Firearms in Armenia

Introduction:

 

Although not famous as a rifle manufacturer Armenia began to manufacture small arms and ammunition in the early 1990s, primarily due to its need for more weapons in its war against Azerbaijan.  

 

The Armenian Ministry of Defence Industrial Department has since developed its own small arms models, such as the K-3 assault rifle, the K-11 sniper rifle and the K-2 army pistol. on the net we found an interesting site of Paul Mulcahy (Retired from US Army) where Armenian rifles are lasted with short descriptions:

 

Armenian Assault Rifle

http://www.pmulcahy.com/assault_rifles/armenian_assault_rifles.htm

 

Armenian Sniper Rifle

http://www.pmulcahy.com/sniper_rifles/armenian_sniper_rifles.htm

 

See above the picture of K-11 sniper rifle (The emblem of Armenia is seen at the background)

 

We found also the following overview (1) on firearms in Armenia (updated on January 2004)

Population: 3,326,448 (July 2003 est.)

Economy:  

GDP: purchasing power parity – $12.6 billion (2002 est.)

GDP: per capita purchasing power parity – $3,800 (2002 est.)

Governance: Republic

FIREARMS OWNERSHIP

Percentage of Households with Firearms: Not known

Estimated Number of Firearms: Not known

Types of Legal Firearms:   Armenia distinguishes between civilian arms, service arms, and combat arms.   Civilian arms must exclude the possibility of rapid gun fire, and cartridge capacity must not exceed 10 bullets.   State officials and employees of legal persons are permitted to use service arms. Service arms may have the possibility of rapid gunfire, but their cartridges must not have the capacity for more than 10 bullets.   Combat arms are used by State Militarized Agencies (e.g., the Ministries of Defence and National Security, the Police Department, the State Courier Service, and the armed units of the Civil Emergency Department).   The rules and procedures of the circulation of arms and their bullets by these State Militarized Agencies are defined by a decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. (2)

Purposes of Lawful Firearms Ownership: Civilians may own and use arms for the purposes of self-protection, hunting and sport.   State officials and employees of legal persons may own and use arms for purposes of self-protection and the fulfillment of tasks envisaged by law such as the protection of the lives of civilians, their health, property, and so forth.   State Militarized Agencies may own and use arms for combat-operative tasks. (2)

FIREARM DEATH, INJURY AND CRIME

The major security issue in Armenia is the ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno Karabakh region.   The area is officially part of Azerbaijan, but 90% of its population is ethnically Armenian.   The conflict has also involved Turkey and Russia.   Riots began in 1988, when the Armenian majority appealed to Russia for incorporation with Armenia.   However, when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh attempted to claim independence from both Armenia and Azerbaijan.   In the subsequent conflict, Armenia took forcible possession of parts of the region.   The conflict left over 15,000 people dead. The situation remains unresolved. (3) (7)

Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the numbers of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the hands of civilians were low. (6) (8) However, since that time a pervasive gun culture has developed in most of the former Soviet republics.   Organized crime is a major force throughout the region.   Heavily armed groups traffic arms, drugs and people. (8)

No firearm-specific mortality statistics are available.   However, the following table contains data on intentional violence as reported by Armenia to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Mortality Due to Acts of Violence (9)

	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
Suicide and self-inflicted injury	106	112	130	87	77	66	67	61
Homicide and injury purposely inflicted by other persons	288	179	164	114	97	96	98	88
Other violence	198	181	266	462	444	406	340	332

TYPES/SOURCES OF FIREARMS WHICH ARE MISUSED

Although Armenia has a small arms production industry, its main source for SALW supplies is Russia.   Arms transfers from other former Soviet republics also occur, but more sporadically and infrequently.   The weapons serve to fuel the continuing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.   An arms embargo was imposed on Armenia and Azerbaijan in an attempt to reduce SALW proliferation and bloodshed.   This embargo was lifted by the US in March 2002. (3)

The Armenian Defence Ministry is regarded as a stable purchaser of weapons; the requirements of that department are seen as ?extremely large?. (4)   Examples of illicit trafficking incidents include:

• Between 1994 and 1996, Armenia illegally received from Russia 84 T-72 tanks, 50 armoured fighting vehicles, and miscellaneous spare parts.   The total worth has been estimated at $1 billion.   In March 1997, Russia's former defence minister Igor Rodionov confirmed that armaments had been supplied to Armenia without the knowledge of the Russian leaders.   The illegal arms transfers were likely intended to fuel the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. (4) (5)
  
• In November-December 2000, the Kyrgyz defence industry sold the Armenian Defence Ministry over 3 million (3,000,240) assault rifle rounds for $180,000.   The sale was a flagrant violation of the embargo then in place on deliveries of weapons and ammunition to Armenia and Azerbaijan. (4)

DOMESTIC FIREARM LEGISLATION (2)

Armenia has recently amended its Law of the Republic of Armenia on Arms (adopted on 03.07.1998, entered into force on 13.09.1998) with the following pieces of legislation:

• Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia on the ?Rules and procedures of the Licensing of the Production of Arms in the Republic of Armenia? (adopted on 05.12.2002, entered into force on 23.07.2003)
  
• Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia on ?Regulating the Circulation of Service and Civilian Weapons and Their Bullets on the Territory of the Republic of Armenia? (adopted on 26.10.1999, entered into force 26.10.1999)
  
• Order of the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Armenia on ?Rules and Procedures of the Control Over Service and Civilian Arms by the Bodies of Internal Affairs? (adopted on 15.03.2002, entered into force on 10.14.2002)
  
• Decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia on Surrender of Arms and Other Military Inventory Illegally Held by Citizens or by Organizations

Licensing Requirements: Article 13 of the Law on Arms defines the rules and procedures for possession of arms by citizens of Armenia.   The licence application for possession can be refused if it does not meet the requirements enumerated in the law, such as the age (over 18), appropriate medical conclusions, document of residence, document confirming the knowledge of rules of safety, etc.   The licence is valid only for a limited period. (2)

Registration Requirements:   Citizens are allowed to own arms on the basis of a licence, which must be registered with the appropriate internal affairs agency within two weeks of acquisition.   A licence is simultaneously considered a permit to possess a weapon if it has a specific notification of registration by the internal affairs agencies.   The Government keeps accurate records of the numbers of combat, civilian and service arms and weapons. (2)

Training Requirements:   A document confirming a potential licensee's knowledge of the rules of firearms safety is required in order to obtain a licence. (2)

Storage Requirements:   Not known

Prohibited Firearms:   Not known

Penalties:   The new Criminal Code (which will enter into force on 1 August 2003) has expanded the scope of the existing legislation on illicit trafficking of SALW.   Articles 235, 236, 238 of the Criminal Code are dealing directly the criminal offences on illegal manufacture, possession, stockpiling, acquisition, sales and transportation, as well as and theft of arms and ammunition or explosives.   Articles 237 and 239 of the Code define the criminal offences on inaccurate or careless stockpiling of arms.   (2)

MANUFACTURE, IMPORT AND EXPORT

Manufacture: Armenia began to manufacture small arms and ammunition in the early 1990s, primarily due to its need for more weapons in its war against Azerbaijan.   The Armenian Ministry of Defence Industrial Department has since developed its own small arms models, such as the K-3 assault rifle, the K-11 sniper rifle and the K-2 army pistol. (6)

In accordance with the Law on Arms and a Government Decision, the manufacture of weapons is subject to licensing. The Law requires detailed procedure for the issuance of a licence for producing arms and weapons. The licence for the production of arms and weapons is issued by the Government of Armenia at the presentation of the formal conclusion from the Republic's body of internal affairs. The application for the production of weapons must contain information about the type of arms and weapons to be produced as well as information about the safety of the entire production process and stockpiling. In accordance with Article 16 of the Law on Arms, every unit of produced arms and weapons must be individually numbered and it should be marked on the basis of the procedures defined by the state agency for standardization, certification and marking. In accordance with the Government decision, it is forbidden in the Republic of Armenia to sell arms which are not registered by the internal affairs agencies, as well as arms which do not have individual number and marking. (2)

In accordance with the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Armenia on the Rules and Procedures for Licensing of the Production of Arms, the application for license for production can be denied if :

• the documents provided by the applicant are not complete, or if they are evidently false,
  
• the documents do not meet the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Armenia,
  
• the applicant, in accordance with the legislation or in accordance with its own by-laws, does not have the right to engage in such activity,
  
• the rules and procedures of safety of arms production, as well as the monitoring of the process of production and the stockpile do not meet the requirements of the legislation. (2)

The circulation of unmarked SALW in the Republic of Armenia is strictly forbidden by legislation. If relevant authorities discover unmarked arms in the course of their work, these arms are subject to examination in the appropriate expert units of the Police department, after which they are subject to destruction. (2)

The Government Decision of 26.10.1999 on regulating the circulation of civilian and service arms, states that legal entities which are producing arms are obliged to conduct monitoring on the whole production process, ensure the safety of the production, its quality, ensure the counting and stockpile of the arms. Furthermore the places of production and stockpiling, as well as its documentation, are subject to examination by the Police Department and by the Department of standardization and certification of the Republic of Armenia. State militarized agencies in Armenia are obligated to keep records of all arms placed within their jurisdiction. The internal affairs agencies keep records of arms and bullets possessed by physical persons or legal entities. (2)

Import and Export: The export policy of the Republic of Armenia is based upon respect for and commitment to international law, and the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Although Armenia, itself is not a member of the various multilateral control regimes, it strongly adheres to the goals of these regimes. The rules and procedures for licensing arms exports are stipulated in the Law on Arms as well as in the decisions of Government and the Order of the Minister of the Interior of Armenia. In accordance with the Law on Arms the export and import of combat arms must be carried out on the basis of the rules and procedures defined by the Government. In accordance with the Decision of the Government, for the export of any consignment of weapons and bullets the manufacturer must provide the Police Service with the following documents:

• Application for permission to export arms and containing information on the type, model and quantity of weapons to be exported;
  
• the copy of the purchase contract signed with foreign customer;
  
• the certificate of conformance for models not registered in State Cadastre; and
  
• three samples of the records compendium of exported weapons, including the type, model and serial number. (2)

In the case of transit of arms and weapons, the owner, in accordance with the legislation, must present to the Police Department the following documents:

• application for permission to import and export;
  
• a copy of a an agreement with the Guards Division of the Police Department;
  
• the third copy of customs declaration which should have the notation ?transit? by the customs service of the Republic of Armenia; and
  
• a list of the arms notarized by the customs service and containing information about the kind of the arms, models, their calibre, series as well as information about the calibre of the bullets, their quantity, etc. (2)

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia has submitted the latter to the National Assembly, for the adoption of the draft Law on export control. The draft Law on export control intends to support the implementation of international obligations and commonly agreed measures in order to fight the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, to guarantee the implementation of international agreements and to establish an effective export control mechanism. It also intends to create favourable conditions for integrating into world trade systems and acquiring modern technologies by promoting foreign trade and foreign investments. (2)

REFERENCES

1. United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook 2003 , Armenia: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/.
   
2. National Report of the Republic of Armenia on the Implementation of the United Nations' Small Arms and Light Weapons Programme of Action, 2002, submitted to the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs: http://disarmament.un.org/cab/salw-nationalreports.html.
   
3. Gagik Avagyan, ?Armenia: Forcing the Peace?, in Anna Matveeva and Duncan Hiscock, eds., The Caucasus: Armed and Divided , Saferworld, April 2003, pp. 33-44.
   
4. ?Kyrgyz Munitions Deliveries to Armenia Contravene UN Resolutions?, 3 May 2001. Available at: www.nisat.org.
   
5. ?Yeltsin Sacks Officials Involved in Arms Sales to Armenia?, Interfax (Moscow), 23 October 1997. Available at: www.nisat.org.
   
6. Graduate Institute of International Studies (GIIS), Small Arms Survey 2003: Development Denied , Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003, pp. 47-48.
   
7. International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), ?Armenia and Azerbaijan?: http://www.iansa.org/regions/europe/armenia_azerbaijan.htm.
   
8. GIIS, Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the Problem , Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001, pp. 179-180.
   
9. Table adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO), ?Table 1: Numbers of Registered Deaths?, Armenia: http://www3.who.int/whosis/mort/table1_process.cfm.