Entities equipped with military weapons from January 1, 2025

Entities equipped with military weapons from January 1, 2025 (Image from Internet)

The Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 was approved by the 15th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 7th session on June 29, 2024.

1. What weapons are considered military weapons under the law in Vietnam?

According to Clause 2, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024, military weapons include:

(i) Handguns, shoulder-fired guns, light weapons, heavy weapons, ammunition used for these types of weapons; various types of bombs, mines, grenades, torpedoes, naval mines, and other weapons listed by the Minister of Defense, equipped for the people's armed forces and other forces as regulated by the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024;

(ii) Shotguns, air guns, compressed air guns, ammunition used for these guns listed by the Minister of Public Security;

(iii) Weapons specified in point a, Clause 4, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 equipped for the people's armed forces and other forces as regulated by the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 to perform national security and ensure social order and safety tasks;

(iv) Hunting guns, weapons specified in point a, Clause 4, weapons specified in point a, Clause 5, and high-lethality knives specified in Clause 6, Article 2 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 used to illegally infringe upon human life and health;

(v) Basic components of the guns specified in point a, including gun body, barrel, trigger mechanism, breechblock mechanism, firing pin;

(vi) Basic components of guns specified in (i) including gun body and trigger mechanism;

(vii) Other weapons with similar features, effects, and lethality as weapons specified in (i) or (ii) not listed by the Minister of Defense, Minister of Public Security.

2. Entities equipped with military weapons in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

According to Article 18 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024, Entities equipped with military weapons in Vietnam include:

- The People's Army;

- The Self-Defense Militia;

- The Coast Guard;

- The People's Public Security;

- Cypher;

- Investigation agencies of the Supreme People's Procuracy;

- Forest Rangers, Fisheries resources surveillance;

- Aviation Security;

- Border Customs; specialized forces combating smuggling of Customs; forces combating drug-related crimes of Customs.

In which:

- The Minister of Defense, based on the nature, requirements, and tasks, prescribes the provision of military weapons to subjects under the management of the Ministry of Defense, including People's Army, Self-Defense Militia, Coast Guard, and Cypher.

- The Minister of Public Security, based on the nature, requirements, and tasks, prescribes the provision of military weapons to subjects not under the management of the Ministry of Defense.

3. Procedures for being equipped with military weapons in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

Procedures for being equipped with military weapons applying to persons not under the management of the Ministry of National Defense shall be specified as follows:

(i) The application dossier includes: A written request specifying the name, address of the agency, unit requesting armament, the business selling military weapons, full name, personal identification number, or passport number of the legal representative and the person in contact, reason, quantity, type, brand of military weapons; approval document from the leadership of the Ministry, sector on the provision of military weapons;

(ii) The dossier specified in (i) is submitted to the competent Police authority as prescribed by the Minister of Public Security;

(iii) Within 03 working days from the date of receiving a complete dossier, the competent Police authority issues a permit for military weapon provision; if not issued, a written response stating the reason must be provided;

(iv) The permit for military weapon provision is valid for 60 days.

The procedure for providing military weapons to subjects under the People's Army, Self-Defense Militia, Coast Guard, and Cypher under the management of the Ministry of Defense is implemented according to regulations by the Minister of Defense.

(Article 20 of the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024)

For more details, refer to the Law on management and use of weapons, explosives and combat gears 2024 which comes into force in Vietnam from January 1, 2025.

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