Kazakh debtors face account freezes over minor unpaid debts despite legal protections
Nurzhan Aringazinov, head of the Republican Chamber of Private Bailiffs, commented on Wednesday, April 29, in the corridors of the Mazhilis on the issue of bank account freezes for debtors—a practice that sometimes leaves people locked out of all their funds, including their sole source of income, Liter.kz reports.
According to Aringazinov, bailiffs do not have full information about the origin of the money in these accounts. That data is held by the banks and is not shared with enforcement officers. In particular, it remains unclear whether the funds come from wages, pensions, benefits, or child support payments.
He emphasized that Kazakh law does not include the concept of a full "account freeze"—only the seizure of a specific sum. A bailiff issues an order to the bank stating the exact amount of the debt, but the bank itself may then restrict access to the entire account.
"We receive many complaints where the debt is small, yet the whole account gets blocked. That's an issue for the banks to address," he noted.
Aringazinov added that efforts are currently underway to integrate bailiff systems with banking platforms. The plan is for banks to eventually provide details on the nature of incoming funds, which would prevent the seizure of social benefits and other protected income.
