MOI: Circulation issued to close firearms shops

INA – Baghdad
 
Ministry of Interior – MOI confirmed, on Monday the issuance of a circulation to close shops selling firearms, while specifying the authority responsible for granting licenses to owners of shops selling hunting weapons.
 
"There are currently no arms shops since they were closed and was circulated to abolish arms shops,” said MOI spokesman Major General Khaled Al-Mhanna to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
 
Al-Mhanna explained, "The existing shops are limited to selling hunting rifles and weapon accessories such as rifle grips and hunting weapons equipment,"
 
"These weapons do not qualify as a firearm or a military weapon, and they are considered hunting rifles that have their own ruling," he pointed out, explaining that "the one responsible for granting licenses to owners of shops selling hunting weapons is the Hunters Association in coordination with the Ministry of Interior,”
 
The electoral security advisor to the Prime Minister, Muhannad Naim, announced on Monday, 2nd August 2021, the completion of the amended arms bill, while revealing that it included penalties for arms traffickers up to death penalty and punitive provisions against holders.