Weapons — Turkey

Bringing a firearm, its ammunition or a fighting knife into Turkey is a crime. Law 6136 Art. 2 prohibits importing firearms, ammunition and instruments made solely for attack or defence, with narrow exceptions for accredited diplomats and officials. Art. 4 names the banned items: daggers, swordsticks, switchblades, swords, bayonets, pointed and grooved knives, maces, garrotte wire or chain and knuckledusters; Art. 5 makes selling, buying, carrying or possessing them inside the country illegal too. Household, medical, industrial, farming, sporting and trade implements - ordinary kitchen and work knives - are outside the Law. Blank-firing or gas-cartridge guns converted to fire live rounds are treated as firearms.

Importing or attempting to import firearms, ammunition or ballistically significant parts: 5 to 12 years imprisonment plus a judicial fine of 500 to 5,000 days (Art. 12); 8 to 15 years where two or more people act together. Buying, carrying or possessing a firearm contrary to the Law: 2 to 4 years plus a 100 to 500 day fine (Art. 13). Selling, buying, carrying or possessing a prohibited knife or similar instrument: 6 months to 1 year plus a judicial fine of no fewer than 25 days (Art. 15).

Verified Oct 4, 2026