The Animal Party on Monday raised concerns over the widespread presence of guns in the wrong hands on the island, describing the issue as a serious threat to public safety.

“Police recently reported that over the past three years, they have confiscated 620 hunting guns from individuals deemed dangerous. Of these, at least 56 were taken from people who had been hospitalised at Athalassa psychiatric facility for mental health issues,” the party said in a statement.

The party added that it has been warning successive governments since 2021 about the risks associated with gun ownership and misuse in Cyprus.

“We have already mourned the loss of human lives as well as the deaths of many innocent animals,” the statement read.

The Animal Party urged the government to take immediate action to disarm individuals who are unfit to possess firearms. This includes those charged with crimes, hospitalised for mental health issues, perpetrators of domestic violence, army reservists deemed unfit and those dismissed from the National Guard.

“It is no coincidence that Cyprus ranks among the top ten countries for gun ownership per 100 people,” the party said, attributing part of this statistic to army reservists, who are required to keep disassembled army-issued rifles at home due to the ongoing occupation of part of the island.

The party described the situation as “a troubling one” and called for stricter gun control measures to prevent further tragedies involving both people and animals.