36 mln firearms unlicensed in Türkiye: Expert

ISTANBUL

Only 4 million out of more than 40 million firearms in Türkiye are licensed, with one in every two people possessing a gun, an expert has stated amid growing concerns over individual armament after a recent deadly shop raid in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district.

Two people were killed in an attack in Esenyurt. With camera footage of the incident going viral, the mainstream media widely covered the attack shedding light on the increasing crime rate in Esenyurt, which has gained a notorious reputation over the years. The incident has also brought the issue of individual armament to the country's agenda once again.

With approximately 36 million unlicensed guns in Türkiye, incidents of armed violence increase by 5 percent every year, said psychiatrist Ayhan Akcan, a member of the Umut Foundation, an NGO aiming to raise awareness about individual armament.

Speaking to daily Milliyet, Akcan pointed out that one out of every three households has a gun.

Noting that even with strict regulations for obtaining licenses, the problem persists, Akcan stated that widespread accessibility, lack of supervision and education, and the five-year renewal period for licenses contribute to the increase in gun-related violence.

"A common database is also crucial. Gendarmerie and police do not have the same data," he added.

Stressing that the people owning guns belong to the young age group on average, Akcan noted that 70 percent of people who own guns are under 40.

Young adults around the age of 25 are the primary users, with gun-related suicides rising to the second most common cause among teenagers, he added.

The Umut Foundation's 2022 Türkiye Armed Violence Report reveals that at least 18,769 people lost their lives in incidents involving individual firearms in the last five years. The highest number of armed incidents occurred in Istanbul, the southern province of Adana and the northern province of Samsun, respectively, the report said.

The insufficient deterrent punishment for carrying unlicensed firearms also contributes to the high numbers. Lawyer Özlem Şen stated that even though possessing an unlicensed firearm without any other criminal activity carries a three-year prison sentence, it is often deferred or converted to a fine.

A firearm license is valid for five years from the date of approval, after which it is mandatory to renew the license.

"In order to obtain this document and renew it after five years, the applicant must prove with a doctor's report that there is no psychological, neurological, or physical impairment in carrying a weapon,” Şen said.