The draft federal law On Introducing Amendments to the Federal Law On Weapons’ Article 13 has been developed by the Ministry of the Interior following Constitutional Court Resolution No 16-p dated June 29, 2012. This resolution rules as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation certain provisions of Part 10 of federal law On Weapons’ Article 13 as not complying with the Constitution of the Russian Federation because they do not specify the ban period on purchasing hunting firearms with rifle barrels for individuals with a criminal record.
Under the draft law, Part 10 has been updated with a new version, in which these provisions that had been recognized as not complying with the Constitution have been dropped.
Simultaneously, it has been proposed to establish a ban on purchasing firearms for individuals with a previous or expunged conviction for a grave crime including the use of weapons or objects used as weapons.
It is envisaged that the licence for purchasing weapons shall not be issued to citizens of the Russian Federation who have committed a repeat administrative offence against law and order, or an established administration procedure, an administrative offence regarding the violation of hunting rules, or an administrative offence concerning the illegal sale of narcotic or psychotropic substances or their analogues, or the consumption of narcotic or psychotropic substances without a doctor’s prescription before the expiration of the period when this individual is under an administrative punishment.
Under the draft law, the list of sports, for which the acquisition of sporting firearms with rifle barrels is permitted, is established based on the sports included in the Olympic Games programme.
The draft law was discussed and approved at the Government meeting on September 4, 2013.
