Kyrgyzstan: Little Support for Relaxing Gun Law

Ministerial calls for members of the public in Kyrgyzstan to be able to purchase firearms for self-defence have been criticised as foolhardy. Observers say Kyrgyzstan has enough stability and crime problems as things stand without putting more guns into circulation.



The suggestion was made last week by Kyrgyz justice minister Marat Kaipov as part of a set of proposed changes to the existing law on weapons.



Kaipov said it might help combat rising crime levels if “every criminal knew that if he visited a house without an invitation, he might get a bullet through his head”.



This is not time someone has floated the idea of liberalising gun ownership in Kyrgyzstan. In the early Nineties, when the country had just gained its independence, the then interior minister, Felix Kulov, called for weapons to be distributed among ordinary people. However, the rest of the government refused to allow this.



In 2006, after a series of shocking murders of well-known politicians, parliament again returned to the subject of whether elected deputies, at least, should be allowed to carry guns.



After the change in leadership in March 2005, another two parliamentarians were shot in Bishkek and a third was killed during a prison visit.



In response, parliament amended the law in December 2006 to allow members of parliament to carry guns during their term in office. Prior to the December election, almost one-third of sitting members had availed themselves of this right.



Kyrgyzstan has fairly strict rules governing gun ownership. While registered hunters can own weapons to pursue their trade, handguns are not easy to acquire legally, and automatic rifles like the Kalashnikov are restricted to the security forces.



Anyone wishing to acquire a firearm must apply in writing to the interior ministry’s licensing department. A special commission then examines the applicant’s eligibility, looking at factors such as personality, health, past history, and whether they have the facilities to store the weapon safely.



The justice minister’s proposal to relax these requirements has met with considerable resistance.



After a special parliamentary committee on weapons failed to support the idea, cabinet ministers joined in the criticism.



The deputy interior minister, Temirkan Subanov, said making it easier for people to get hold of weapons would be a “thoughtless step”.



“It will worsen the criminal situation in the country, leading to an increase in illegal arms trafficking as well as thefts,” Subanov predicted.



Members of the public also seem sceptical of the benefits of allowing people to be able to buy guns over the counter.



Anatoly Grushko, a businessman from the southern city of Osh, told IWPR that while people were certainly concerned about their personally security, easier access to arms would just make the situation worse.



“In no case should guns be allowed to those who want to carry them, because it might lead to more disorder,” said Grushko. “The criminal world is already over-active and there are clashes from time to time, especially in the south.”



Bolot Mambetov, a resident of the capital Bishkek in the north of the country, also opposed the measure, warning it would lead to “chaos”.



“If it happens, gunfire will become the norm in the country,” he said. “Everyone will start sorting out their disputes with guns.”



Miroslav Niazov, a former head of Kyrgyzstan’s Security Council, told IWPR the country was not ready for such a development.



“To grant people such a right, the country would need to have an appropriate culture, level of development and wealth,” he said. “Right now, it would only provoke local conflicts, and they in turn might spawn more serious conflicts.”



The use of firearms in crimes has been on the rise for some time in Kyrgyzstan.



According to a study carried out by the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, the political turmoil of spring 2005 led to a deterioration in overall security and an increase in the availability of illicit weapons.



According to official statistics, in the period 2001 to 2003, only about 300 crimes committed in Kyrgyzstan every year involved the use of weapons. Since then, however, the number has risen more than tenfold to more than 3,500 incidents in 2006 and almost 3,700 in 2007.



While most public figures have come out against the justice minister’s proposal, political scientist Tamerlan Ibraimov suspects there is some public support for the idea because so many people feel unprotected from criminals.



At the same time, Ibraimov said making firearms freely available could have disastrous consequences.



“If it is done on a large scale, we will face a big problem in the future,” he said. “After obtaining weapons, people might have a great temptation to commit crimes.”



Parliamentarian Zainidin Kurmanov agreed. Simplifying the procedure by which people can buy arms would effectively mean the state admitting its own failure to guarantee their basic security.



“The suggestion would mean militarisation of the country,” said Kurmanov.



“In a country where hard drinking is the norm, if every family had a weapon, it would certainly get used and the number of dead bodies in the country would increase.”



Tolkun Namatbaeva is an IWPR contributor in Bishkek. Elina Karakulova is IWPR’s chief editor for Central Asia, based in Bishkek.