A new draft firearms and ammunition law places further restrictions on the acquisition of automatic weapons, a top official said on Thursday, amid a significant increase in the use of guns and violence across the Kingdom over the past few years.
Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammed Momani told The Jordan Times on Thursday that the government will move to have the bill enacted by Parliament as soon as possible.
According to the draft law, owners of automatic arms of any kind must hand over their weapons to police in return for “fair compensation”, according to Momani, risking punitive measures if they fail to report to the nearest police station.
The purpose of this procedure is to reduce the random use of weapons, according to an Interior Ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official, who has worked closely with the draft law, said that the recent increase in violence in universities across the Kingdom was the stimulus behind the bill.
A clash between students at the King Hussein Bin Talal University of Maan, 220 kilometres south of Amman, caused widespread rioting throughout the southern governorate in April and resulted in four fatalities, including a university professor and a child who was attending an event on campus.
The police investigation into the incident found that those implicated in the violence were found carrying over 60 firearms, the majority of which were automatic weapons.
The government’s proposed draft law is meant to limit citizens from carrying weapons of all types, with exceptions made for security and military personnel, the Interior Ministry official told The Jordan Times.
The draft law also includes a ban on weapons being carried during official or public celebrations, including protests, weddings and funerals, the minister said, adding that this law will apply to any gathering of 10 or more people.
After a recommendation from the interior minister, the Cabinet will have the power of law to designate certain areas of the Kingdom as “arms-free zones”, according to the draft law.
The law also seeks to set stricter legal punishments against violators, with a view to reduce weapons-related crimes and injuries across Jordan.
by: Khaled Neimat
source: http://jordantimes.com/govt-endorses-new-firearms-draft-law-to-curb-violence
