UAWA statement on President Poroshenko’s initiative to seize legal weapons during martial law

We do not like loud statements, because, in our opinion, gun owners should be inherent in restraint and politeness, even in their statements. But sometimes you need to state your position.

So, when at the end of the working week the national media reported about the submission of the “Draft Law on the legal regime of martial law” №2541 by President Poroshenko, they deliberately or accidentally did not mention that this draft contains several clauses that concern gun owners. Namely:

Article 8. Measures of the legal regime of martial law

1. In Ukraine or in some of its localities where martial law has been introduced, the military command together with military administrations (if established) may independently or with the involvement of executive authorities, the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, local self-government bodies introduce and implement, within the limits of temporary restrictions of constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen, as well as the rights and legal interests of legal entities, envisaged by the Decree of the President of Ukraine on the introduction of martial law, the following measures of the legal regime of martial law

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13) prohibit trade in weapons, potent chemical and poisonous substances, as well as alcoholic beverages and alcohol-based substances;

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15) to seize firearms and ammunition, cold weapons from citizens, as well as training and combat equipment, explosives, radioactive substances and materials, potent chemical and poisonous substances from enterprises, institutions and organizations;

Realizing that the document was prepared not by Poroshenko personally, but by a group of authors and advisers, let’s try to analyze the logic of the authors of the bill, or rather its absence.

First, instead of breaking the monopolistic collusion on the prices of weapons and ammunition and enabling gun owners to buy them at reasonable prices, the authors are considering banning the sale of legal weapons altogether.

Secondly, instead of urgently adopting our proposed Law on Civilian Weapons and Ammunition, which will become a cornerstone in building a system of internal and external security and involving legal owners of weapons in building a system of territorial defense, it is proposed to confiscate firearms and ammunition from citizens during martial law.

In the light of the recent hoplophobic statements of President Poroshenko, it seems that a year of experience has taught neither the President nor his team anything.

Just in case, let us ask – did the authors of the bill envisage the seizure of award weapons from all those to whom they were sold and donated?

We do not see any point in telling the general public about all the mistakes the authorities make by delaying the provision of the legislative status of arms circulation in Ukraine, but we want to remind that it is because of this criminal inaction that the demand for illegal weapons is growing, which, accordingly, generates supply.

There is no need to talk about the state of affairs in the territorial defense system.

We appeal to the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, especially to the co-authors of the Draft Law on Civilian Weapons and Ammunition, with a request to give a worthy rebuff to this shameful initiative.

And finally, please do not misunderstand us, but the opinion of American gun owners on such initiatives is as follows: if you try to seize our weapons, we will give you our bullets first.

And the authors of the bill will definitely know the opinion of Ukrainian gun owners. Later. If they want to. Of course, if they dare.

Chairman of the Supervisory Board of UAWZ

Georgy Uchaykin