Firearms license applicants to be checked by FSB, Interior Ministry - bill

MOSCOW. June 8 (Interfax) - The State Duma on Wednesday passed in the first reading a bill toughening state control over the issuance of firearms licenses.

The authors of the bill are State Duma deputies Alexander Khinshtein, Vasily Piskaryov and Anatoly Vyborny.

"We suggest checking all applicants seeking weapons licenses using the bodies of the Federal Security Service [FSB] and Interior Ministry under the law on operational search activities. If there is information on a citizen's involvement in organized crime or his intentions to use weapons for illegal, criminal purposes, this data will be sent to the Russian Guard and will be grounds for the denial of weapons licenses. Denials will last for one year," Khinshtein said, commenting on the initiative.

It is expected that people will have the right to appeal such denials in court, he said.

The document stipulates that weapon owners may also be subject to such checks. The procedures governing checks will be determined by the Russian government.

Under the draft law, such checks will not be carried out regarding persons serving in state military organizations and having military and special ranks, or justice ranks, and also people holding public office, federal public service posts, public office in the Russian regions, and federal public service posts in the Russian regions.

This is due to the fact that these people are already subject to a set of operational search and other checks, which are conducted in accordance with the Russian legislation, and also bans and restrictions envisaged in the Russian legislation in connection with public service, the bill said.

Citizens belonging to minority indigenous peoples of Russia who lead a traditional lifestyle and engage in traditional hunting in areas of their traditional residence are expected to be exempt from checks.

The document will take effect one year after the date of its official publication.