Armenian lawmaker introduces new gun control bill

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMENPRESS. Member of Parliament Vilen Gabrielyan from the ruling Civil Contract party presented a new gun control bill seeking to introduce new regulations on sale and use of firearms.

The bill seeks to define the minimum age for a gun license at 21. It would further lift the current mandatory requirement of being a member of the Hunting Union for eligibility of buying a hunting rifle, and also lift the requirement of owning a smoothbore firearm (shotgun) for the past 5 years for eligibility to buy a rifle.

Other regulations include the definition of the mandatory examination procedure, lifting of the restriction on the number of ammunition, specification of the types of firearms and standards of shooting ranges.

The current 5-year license for the acquisition, possession, carry and transportation of firearms would be extended to 10 years.

The firearms manufacturing, import and trade license’s 3-year term will be extended to 5 years.

Buyers will be eligible to acquire up to 10 civilian firearms instead of the current 5.

The permit for holding collection of firearms will become without a fixed term.

The bill, if passed, will take effect three months after adoption.

The current law allows Armenian citizens to own only “civilian firearms’. Weapons considered “civilian firearms” should not be equipped with automatic fire modes and should not have a magazine with the capacity of more than 10 cartridges.

The law also prohibits the issue of civilian and service weapons which resemble other items, firearms modified to fire larger caliber rounds, incendiary, explosive, armor piercing or tracer rounds, as well as several other limitations concerning gas handguns including revolvers.

The minimum age requirement to be eligible for gun possession is 18. Citizens must apply to law enforcement bodies for a license. Citizens must undergo medical checkups, background checks and provide other documents as requested by the Police.