Strictest Gun Laws in the World

The Swiss have a unique relationship with firearms. For some, Switzerland`s gun laws may seem permissive, but the Alpine country`s gun policy has many restrictive nuances. Today, weapons are important for Swiss culture. The country`s 8.3 million people own around 2 million registered firearms, which is one of the highest ownership rates in Europe (via Business Insider/Vox Europ). Japan has been described as the country with “perhaps the first arms buyback initiative” in 1685 and is the first country to introduce gun laws in the world; [252] As a result, gun ownership is very rare: 0.6 guns per 100 population in 2007. When massacres do occur, they are often committed by attackers armed with knives rather than weapons. In 2014, there were 6 gun deaths in Japan. [251] The shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday in Japan — a country known for its strict gun laws and low rates of gun violence — sent shockwaves around the world. Other countries with strict gun laws have also recently experienced high-profile incidents of gun violence. DW examines the laws of a handful of countries where gun violence is rare but real. Firearms laws in Bangladesh are very restrictive. Only tax-paying individuals over the age of 25 (30 for handguns) and under the age of 60 can apply for a firearms licence. Self-defense is only an accepted reason and requires proof of danger to life.

Legal owners can only own one long gun (shotgun or rifle) and one handgun (pistol or revolver). They cannot work as security guards. A separate licence is required for each firearm, calibre conversion kit or silencer. There is no codified limit to the number of licences a person can hold, but in practice, a licence holder can possess up to six shotguns, ten handguns or a mixture of eight rifles and handguns. Firearms must be stored in an approved safe. A firearm registered for hunting can be used for sport shooting, but not vice versa. Hunting licences are implicitly limited to rapid-fire weapons or, more rarely, semi-automatic rifles that are “applicable to hunting” without the latter being strictly defined in the laws, which is controversial. [378] This is the first in a series of articles in which I speak to people in several countries where gun laws are more restrictive. I wanted to know how they felt in their country. The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shocked Japan, a country with one of the lowest gun crime rates in the world due to its strict gun ownership laws. As in Singapore, the majority of South Korean men are well trained in the use of firearms due to conscription.

[277] Firearms are also lacking in South Korean society outside the military, and gun ownership and deaths are among the lowest in the world. [278] [279] As in the United States, the Canadian government imposes restrictions on firearms that may complement provinces, territories and municipalities. And as with its neighbour to the south, Canada`s gun laws were often determined by the force of firearms. In 1989, a student armed with a semi-automatic rifle killed fourteen students and wounded more than a dozen others at an engineering school in Montreal. The incident is widely credited with pushing for major gun reforms, which included a twenty-eight-day waiting period for purchases. mandatory safety training; more detailed background checks; ban on major magazines; and banning or tightening restrictions on military firearms and ammunition. Singapore is probably the strictest country in the world when it comes to gun laws. It is still possible to own a firearm, but it takes a lot of work. In 2007, Finland had the third highest rate of gun ownership in the world (behind the United States and Yemen)[336] and the first in Europe. [337] Finns are avid hunters, and in 2007 there were 1.6 million registered guns and 650,000 people with gun permits in the country, or 12 percent of the population. In November of the same year, Finland updated its firearms legislation following two school shootings that killed 20 people[338] and to comply with an EU directive by stripping young people aged 15 to 18 of their own licences. The possibility of creating a dual licence for a weapon already authorized with the authorization of the licensee has been allowed (e.g.

parental authorization). In 2011, a constitutional law committee concluded that individuals over the age of 20 can obtain a licence for semi-automatic handguns; Individuals must demonstrate ongoing activity in the handgun sports group two years in advance. [339] Historically and legally, EU member states have their own laws, which vary from country to country, which has led to differences in the level of legal access to firearms between EU countries. Japan is a country of 127 million people. Notably, however, the East Asian country saw only nine gun deaths in 2018, less than the death toll from many mass shootings in the United States (via GunPolicy.org). “Japan has always had strict gun laws,” said Iain Overton, a gun policy expert, “They were the first nation to introduce gun laws in the world, and I think that created a foundation that says guns really play no role in civil society.” Germany is now one of the countries with the strictest gun laws in Europe. In 2019, authorities approved even tighter controls on gun owners. Singaporean authorities, such as the police and private security forces, are subject to strict weapons firing laws. If they shoot a criminal, they can expect a long and thorough investigation. You have to prove beyond a doubt that shooting was the only option left.

Singapore is a city-state known for its strict laws, from crowd control to chewing gum (via Culture Trip). Firearms are no exception to Singapore`s culture of rules and regulations. According to GunPolicy.org, prospective firearms owners must apply for a licence that, as in other countries, includes background checks, character references, safety tests and a valid reason for possession. If a licence is granted, firearms owners must reapply every two years. In addition, there are restrictions on the amount of ammunition that can be possessed at one time. Due to compulsory military service, almost half of the civilian population has experience and is well trained in the use of firearms, especially the M16 and SAR 21. [275] Singapore has the lowest number of firearm deaths in the world. [276] Israeli firearms laws are comprehensive, although soldiers are allowed to carry their service weapons on or off duty. Civilians must be able to acquire, possess, sell or transfer a firearms licence. In 2018, Israel significantly eased firearms restrictions so that all citizens who had completed combat training and qualified for advanced infantry training (“Rifleman “07”) could apply for a private handgun license. [240] Firearms laws in Ireland are strict and require that all firearms be individually licensed by the Gardaí (police). Applicants must be 16 years of age and have a good reason for possession, a safe place to store firearms, proof of competency with the firearm or arrangements to obtain one, have access to medical records and two character references, and be of sound mind and moderate habits.

Applicants who have been convicted of certain offences will be denied a firearms licence. Personal protection is not a valid reason for possession. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but belongs to the Schengen area and the country`s relations with the EU are governed by a number of bilateral agreements. Therefore, a referendum was held in 2019 to strengthen the country`s gun laws to comply with new EU regulations. Nearly 64 percent of voters agreed to stricter restrictions on semi-automatic and automatic weapons. Switzerland has one of the most heavily armed populations in the world with more than 2.3 million private weapons out of a population of 8.5 million. Uruguayan legislation permits the possession of firearms on the basis of a purpose. These firearms must be less than .50 BMG calibre.

Port permits are issued on the basis of May, which is not a problem in practice, except for people working as private security personnel. Police and military personnel can carry their firearms without the need for a licence. The legal carrying of firearms must always be done in secret, the open carrying is not allowed. Recently, politicians in the ruling coalition announced their intention to allow the issuance of clandestine transport permits to civilians. With about 35 civilian firearms per 100 inhabitants, Uruguay is the eighth most armed country in the world and the most armed in Latin America. Jamaica`s firearms laws are set out in the Firearms Act and regulated by the Firearms Licensing Authority. [195] Applicants must pass a police background check and go through a certification process to obtain a firearms licence for shotguns, handguns and rifles. Shotguns and rifles for hunting or sporting purposes are easier to obtain than handguns. Fully automatic weapons are prohibited. Handguns are limited to those below .45 caliber for revolvers or 10mm for pistols.

The purchase of ammunition is limited to 250 rounds per year for shotguns and 50 rounds for handguns, with requests for additional ammunition generally accepted during the hunting season. A firearms safe is required to store all firearms and ammunition. [196] Once a licence is obtained, no additional authorization is required to carry a firearm openly or secretly, unless the carrying of firearms has been temporarily prohibited under section 22 of the Act. [197] Firearms laws and regulations (collectively referred to as firearms regulation or control) govern the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification and use of small arms and light weapons by civilians. After seven people were killed in Highland Park, Illinois, on July 4, American conservatives seized on a July 3 shooting that killed three people at a shopping mall in Copenhagen, Denmark, to argue that strict gun laws cannot prevent such tragedies.