Launch of the In Focus Armed Violence Monitor – Firearm Incidents in Criminal Context in South-East Europe in 2020

In February 2021, SEESAC initiated the publication of the In Focus - Armed Violence Monitors for South-East Europe (SEE). These monthly monitors will aim to provide a more in-depth analysis of trends focused on specific types of firearm incidents happening in the region throughout 2020.

The first issue brings into focus all firearm-related incidents happening in criminal context in South-East Europe from 1 January to 31 December 2020. The monitor draws specific attention to firearm incidents related to organized crime and armed robberies, as the most frequently reported types of incidents within the criminal context category. 

Some of the key findings from this issue are:

• A total of 529 firearm-related incidents in criminal context were recorded in South-East Europe in 2020, including 375 armed robberies and 121 organized crime-related incidents.
• Armed robberies dominated as the most frequently reported type of incident within criminal context, accounting for 70% of all incidents in this category. More than one-third of all armed robberies were committed in shops.
• Firearm incidents related to organized crime make up 23% of all incidents in the criminal context category, with drug trafficking and/or cultivation being the most common type of illegal activity reported in this context (68 incidents).
• In all jurisdictions, handguns were the most reported type of weapon used in criminal context, with 248 reported incidents involving this type of firearm. In 26 (4.9%) cases, the weapons were reported to be in legal possession.
• In total, 29 persons were killed, 46 were injured and 268 were threatened in firearm incidents in criminal context in 2020.

For more details on the firearm-related incidents in criminal context in the SEE in 2020, please click here.

About the Armed Violence Monitoring Platform (AVMP)

The Armed Violence Monitoring Platform (AVMP) has been established by SEESAC with EU funding within the framework of EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 and is currently supported through EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2111, in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South-East Europe.

The AVMP captures data on firearm-related incidents happening in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo¹ and the Republic of Moldova. 

The data is gathered daily from the relevant authorities' official websites, as well as print and online media.  The collected data range from the type of incident, firearms used, age and gender of the victim and the perpetrator, outcome of the incident. etc. Basic data analysis is also provided for various data sets aiming to discover trends related to the incidents. Quality assurance is conducted rigorously by SEESAC. The platform has seen significant improvements in recent years in terms of data collection and categorization. 

The purpose of the AVMP is to make essential data available to all interested parties working on small arms and light weapons control. The AVMP can serve as an informative tool for interventions with the overarching goal of a more effective response on arms control and the reduction of their negative impact on civilians.