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Latvia. 2019 ‘Section 71.’ Law on the Handling of Weapons; Section 71. Riga: Latvia. 10 April

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Section 71. Provisions for Practice Shooting and Shooting Sports Competitions

(1) The owner of a shooting gallery shall be responsible for the conformity with the general safety regulations for practice shooting activities and shooting sports competitions, and also for the technical and organisational measures for guaranteeing the safety of participants, spectators, and other persons during practice shooting activities. The coach or shooting instructor who is leading the practice shall be responsible for the conformity with the safety regulations in practices of a specific shooter or a group of shooters. The user of a weapon shall be responsible for specific activities with the weapon in practices and competitions.

(2) The organiser of the competition and the chief judge of the competition certified by the sports federation in accordance with the procedures laid down in laws and regulations shall be responsible for the safety of participants, spectators, and other persons, as well as for the provision of medical assistance during shooting sports competitions.

(3) Firearms, high-energy pneumatic weapons, as well as non-firearm weapons (bows and crossbows) may be used in practice shooting and shooting sports competitions only in shooting galleries of the corresponding category. Examination of hunting firearms or high-energy pneumatic weapons classified for hunting in hunting areas during hunting shall not be considered practice shooting. During examination of the abovementioned hunting weapons safety requirements shall be conformed to in order to prevent harm to human beings, animals, property, and environment, as well as not to endanger public safety and not to cause public order disturbances.

(4) Low-energy pneumatic weapons, and also throwing non-firearm weapons and bows the arrows of which do not have hunting arrowhead may be used in a delimited place in conformity with the safety requirements in order to prevent harm to human beings, animals, property, and environment, as well as not to endanger public safety and not to cause public order disturbances.

(5) Practice shooting in second category shooting galleries shall take place only under supervision of a certified shooting instructor or coach. The lawful demands of the instructor and the coach in the shooting gallery shall be compulsory to persons.

(6) In shooting galleries, the following minimum age shall be specified for the participants of practice shooting or shooting sports competitions:

1) in the first category shooting galleries - unlimited;

2) for firing low-calibre rifled firearms of Category B or C the ammunition of which has a rimfire primer, a single-shot long smooth-bore firearm of Category C, and also high-energy pneumatic weapons of Category D - 12 years;

3) for firing firearms of Categories B and C - 16 years;

4) for firing firearms of Category A - 18 years.

(7) Persons who do not have the authorisation for the possession or authorisation for the carrying of the relevant firearms shall participate in practice shooting or shooting sports competitions only under supervision of a certified shooting instructor or coach.

(8) Minor persons who have attained the age referred to in Paragraph six of this Section shall may use firearms or high-energy pneumatic weapons of the relevant category in shooting galleries only if practice shooting is organised by a legal person or educational institution linked to the shooting sport or if the minor person is visiting the shooting gallery accompanied by parents or legal representatives.

(9) The use of a weapon by, as well as the presence of persons who are under the influence of alcohol, narcotic, psychotropic, toxic, or other intoxicating substances in shooting galleries is prohibited. It is prohibited to issue weapons and ammunition to the abovementioned persons.

(10) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures by which practice shooting and shooting sports competitions shall take place in Latvia, as well as the safety regulations to be conformed to in shooting galleries.

ID: Q14828

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