The Serbian government is proposing to reduce the age of criminal responsibility from 14 to 12, among other proposals, following the arrest of a 13-year-old suspected of killing nine and wounding seven during an elementary school shooting on Wednesday.
The school shooting shocked Serbia and the world, leaving eight students and one guard dead and seven wounded. Police arrested the 13-year-old – whom they said had been preparing the shooting for weeks and had a “kill list” – as well as his parents.
Besides proposing to lower the age for criminal responsibility by two years, the government also suggests a moratorium on issuing possession and carry permits for short firearms.
It also suggests tightening sanctions for media content that broadcasts scenes of violence, introducing drug tests for seventh and eighth-grade students, and banning mobile phones in schools.
A decision was also made to audit all issued permits for holding weapons, and control all shooting ranges in Serbia, and prepare regulations for shooting ranges, including banning minors.
It is also proposing to increase the controls of those already possessing arms, including verifying whether the legal requirements for the safekeeping of weapons are met, including whether they are kept separately from minors. Controls should also ensure that access to children and other unauthorised persons is adequately prevented.
The government has tasked the Justice Ministry, the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry to transform these proposals into draft regulations.
(Tamara Milošević Grbić I EURACTIV.rs)
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