Necessary requirements to purchase weapons are being strengthened in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is strengthening the law on the use of weapons by citizens, and as a result the Cabinet of Ministers has adopted a resolution on the 1st May 2023 to improve licensing and permitting procedures in the field of civilian and service weapons and ammunition.  This news was reprted by the information and legal portal "Norma."

It is reported that the following procedure is being established with the document:

•    Persons involved in the repair and sale of weapons carry out their activities based on the license of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
•    Ranges and shooting ranges for the use of weapons carry out their activities on the basis of a permit for the storage of weapons of the regional internal affairs bodies;
•    Weapons belonging to legal entities and individuals are registered in the internal affairs bodies and a permit for their storage and carrying is issued.

A training weapon that is designed to simulate firing with a light-sound effect, is weight-sized and does not allow for firing without undergoing special repair work, which is prohibited for handling.  Citizens may hand over the pistol and its ammunition, which cannot be used with other types of cartridges, to the internal afffairs bodies free of charge.  The weapon will either be destroyed in the prescribed manner or handed over to the collections of special bodies and military structures.

Pneumatic short- barreled weapons for citizens, as well as pneumatic weapons that resemble copies (replicas) of automatic weapons, may be stored and only used in sports facilities with the permission of the internal affairs bodies.

If the internal affairs bodies refuse to issue a permit, the weapon can be sold through legal entities licenced for its sale or handed over to the internal affairs bodies.

Additionally, a psychiatric and narcological evaluation of the gun owner's close relatives and cohabitants is required when applying for a civilian weapon.