KRG to tighten gun laws in Kurdistan

The Kurdistan Regional Government will prevent illegal gun ownership with stricter rules from July 21, a year after its call for gun owners to register their weapons.

Hemen Mirani, General Director of the Interior Ministry Divan, told the Department of Media and Information that: “July 21 has been confirmed as the final chance for gun owners to register their firearms. Anyone carrying an unregistered gun after this deadline will be treated according to article 15 of law number 2 of 2022, carrying a prison sentence of one to three years and a penalty of two to five million Iraqi dinars.”

Mirani also said that illegal weapons will be confiscated at police checkpoints, stating “it is necessary for citizens to regard this campaign as a positive measure to protect their own safety. Gun owners need to register their arms, and not use them to resolve social problems. They must choose dialogue and law over guns and violence.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government has struggled to bring gun ownership under control to reduce violence and social disorder in the region. It has therefore informed citizens, educational and religious institutions, and media to participate in this campaign.

The Department of Media and Information
May 1, 2023