From the Radio Free Michigan archives ftp://141.209.3.26/pub/patriot If you have any other files you'd like to contribute, e-mail them to bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu. ------------------------------------------------ The following is an information sheet provided by the Swiss Consulate, 3440 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 817, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Gun control in Switzerland 1. The Swiss militia Military service in Switzerland is compulsory and all male Swiss citizens incorporated in combatant militia units are taught how to shoot, beginning at age 20 with basic military training. Rifle clubs teach younger men how to shoot in voluntary preparatory courses. All combatant militia troops (ages 20 to 50) are obliged to keep their personal weapon, normally an automatic assault rifle and ammunition at home. It is strictly forbidden to use the military weapons for any non-authorized purposes. While each militiaman keeps some sealed ammunition at home, he is under no circumstances allowed to use the ammunition for any private use. A militiaman who uses his military weapon for unauthorized and improper purposes may, under military criminal law, be sentenced to prison or, if the offense is of small gravity, be punished by disciplinary action. 2. The purchasing of private firearms The purchase of firearms and ammunition is subject to cantonal (State) legislation, and the regulations vary from Canton to Canton. Some minimal rules have, however, been agreed upon in a so-called "Concordat" which binds all Cantons. In this "Concordat" in its latest revision of 1970 it is stated a) that whoever sells firearms and ammunition commercially must have an authorization (firearm-sale permit) issued by the competent authority of the canton where the business is domiciled; b) commercial sales of firearms are only allowed to persons presenting a duly signed "firearms purchase certificate" issued by the competent authorities of the canton where the purchaser is domiciled; c) such purchase certificates are not issued to persons under 18 years of age, to mentally ill people, to persons under guardianship, to alcoholics, as well as to persons with a criminal record, or if reasonable suspicion of doing harm with a weapon to themselves or third parties exists. d) persons authorized to sell firearms are required to keep detailed records containing the date of sale, the exact personal data of the purchaser, the number, issuing authority and date of the "purchase certificate", as well as the type and serial number of the firearm. The purchase of a firearm requires a permit in all Swiss cantons. The carrying and transportation of firearms and other weapons to is subject to the issuance of a special permit in the following cantons: Zurich, Lucerne, Schwyz, Obwalden, Freiburg, Solothurn, Basel City, Schaffhausen, Appenzell Interior Rhodes, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Ticino, Neuchatel, Geneva. The "Weapon Rules" of the Canton of Zurich, which regulates the trade in weapons and ammunition as well as the carrying and owning of weapons, and are fairly representative of other cantonal rules, subject the carrying of handguns, gasguns, pointed weapons (such as daggers, etc.), blunt weapons (such as knuckledusters, etc.), as well as the transportation of these weapons in public transport facilities to a personal permit (weapon permit), valid up to 2 years, if danger to the applicant's person or property can be substantiated. Private ownership of machine pistols, machine guns, explosive weapons (i.e. hand grenades and bombs) as well as weapon simulating articles of daily use, is prohibited. Automatic and Semiautomatic weapons can only be purchased (and carried) with a special permit issued by the Federal Military Department (Department of Defense), after consultation with the Federal Police, and a special cantonal authorization which generally is only granted to collectors. May 1989 ------------------------------------------------ (This file was found elsewhere on the Internet and uploaded to the Radio Free Michigan archives by the archive maintainer. All files are ZIP archives for fast download. E-mail bj496@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu)