Street vendor sentenced to three years in jail for owning six air pistols

World
Europe

For the 51-year-old street vendor Zhao Chunhua, the best thing she could hope for is to spend her Chinese New Year in the detention house before a possible three years’ prison sentence.

The woman, who used to own a balloon-shooting game parlor in the Chinese city Tianjin, was sentenced to three years in jail because of her possession of air pistols, or what the court described as “illegal guns”.

Photo: btime007

On December 27, Zhao was accused of owning six “gun-like items” and was charged with illegal firearms possession, which could mean she spends three and a half years in jail, the Paper.cn quoted Tianjin Heibei District People’s Court as saying.

She was taken away by local police in October with 13 other vendors. Promising that they would be released “after some simple investigation”, Zhao followed the police and was taken custody.

Photo: btime007

Zhao’s daughter said her mother “hadn’t been warned at all” during the two months running the balloon shooting stall, nor did she know about illegal gun possession. Divorced and unemployed, she could only support herself through the game stall, earning about 3,000 yuan ($431) a month.

Balloon-shooting has long existed at tourist sites and amusement parks in Chinese cities. Players use air pistols to shot balloons on a wall to earn points and hopefully prizes.

Photo: btime007

In the following two month since her arrest, Zhao’s daughter has been running to different places for help, despite diminishing hope. Now Zhao only hopes that she can spend a Chinese New Year in a detention center before throwing into prison, because she had “already become acquainted with the other inmates”.

The court ruling said Zhao’s act “seriously violated China’s laws of gun control”. China’s criminal laws dictates that individuals who own more than two military guns, or more than five non-military guns can face three to five years prison term.

Photo: btime007

However, the definition of “gun” is still in dispute since the exact damage of different air rifles cannot be clearly defined. A legal expert in Beijing said he is willing to provide legal assistance and to plea for reprieve.