Gun Policy News
Firearm legislation, regulation and gun control
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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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)
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)
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)
Gun Owner Licensing Soars 71% in Puerto Rico [ES]
9 October 2016
El Nuevo Dia (Puerto Rico)
[Translated summary: In Puerto Rico, there are 210,438 registered firearms among civilians and another 15,628 in gun shops. Ownership licences increased 70.9% between 2011 and 2015 while concealed carry licences rose 18.7%. Police also observe that firearm possession incremented among women, with 747 licences in 2011 and 1,980 en 2015.]
Se reporta un incremento en la expedición de licencias y permisos de portación, así como en el valor de las importaciones de este... (GunPolicy.org)
US NRA Spends Near Record Millions to Support Trump
7 October 2016
Reuters
The National Rifle Association is on track for record spending this year on U.S. political campaigns, including Missouri's U.S. Senate race where a gun-owning Democrat is waging a tough fight against an incumbent Republican backed by the gun rights group.
Democrat Jason Kander, an Afghanistan war veteran, is running just 2.5 percentage points behind Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt in opinion polls in Missouri, despite the NRA's expenditure of $1.8 million so far... (GunPolicy.org)
One US Gun's Journey: 42 Bullets Fired, 2 Killed, 5 Wounded
7 October 2016
Chicago Tribune
The young woman arrived home to find a footprint still visible on her front door.
Her South Shore apartment had been broken into, and the small safe she kept under her bed was missing, along with the black .40-caliber Glock handgun she kept inside.
Over the next year, that Glock would fire 42 bullets, leaving shell casings scattered on walkways, porches and side streets. In the hands of a street gang, the gun was used in at least five separate shootings that left two... (GunPolicy.org)
Four Key US States Will Vote Pro/Con Stricter Gun Control
6 October 2016
USA Today
WASHINGTON — Voters in four states will decide on proposed gun restrictions next month, as gun-safety proponents, often rebuffed by Congress and state officials, increasingly turn to ballot initiatives to push passage of stricter firearms laws.
Voters in Maine and Nevada will decide whether to expand background checks for gun buyers. In Washington state, where activists passed a background-check measure two years ago, voters will decide whether judges can temporarily... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gunsmiths Want Dept of State Out of Arms Export Controls
4 October 2016
Guns
A bipartisan group of lawmakers have debuted a proposal that would transfer export oversight for most gunsmiths from the State Department in an effort to curb a possible $2,250 annual fee to stay in operation.
The bicameral bill, introduced on Sept. 27 by lawmakers that include two Texas Democrats as House sponsors, would transfer regulatory responsibility on the export of non-military firearms to the U.S. Department of Commerce and comes in response to a change by the... (GunPolicy.org)
Shootings on US Campuses Doubled Over the Last Five Years
3 October 2016
New York Times, Reuters
Shootings on college campuses over the last five years have more than doubled since a similar period a decade earlier, according to a report released on Monday by a criminal justice reform organization.
The incidents have also grown more deadly, with three times as many people injured or killed during the most recent five-year period, the New York City-based Citizens Crime Commission said.
"It is now appropriate to call our nation's gun violence problem an epidemic,"... (GunPolicy.org)
No Training Required to Own Some Guns in France [FR]
30 September 2016
La Nouvelle Republique (France)
[Translated summary: In France, firearms are divided into 4 categories. Category A includes all military firearms, that are absolutely prohibited. Category B includes firearms that can be owned, but they require a special authorisation. However, guns that belong to the C and D category don't require the owner to know how to handle them, they only need to have a shooting club membership.]
La réglementation sur les armes est très stricte en France. Mais il reste facile... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Seeks to Increase Penalty for Firearms Use and Carrying [ES]
29 September 2016
Noticiero Televisa
[Translated Summary: Mexico's secretary of public security, Hiram Aleida, has asked for an increased penalty for using and carrying firearms. In 2015, 628 criminals used a firearm to commit a crime and, due to the current legislation, they were freed in a short time, added the Secretary.]
Durante su comparecencia en la Asamblea Legislativa de la Ciudad de México, el secretario de Seguridad Pública, Hiram Almeida solicitó aumentar la penalidad para el uso y la... (GunPolicy.org)
Interagency Wrangle Allows 2,000 Disputed US Gun Purchases
28 September 2016
USA Today
WASHINGTON — More than 2,000 disputed gun purchases were allowed to proceed during the past 15 years because of a long-standing disagreement between the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives over who qualifies as a "fugitive," an internal Justice Department review concluded Wednesday.
Fugitives are among those disqualified from purchasing firearms, according to federal law that governs gun transactions at federally licensed gun stores. Yet in... (GunPolicy.org)
Justice Dept Flags 'Deficiencies' in US Gun Sale System [FR]
28 September 2016
VOA Afrique (Africa)
[Translated summary: According to a report by the inspection service of the American Justice Department, the control system of gun buyers has 'deficiencies', specially regarding the update of data bases. For example, gun dealers need to send the clients' data to the FBI for them to perform a background check. If they don't receive results in three days, they are free to sell to that client.]
Le système de contrôle des acheteurs souffre de "faiblesses", notamment dans... (GunPolicy.org)
80% of Legal Guns in Africa End Up on the Black Market [FR]
27 September 2016
Le Soleil (Senegal)
[Translated summary: To ensure safety, African countries buy their guns through legal channels. However, 80% of these arms are diverted, stolen or transferred by corrupt intermediaries, according to Marc Finand, member of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. He estimates that 150 million firearms circulate in the continent.]
Pour assurer leur sécurité, les Etats achètent des armes via des canaux légaux. Cependant, en Afrique, 80% de ses armes se retrouvent, par... (GunPolicy.org)
Uruguay Mulls New Gun Bans, Limits on Gun Ownership [ES]
26 September 2016
El Espectador (Uruguay)
[Translated summary: A regulatory decree proposed for Uruguay would ban civilians from importing and owning automatic rifles, shotguns, handguns, ammunition for these weapons and silencers. Only three guns per person would be permitted. Civilians who previously bought prohibited firearms, or who own more than three, would have to surrender them for destruction.]
A efectos de continuar conociendo cómo se encuentra regulada en el derecho uruguayo la tenencia de armas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Increase in US Murder Rate Driven by Gun Homicide - FBI
26 September 2016
Guardian
Murders in the US rose 10.8% last year, the biggest single-year percentage jump since 1971, according to data released Monday by the FBI.
The rising violence was driven by an increase in the murders of black men, and by an increase in the number of gun murders. At least 900 more black men were killed in 2015 than in 2014, according to FBI data.
There were roughly 1,500 additional firearm murders in 2015. No other type of weapon saw a comparable increase. The number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Equality Florida Endorses Gun Policies Reforms
25 September 2016
LGBT Weekly
Equality Florida made a significant policy announcement to formally endorse common sense gun violence prevention policies in response to the hate-fueled attack in Orlando this past June, targeting the LGBTQ community at Pulse nightclub's Latin night.
The announcement includes a position paper detailing the deep history of hate violence against the LGBTQ people and Equality Florida's desire to partner with other marginalized communities to make all of our families... (GunPolicy.org)
Missouri Gun Law Eliminates Safeguards for Hidden Handguns
23 September 2016
Washington Post, Editorial
Most States require a person who wants to legally carry a concealed handgun in public to acquire a permit and, in most cases, receive firearms training. Giving law enforcement a say in who can carry guns in America's cities and neighborhoods, while ensuring they are properly trained, just makes sense. Unfortunately, that commodity is in short supply in Missouri, where lawmakers buckled to pressure from the national gun lobby and overrode the governor's veto of a bill... (GunPolicy.org)
Manifesto in Support of the Disarmament Statute of Brazil
21 September 2016
Igarapé Insitute (Brazil), Communique
Brazilian society:
We are researchers from public and private universities and research institutions across Brazil and around the world. Our goal is to highlight the scientific evidence associated with the Disarmament Statute. Studies on the relationships between the Statute and lethal violence are available in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and doctoral theses, a sample of which is listed in the Annex. Among other things, these studies refute the hypothesis... (GunPolicy.org)
Spain is the World's 7th Largest Arms Exporter [ES]
21 September 2016
Europa Press (Spain)
[Translated summary: The arms trade market is rising and Spain is the 7th biggest world exporter. In the first semester of 2015, exports in the country reached 1,727.2 million EUR, 25.3% more than the same period in the previous year. Almost 450 million EUR were from sales to Saudi Arabia, followed by the United Kingdom, Malaysia, France, Egypt and Germany.]
MADRID -- El comercio de armas está en auge y España es uno de los países que más está aprovechando el... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil 57 Experts Oppose Bill to Weaken Gun Law [PT]
21 September 2016
Sul 21 (Brazil)
[Translated summary: A group of 57 researchers from Brazil and abroad have published a manifesto against the revocation of the Disarmament Statute. The document aims to inform society of the available scientific evidence confirming the effectiveness of the Statute as a tool to save lives. The evidence refutes the idea that more guns mean less violence.]
Um grupo de 57 pesquisadores de instituições públicas e privadas de ensino e pesquisa no Brasil e no exterior... (GunPolicy.org)
Brazil 57 Experts Warn Against Bill to Weaken Gun Law [PT]
21 September 2016
O Globo (Brazil), Editorial
[Translated summary: A manifesto against the revocation of the Disarmament Statute was signed by 50 experts with the support of 13 organisations linked to issues associated with the reduction and prevention of violence in Brazil. The bill to repeal the statute would reduce the minimum age for gun purchases from 25 to 21 and relax the eligibility criteria for a gun licence, among others.]
Manifesto contra a revogação da lei, a ser lançado hoje em Brasília, alerta... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Are Stolen in America As Often As Once Every Minute
21 September 2016
The Trace (USA)
ATLANTA — Landen Boyd parked his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a construction site south of downtown Atlanta and went to work, leaving his black Smith & Wesson 9mm in a case underneath the center console.
It was the fall of 2006, and Boyd, a 37-year-old construction superintendent, was overseeing the development of an apartment complex across the train tracks from Mechanicsville, a high-crime neighborhood. When noon came, Boyd hitched a ride to eat lunch with... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Owners Lose Up to 60,000 Firearms a Year to Thieves
21 September 2016
Guardian
Landen Boyd parked his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a construction site south of downtown Atlanta and went to work, leaving his black Smith & Wesson 9mm in a case underneath the center console.
While Boyd was eating lunch at a nearby rib joint, someone chucked a brick through his truck's back window, crawled inside, grabbed his weapon, and fled.
The Smith & Wesson vanished into Atlanta's underworld for more than two years. The handgun resurfaced when police... (GunPolicy.org)
Has Australia Become Complacent About Gun Control?
21 September 2016
Huffington Post (Australia)
It's been 20 years since the Port Arthur massacre, and the landmark gun control legislation introduced by the Howard government soon after. Two decades on from the buy back scheme which saw 700,000 guns taken off streets and destroyed, the Australian Greens have named senator Lee Rhiannon as their new gun control spokesperson. It is a new portfolio for the party, and Rhiannon herself said she wasn't sure if any other party had named a specific gun control portfolio... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Mulls More Gun Control as Gun Crimes Spike - NRA
20 September 2016
America's First Freedom
Hillary Clinton has said Australia's 1996 gun ban—and subsequent confiscation and destruction of over 650,000 guns from pump shotguns to rimfire .22 rifles from lawful people like you—is an idea "worth considering on the national level."
Australians beg to differ.
Today, 20 years after Australia's gun ban, gun crime is skyrocketing in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city. And now politicians are talking about passing new gun-control laws to further disarm... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Shows 3% of Americans Own Nearly Half the Guns in US
19 September 2016
Guardian
Americans own an estimated 265m guns, more than one gun for every American adult, according to the most definitive portrait of US gun ownership in two decades. But the new survey estimates that 130m of these guns are concentrated in the hands of just 3% of American adults – a group of super-owners who have amassed an average of 17 guns each.
The unpublished Harvard/Northeastern survey result summary, obtained exclusively by the Guardian and the Trace, estimates that... (GunPolicy.org)
Morocco: Police Must Use Guns More to Fight Crime [FR]
18 September 2016
Le 360 (Morocco)
[Translated summary: To face an increase in crime, Moroccan police will be required to use their firearms more often. Police sources explain that this is a right they haven't employed until now because the level of crime in Morocco was not as high as in other countries. Morocco has around 50,000 police officers and most of them carry Beretta pistols and HK machine guns.]
Pour faire face à la montée de la criminalité, la police marocaine serait désormais appelée à... (GunPolicy.org)
Six in 10 Mexicans Oppose Having Guns at Home [ES]
17 September 2016
Animal Político (Mexico)
[Translated summary: According to a survey, 6 out of 10 Mexicans are against having firearms at home, up 16% since 2002. More than half of Mexican citizens feel that firearms shouldn't be allowed in any circumstances, 32% want the right to own firearms but not to carry them, and 11% favour both home ownership and wearing hidden handguns.]
La mayoría de los mexicanos está en contra de que se permita tener armas de fuego en casa, revela la encuesta más reciente... (GunPolicy.org)
Criminal Gun Misuse in Australia Reveals Gun Law Limitations
16 September 2016
NRA Institute for Legislative Action
While anti-gun politicians like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama tout Australia's gun control laws as a model for the United States, recent reporting on crime in Melbourne from newspaper The Age revealed the limitations of Australia's stringent laws. According to the paper, "Despite Australia's strict gun control regime, criminals are now better armed than at any time since then-Prime Minister John Howard introduced a nationwide firearm buyback scheme in response to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Amnesty Hopes to Recover Thousands of Illegal Guns
14 September 2016
Sydney Morning Herald
Justice Minister Michael Keenan says he expects that at least "thousands" of illegal guns to be handed over in a planned national firearms amnesty.
But the nature of the illicit market meant it was hard to know how many owners of illegal guns would actually be prepared to give them up, as opposed to serious criminals who will want to hang onto their weapons, he said.
Mr Keenan has confirmed Fairfax Media reports on Wednesday that the federal government will soon nail... (GunPolicy.org)
40% of Gun Sales in Maine Don't Require Background Checks
14 September 2016
Bangor Daily News (Maine), Editorial
If the point of requiring background checks before selling guns is to keep firearms out of the hands of people who aren't supposed to have them, Maine, along with most other states, is failing. That's because an estimated 40 percent of gun sales take place online or through other venues that do not require background checks.
Federal and Maine law prohibits the sale of firearms to felons, domestic abusers and others deemed too dangerous to own them. But without... (GunPolicy.org)
US 'Floods' Mexico with Guns - Ministry of Foreign Affairs [ES]
14 September 2016
Mi Morelia (Mexico)
[Translated Summary: Over 13 million illegal firearms are circulating in Mexico, and 10 million of those are presumed to be in hands of organized crime. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs points out that in four US states on the border with Mexico, there are at least 9,000 legal gun shops and over 23,000 licences to sell them over the Internet and at gun shows.]
La violencia que ha asfixiado al país en los últimos 15 años tiene uno de sus orígenes en la laxitud... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia Plans New National Gun Amnesty, Tougher Penalties
14 September 2016
Guardian
The Turnbull government will begin a national gun amnesty after a wave of gun-related crime across the country. It also plans to increase penalties for gun smuggling.
The justice minister, Michael Keenan, said the gun amnesty had the support of the Nationals and would allow Australians to hand in illegal guns without penalty. It would not be a buyback.
He said the details of the amnesty were yet to be worked out but had in-principle support from his state and... (GunPolicy.org)
New Measures on Gun Control Coming Soon in Canada [FR]
13 September 2016
La Presse (Montréal)
[Translated summary: Reporters asked Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale if he is going to act to ban certain firearms, especially one Beretta rifle that resembles the CX4 Storm but is slightly modified to fit the non-restricted category, making it available to anyone with a regular licence. Goodale stated that he will present in the next few weeks new propositions to reinforce gun laws.]
Alors que la journée de mardi marque les 10 ans depuis la fusillade au... (GunPolicy.org)
As Assault Weapons Surge, Canada Drafts Tougher Gun Laws
13 September 2016
National Post (Toronto)
OTTAWA — The drafting of tougher gun laws has begun, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Tuesday on the day marking the 10th anniversary of the rampage at Montreal's Dawson College by a man firing a semi-automatic assault carbine still sold legally today.
Pressed by reporters as he headed into a cabinet meeting, Goodale deflected questions about the continued sale in Canada of the Beretta Cx4 Storm semi-automatic carbine, the restricted weapon used by Kimveer... (GunPolicy.org)
Pink Pistols, the US LGBT Group that Embraces Guns [ES]
13 September 2016
Hoy Los Angeles
[Translated summary: In the days after 49 people were fatally shot at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, the LGBT gun group Pink Pistols started to receive more attention, with new locations opening across the US and Canada. Members believe that owning guns will make their community safer, while the vast majority of LGBT activists say becoming armed is not the answer.]
Jonathan Fischer nunca sabe quién se sorprenderá más cuando -como a él mismo le gusta decirlo-... (GunPolicy.org)
Chasing a Silver Bullet: How Melbourne Became a Gun City (3)
13 September 2016
Age (Melbourne)
He was 22 years old the first time he got caught with a gun. Police chased him down on foot and recovered a stash of drugs and a revolver. He was charged and released on bail.
Five months later, he would be caught with more drugs and another gun - this time a .22 calibre semi-automatic pistol.
For these crimes, he got nine months jail and a community corrections order.
Angelo's* next run in with the law - five months after his release from prison - would see the now... (GunPolicy.org)
New National Gun Amnesty to Be Announced in Australia
13 September 2016
Age (Melbourne)
State and federal ministers and attorney-generals requested an amnesty be considered by senior officials in the National Justice and Policing Senior Officials Group last year.
These officials gave a unanimous in-principle support for an amnesty last month.
State ministers must agree to proceed, however, support for an amnesty is strong and it is understood the timing will be settled before the end of the year.
Victoria's Police Minister Lisa Neville said the state... (GunPolicy.org)
Surge in Melbourne Gun Crimes Calls for a New Gun Buyback
12 September 2016
Age (Melbourne), Editorial
"Melbourne is in the grip of an unprecedented wave of gun violence." With these words, The Age this week began a three-day investigative series that should concern every citizen of a metropolis that has repeatedly snared the accolade of "world's most liveable city".
Our comprehensive package is about more than liveability; it is a matter of life and death. As gun-related crime has surged, innocent people have been killed in the crossfire, and more will be unless... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Owners Shoot Effigy of Gun Control Activist
12 September 2016
ABC News (Australia)
Police have been asked to investigate footage of a man shooting and setting alight an effigy of Gun Control Australia leader Sam Lee.
The YouTube video shows two gun enthusiasts customising and demonstrating a controversial Adler lever action shotgun.
The video then cuts to a blonde doll, dubbed "Sham Leigh from Fun Control Australia".
The doll is shot multiple times until the head blows apart, which is then replayed in slow motion. The effigy is then set... (GunPolicy.org)
Central America,Mexico,South America,United States
USA, Stop Enabling Latin America's Gun Addiction - Letter
11 September 2016
Americas Quarterly, Letter
Dear Mister / Madam President,
As the world's largest arms exporter, the U.S. plays an outsize role in fueling Latin America's insatiable addiction to firearms. To take one example, during most of the 1980s, El Salvador was the largest consumer of U.S. military hardware in the Americas, feeding one of the most vicious civil wars in Latin American history. And while the conflict ended in 1992, the legacy of its arms transfers remains: U.S. officials estimate that almost... (GunPolicy.org)
New Law Would Curb Gun Numbers, AK-47s in Honduras [ES]
11 September 2016
Tiempo (Honduras)
[Translated summary: A new gun control bill is proposed in Honduras, where 80% of violent crime involves firearms. The new law would reduce from 5 to 1 the number of guns allowed, and would increase from 18 to 21 the minimum age to get a licence. Some guns would be banned from civilian use, such as the AK-47. It is estimated that there are 400,000 legal and 800,000 illicit guns in Honduras.]
TEGUCIGALPA -- El Diputado del Congreso Nacional (CN), Osman Aguilar pidió a... (GunPolicy.org)
Study Shows that US Gun Removal Law Prevented Suicides
9 September 2016
Atlantic (USA)
After several years during which fights to expand background checks dominated the agenda of the gun reform movement, advocates are encouraging sympathetic state legislators to also consider more targeted strategies that they say could prevent shootings by people deemed at risk of harming themselves or others.
About a dozen states appear poised in their upcoming legislative sessions to consider bills that would create "risk-based" gun-removal laws. Such measures allow... (GunPolicy.org)
Tory Minister's Secret Directive Lifted Gun Bans in Canada
9 September 2016
CBC News (Canada)
Former public safety minister Steven Blaney issued a secret directive in the dying days of the Conservative government that opened the door for firearms to be classified according to a gun manufacturer's suggestion, CBC News has learned.
Responding to complaints from firearms advocates and the industry, Blaney's directive gave the RCMP 180 days to evaluate a gun, decide its classification and issue the Firearms Reference Table (FRT) number needed to import that model... (GunPolicy.org)
NRA-Backed Taboo on Tracing US Gun Sales Must Change
8 September 2016
Los Angeles Times, Editorial
When police recover a gun from a crime scene, they usually check with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to determine the weapon's history — who made it, who bought it from whom and when. But because of ludicrous restrictions that Congress has placed on the agency, a gun trace that should take minutes instead takes days, wasting precious time and millions of taxpayer dollars.
The problem is rooted in the gun lobby's fear that the federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Why US Gun Tracing Center Is Not Allowed Computers [ES]
7 September 2016
Actualidad RT
[Translated summary: A US law makes sure that the government can't create a searchable database of all firearm owners. According to the NRA, registering all the firearms in a single place will allow the government to easily confiscate them. Thus, the National Tracing Center has to look for records manually, and a search that could take seconds, takes more than a week.]
A diferencia de lo que muestran las películas, en EE.UU. no existe ningún sistema íntegro de... (GunPolicy.org)
Medical Marijuana Patients Can't Buy Guns, Says US Court
7 September 2016
Washington Post
An appeals court ruled last week that a federal law prohibiting medical marijuana cardholders from purchasing guns does not violate their Second Amendment rights, because marijuana has been linked to "irrational or unpredictable behavior."
The ruling came in the case of a Nevada woman who attempted to purchase a handgun in 2011, but was denied when the gun store owner recognized her as a medical marijuana cardholder, according to court documents. S. Rowan Wilson... (GunPolicy.org)
Slovakia 'Main Supplier' of Guns to Terrorists in Europe [ES]
7 September 2016
Terra (Argentina)
[Translated summary: Slovakia has become one of the main suppliers of guns to the black market. Until last year, companies were allowed to sell old weapons that had been disabled. However, it was very easy to make the weapons operational again. New regulations ban online sales and demand companies to use other methods for disabling.]
Un agujero legal, la falta de controles y la búsqueda de beneficio económico han hecho de Eslovaquia uno de los principales... (GunPolicy.org)
4,500 Gun Violence Deaths While US Congress Was on Break
6 September 2016
Fusion (USA)
As America's elected representatives returned from their nearly two-month-long summer break on Tuesday, they were met with a stark number awaiting their arrival:
4,500.
That's how many people the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence says were killed by firearms since Congress broke for its summer recess on July 18.
"Congress is in for a rude awakening today if they thought seven weeks of vacation would wipe the slate clean," Dan Gross, President of the Brady... (GunPolicy.org)