According to the statistics of the General Directorate of Police, there are 37,722 registered guns in the country.
Most of the weapons permitted under the Firearms Law are hunting rifles of which there are 36,056. There are 1,666 guns.
Official data also reveal the gap between the number of hunters and the number of shotguns.
10, 350 people in North Cyprus have hunter licenses, issued their licenses as ‘hunters’, however, the number of shotguns was recorded as 36.056.
Nicosia Has The Highest Number of Pistols And Shotguns
On a regional basis, Nicosia leads among the districts with the highest number of registered firearms in all weapons.
While Nicosia shotguns are recorded as 10,903, the number of pistols is 806.
According to police records, there are 9,760 shotguns and 293 pistols in Famagusta. While the number of registered guns in Kyrenia is 399, there are 6,428 registered shotguns. The records are followed by Güzelyurt, İskele, Lefke.
More Hunting Rifles Than Registered Hunters
The number of registered hunters in the TRNC is 10,035. The number of registered shotguns is 36,056. Official data also revealed the difference between the number of hunters and shotguns.
TRNC Hunting Federation President Erhan Keser spoke to Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Yeniduzen’ about registered hunting rifles. He stated that air rifles are also in the registered shotgun category.
“Each hunter has more than one registered weapon”
Keser pointed out that each hunter has more than one registered shotgun and said that air guns are also in this group. Noting that the number of registered hunters fluctuates every year, Keser said that the number of registered hunters decreased to 12,300 in 2017, 10,000 in 2018, 11,300 in 2019, and 10,35 in 2020.
New Electronic System For Registering Hunters
The president of the Hunting Federation said that they have switched to a new system in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.
Records are now becoming computerised, Keser said, “The inspections have become more transparent. By entering the names and identification numbers of the hunters, we can clearly follow all the records from here. The Hunt Production and Protection Fund has been losing value since 2009 as the TL depreciated. If the licensed hunters bring 250 empty shells, we offer a discount of 90 TL on hunting licenses. We receive 90 TL license fee from hunters who do not bring any empty shells. Despite the price hikes, 12,000 people became members of our clubs ”.
Right Of Private Security Guards To Bear Arms Withdrawn
In the past, here were serious debates in public regarding the Private Security Bill, which will also give private security officers the right to use firearms.
The regulation was removed after negative reactions, and it was withdrawn by the committee.
The Private Security Services Law was put into effect, and private security guards were not given the right to use weapons.
Yeniduzen
