Umut Foundation

Incidents involving individual guns, the majority of which were unlicensed, resulted in the death of a total of 2,500 people in Türkiye last year, according to a report based on media coverage prepared by an NGO.

 Amid the concerns about rising individual armament in the wake of a deadly shop raid in Istanbul's Esenyurt district, a local media report has stated the number of people going to shooting ranges is on the rise.

Only 4 million out of more than 40 million firearms in Türkiye are licensed, with one in every two people possessing a gun, an expert has stated amid growing concerns over individual armament after a recent deadly shop raid in Istanbul's Esenyurt district.

While more than 2,200 people were killed in armed violence across the country in 2022, the most violence occurred in Istanbul, as in previous years, according to a report prepared by the Umut Foundation.

Incidents of armed violence have increased significantly across the country in the last five years, according to a report released by a prominent Turkish non-governmental organization dedicated to reducing personal gun ownership.

As the individual acquisition of arms is rising in Turkey, with the number of registered and unregistered guns rising tenfold just in the past decade, a change in regulation on the use of firearms raises concerns about a potential increase in the number of deaths.

The rate of armed violence committed by individuals in Turkey increased by 28 percent in 2017 when compared with the previous year, according to a report by Umut Foundation, established with the sole purpose of battling individual armed violence in Turkey.

The number of weapons used by civilians in Turkey rose by 10 percent in the first three months of 2017, according to statistics released by the Interior Ministry. 

The total number of licensed weapons used by civilians reached 338,052 with the increase, the ministry said upon a parliamentary question regarding individual arming by independent lawmaker Aylin Nazlıaka. 

Eight percent of the 397 women who were killed in Turkey last year were murdered with weapons, according to statistics from the Umut Foundation, which was established with the sole purpose of battling individual armed violence in Turkey. 

A total of 317 women were killed with weapons in 2016, a slight increase over the 309 women killed with weapons - out of a total of 413 - in 2015.

Individual armed violence in Turkey rose by 7 percent in 2016 compared with the previous year, according to statistics from Umut Foundation.

The foundation was established with the sole purpose of battling individual armed violence in Turkey that kills thousands every year.