The Argentine Network for Disarmament denounced the government for its indifference to gun control, despite eight people dying each due to of armed violence. Last year, a bill to establish a new gun control agency was passed, but hasn't yet been implemented.]
BUENOS AIRES — Argentina tiene un "flagrante" retroceso en lo que respecta al control de armas de fuego y a las políticas de prevención de los riesgos derivados de su uso, denunció la Red... (GunPolicy.org)
Confronting Gun Violence in America - New Book, Good Reviews
13 October 2016
Palgrave Macmillan, Author Thomas Gabor, Media release
Each year, over 100,000 Americans are killed or seriously injured by gunfire. This book critically examines the link between guns and violence and suggests a bold national strategy to reduce gun violence in the United States.
Criminologist and international consultant Thomas Gabor has been conducting research on gun violence for 25 years. The book presents the most current data and trends on gun violence and mass shootings, including recent attacks in Orlando and... (GunPolicy.org)
Higher Rates of Gun Death in US States with Weaker Gun Laws
12 October 2016
Mother Jones (USA)
The rates of gun violence in the 10 states with the weakest gun laws are more than three times higher than those in the 10 states with the strongest gun laws. That's one of the major findings of a new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) that analyzes 10 indicators of firearm violence—including suicide, murder, fatal gun accidents, and mass shootings—in all 50 states and finds a "strong" correlation between gun violence and weak gun laws.
The states... (GunPolicy.org)
Ballot Looms to Reduce Gun Death Risk in Washington State
11 October 2016
Kiro7 (Seattle)
The citizen sponsor of Washington state ballot Initiative 1491 believes her son and daughter would still be alive if "extreme-risk protection orders" had been legal two years ago.
When Marilyn Balcerak's mentally ill son became increasingly violent and potentially suicidal, she repeatedly asked the police how she could keep guns out of his hands. She was told she could get a restraining order or wait until he committed a felony, which would make it illegal to buy a... (GunPolicy.org)
US Groups Push New Gun Control Evidence, Election Sways
11 October 2016
New York Times
With guns emerging as a major flash point in the presidential race and campaigns nationwide, gun-control advocates are spending tens of millions of dollars on a central message: Stronger firearms laws can reduce gun violence.
Although the National Rifle Association has long rejected that assertion, a growing body of evidence from academics, advocacy groups and others supports the link between gun restrictions and a reduction in violence.
The latest analysis comes out... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Lawmakers Push Tougher Penalty for Gun Carrying [ES]
11 October 2016
Informador (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: PRI, a political party in Mexico, opposes an initiative to allow civilians to carry firearms in their households, work places and vehicles. They want to increase jail sentences up to 10 years and fines of 200 days for anyone caught carrying a military firearms. They also want to know where firearms are located in the country.]
El grupo parlamentario del Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) en la Cámara de Diputados busca revertir la... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Senator Wants Law to Allow Civilians Hidden Handguns
11 October 2016
Fusion (US)
MEXICO CITY— Mexico doesn't have much of a gun culture but the country could be on the verge of a heated debate on the right to bear arms.
A Senator from Mexico's conservative National Action Party (PAN) is backing a bill that would reform the Constitution to allow firearm possession inside private businesses and vehicles. The proposal also seeks to allow bus drivers, cabbies, truckers and other transportation operators to carry firearms to protect themselves, their... (GunPolicy.org)
US State Encourages Hidden Handguns, Gun Crime Rises
10 October 2016
Urban Milwaukee (US), Opinion
In July of this year, I criticized Attorney General Brad Schimel for insisting that Wisconsin was safer because of concealed carry becoming law in 2011.
"Hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites hold a concealed carry license, making our state a safer place to live, work, and raise a family," he said then.
I pointed out that his assumption was flawed — the state wasn't safer under the recent years of concealed carry. FBI data for the years 2011-2014 showed that... (GunPolicy.org)
Most Americans Support Common-Sense Gun Regulation - NYT
10 October 2016
New York Times, Editorial
The vast majority of Americans — about nine in 10 — support reasonable, common-sense gun regulations. The numbers are only slightly lower among gun owners and members of the National Rifle Association. And yet, year after year, lawmakers in Congress and in statehouses across the country, all beholden to the gun lobby, act as if the opposite were true.
They reject even mild, sensible laws — such as background checks and bans on gun ownership by domestic abusers or... (GunPolicy.org)