A group of Russian senators have presented a project on reforming the law on weapons and suggested legalizing possession of short-stemmed arms for self-defense and other lawful purposes.

      The author of the report, the first vice-speaker in the Federation Council, Alexander Torshin, have adressed his report to the Council. He said the bill would help to reduce crime rates, since the potential criminals would be aware that their victim could have a gun.

      According to the senators’ initiative, Russian citizens over 23 years old who do not have outstanding convictions, mental diseases or drug addiction, will be allowed to buy firearms for self-defense after passing a special training test on using arms. Currently it is only allowed to have sporting guns with a special licence, gas pistols, stun guns, air guns (power less than 25 joules) and a cold weapon. Handguns for citizens are completely prohibited.

      The bill's authors also suggest introduction of "My home is my castle" doctrine, which stipulates that every person who has shot down a robber of another criminal on his territory will be officially considered to be a victim.

      However, many politians and lawmakers are sceptical about the bill. They say there is no definite answer as to how free arms possession correlates with crime rates but, at the same time, there are many examples that fire guns can be very dangerous in citizens' hands. It is also important to note that unlike the United States and Europe, where the handguns are legal, Russia had never seen mass shooting rampages.

      The bill on legalizing handguns can be submitted to the State Duma for consideration in the beginning of 2013.

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