Nouvelles sur les armes à feu
Germany Plans to Tighten Gun Control
6 November 2022
Deutsche Welle
The German government is planning to make background checks for potential gun owners even tighter. But questions remain over whether authorities are even equipped to carry out such controls.
The German government is seeking to impose even stricter background checks on gun ownership in an attempt to prevent political extremists and the psychologically disturbed from buying guns.
The latest call for restrictions comes partly in response to the killings in Hanau in... (GunPolicy.org)
Finlande,Ukraine,Suède,Danemark,Pays-Bas
Firearms Supplied to Ukraine Found in Crime in Scandinavia
2 November 2022
YLE (Finland)
Organised crime is growing in Finland and there is a strong demand for weapons. Routes and connections from Ukraine to Finland are already in place. The police are hoping for resources to deal with the increasing workload caused by the war in Ukraine.
Soldiers carry weapons in the woods.
Europol, the European police agency, has warned that international criminals are trying to smuggle weapons from war-torn Ukraine to various EU countries. Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba /... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey: One in Three Households Owns a Firearm
28 September 2022
Al Monitor
Thirteen-month-old Kaan Tas was being pushed around a garden by his sister when she noticed blood coming from his head. He died a short while later, the latest young life lost to gun crime in Turkey.
The Tas family was visiting the southern city of Gaziantep when Kaan was hit in the head on Tuesday evening by a "tired bullet" — a round fired into the air, usually at celebrations such as weddings or send-offs for men starting their military service. The phenomenon is... (GunPolicy.org)
NATO Prepared to Intervene in Kosovo
1 August 2022
The Hill (Washington DC)
The NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) is "prepared to intervene if stability is jeopardized" by the Kosovo-Serbia conflict, according to a KFOR statement Sunday.
"KFOR will take whatever measures are necessary to keep a safe and secure environment in Kosovo at all times, in line with its UN mandate," the statement read. KFOR reported that the situation in northern Kosovo is "tense" and under close watch by the force.
Tensions between the two countries have heightened... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Has 627,765 Gun Owners Licensed to Carry
9 July 2022
Agenda (Turkey)
In the statement made by the EGM, it was stated that "individual armament has increased and there are 25 million unlicensed and 2.5 million licensed guns in Turkey" on a website with "falsified" information.
In the statement, which stated that they had to publish a denial because of a similar news before, it was emphasized that the fight against fake news on this issue would continue.
Noting that there has been a decrease in the number of newly issued licensed guns in... (GunPolicy.org)
29 June 2022
Local
Is it difficult to get a gun in Germany?
To get a gun in Germany you firstly have to obtain a firearms ownership license (Waffenbesitzkarte) – and you may need a different one for each weapon you buy – or a license to carry (Waffenschein).
Applicants for a license must be at least 18-years-old and undergo what's called a reliability check. This includes checking for criminal records, whether the person is an alcohol or drug addict, whether they have a mental... (GunPolicy.org)
Royaume-Uni,Australie,États-Unis,Nouvelle Zélande
Australia, UK, New Zealand Tackled Mass Shootings
1 June 2022
CNN, Opinion
A man – almost always a man – commonly with no criminal history and no diagnosis of mental illness, armed with a lawfully obtained semiautomatic 'assault' weapon, kills and injures a large number of innocents in a place they imagined to be safe.
It happens around the world, but horrifyingly more and more often in the United States, most recently in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York.
To those of us who live in culturally similar nations, but where the... (GunPolicy.org)
What Rules Does Austria Have On Gun Ownership?
25 May 2022
The Local, Austria
The country has one of the most permissive gun laws in Europe. However, applicants still need a license and go through evaluations before being allowed to buy a weapon.
As the debate on gun ownership laws is brought back into the headlines after a tragic mass shooting in the United States on May 24th, it might be surprising to read that tranquil and peaceful Austria is also one of Europe's most permissive countries regarding gun laws.
Private gun ownership is allowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Belgium Sees Growing Interest of Young People in Shooting
23 May 2022
Sud Info (Belgium)
According to the latest figures from the Central Weapons Register, almost 170,000 private individuals own weapons in Belgium! The number of declared weapons has increased again and Hainaut remains the most armed province in the country.
Weapons continue to be popular in Belgium. According to the latest figures provided by the Minister of Justice, 678,592 weapons are registered in our country and they are held by 168,349 individuals, which amounts to an average of 4... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Firearm Registrations on the Up in Belgium
23 May 2022
Brussels Times
As of 2022, 678,592 registered firearms are held by 168,349 people in Belgium, an increase of over 8,000 new registered weapons, according to statistics obtained from the Ministry of Justice by Belgian newspaper Sud Press.
In other words, the average gun licence holder has around 4 weapons. Hainaut, in Wallonia, remains the most heavily-armed area in Belgium, also explained by the large number of shooting clubs and historical shooting traditions, such as pole... (GunPolicy.org)
Swiss State-owned Small Arms Producer Sold to Italy
13 April 2022
SwissInfo
Switzerland's state-owned Ruag International company has sold its small-caliber ammunition division to the Italian firearm manufacturer, Beretta.
All the 2,700 employees of Ammotech in Switzerland and ten other countries, including Germany and Sweden, the United States and Britain, would be taken over by the new Italian owner, Ruag International said on Wednesday.
The main Swiss production site in the town of Thun would be maintained for at least five years, Ruag... (GunPolicy.org)
Polish Right Calls for Easier Access to Guns
21 March 2022
Euroactive
The Polish right has proposed simplifying gun ownership regulations and shortening the procedure for applying for a gun permit as Russia's attack on Ukraine has renewed discussions in Poland about the country's stringent gun ownership laws.
Education minister Przemysław Czarnek has already announced that schools will provide defence training and shooting exercises for students as of September.
Those who back easier access to weapons say that Russia's attack on... (GunPolicy.org)
What Weapons Will Us Give Ukraine - And How Much Will They Help?
19 March 2022
BBC
The burnt-up wreckage of a Russian tank lies in the dirt, while in an accompanying photo next to it, a Ukrainian soldier carries the armaments said to have caused the destruction.
The images posted to Twitter by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are labelled with a triumphant caption, declaring that this was the result of "hits from Javelins on [Russian] military equipment".
The Javelin, a shoulder-held anti-tank weapon that shoots heat-seeking rockets hurtling towards... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,États-Unis,Russie,Turquie,Allemagne,Royaume-Uni,Pologne
What Weapons Have Other Countries Supplied to Ukraine?
17 March 2022
Guardian
The US president, Joe Biden, has announced an $800m (£610m) package of arms to Ukraine as the west steps up military aid against invading Russia forces.
The west's military assistance to Ukraine began cautiously with helmets and flak jackets but now includes drones that can destroy Russian tanks and artillery from 50 miles away.
The west has repeatedly refused to enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine but is now supplying a range of powerful weapons. They... (GunPolicy.org)
Plymouth Mass Shooting Investigation Concluded
16 March 2022
Plymouth Herald (UK)
The police watchdog investigating how and why the Keyham gunman had his pump-action shotgun returned to him by Devon and Cornwall Police after it was removed said it has now completed its inquiry - but its findings cannot be made public at this time.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct's (IOPC) investigation was launched in the wake of the tragic events on August 12, 2021 which saw the deaths of five people as well as the gunman, Jake Davison, by his own hand. A... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Soar in Lithuania After Russian Invasion of Ukraine
11 March 2022
National Interest (Lithuania)
Gun buyers in Lithuania are flocking to stores. Lithuanian media report that sales have increased eightfold and applications for gun licenses have more than doubled. Media outlets also report that shooting ranges are seeing increases in clients hoping to hone their skills.
These sales are believed to be largely driven by Lithuanian fears that Russia could invade in the future.
"[Putin] has much larger ambitions in Ukraine," President Joe Biden said in February. "He... (GunPolicy.org)
Large Amount of Unregistered Firearms in Bosnia and Herzegovina
7 March 2022
N1
Although it has been thirty years since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still a large number of unregistered firearms in the country but authorities manage to find and confiscate only a minor share, the police and security agencies in BiH and from abroad have found.
According to data collected and processed by the government's coordinating committee for small arms and light weapons, in 2021 there were 320,000 pieces of various weapons registered in the... (GunPolicy.org)
How Ukraine's Military Has Resisted Russia So Far
3 March 2022
New York Times
WASHINGTON — Ukraine's soldiers have blown up bridges to halt advancing Russian ground troops. Its pilots and air defenses have prevented Russian fighter jets from conquering the skies. And a band of savvy Ukrainian cyberwarriors are so far beating Moscow in an information war, inspiring support at home and abroad.
To the surprise of many military analysts, Ukrainian troops are mounting a stiffer-than-expected resistance to Russian forces up and down battle lines... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine,Pays-Bas,Suède,Finlande,Allemagne,Pologne,États-Unis,Russie
NATO Countries Pour Weapons Into Ukraine
2 March 2022
New York Times
The Dutch are sending rocket launchers for air defense. The Estonians are sending Javelin antitank missiles. The Poles and the Latvians are sending Stinger surface-to-air missiles. The Czechs are sending machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols and ammunition.
Even formerly neutral countries like Sweden and Finland are sending weapons. And Germany, long allergic to sending weapons into conflict zones, is sending Stingers as well as other shoulder-launched rockets.
In all,... (GunPolicy.org)
The Events Leading Up to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
1 March 2022
Reuters
Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Here is a timeline of Ukraine's fraught relationship with Moscow since it won independence in 1991 and the events that led to the current conflict.
1991: Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine declares independence from Moscow.
2004: Pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovich is declared president but allegations of vote-rigging trigger protests, known as the Orange Revolution, forcing a re-run of... (GunPolicy.org)